Lemon, Coconut, and Lavender Tarts

While the month of April has mainly consisted of torrential downpours, flooded sidewalks, and even a touch of snow (ugh!), this past weekend was a lovely and sunny exception. I finally had the chance to step out of my galoshes, slip into some walking shoes, and explore spring in Chicago. First stop: The Spice House, where I was completely taken by a little bag of lavender buds. As you can see, those tiny purple flowers were the inspiration for my latest baking endeavor. I also purchased some lavender-vanilla sugar, which is good on pretty much EVERYTHING! Seriously, I sprinkled some on my pancakes this morning and it took them from an average 7 to about a 10/10. If you ever get the chance to go to a Spice House, do it! Though I must warn you, walking into the shop is an assault on the senses. After about twenty-five minutes of perusing the spice shelves, I was in need of some fresh, non-fragrant air. :)

In my mind, lavender is meant to be one of those subtle spices. I currently have a jar of lavender honey and I think it's the best thing since sliced bread -- the hint of lavender compliments the sweetness of the honey without being too overpowering. With my tarts, I was aiming for a similar taste. I wanted to let the lemon and coconut shine, with hints of lavender floating around and gently surprising the taste buds. Maybe I put too much thought into that. Oh well...

Here are some pretty flowers for you!

You know what? I've noted something recently... When one area of my life gets crazy busy, all of the other parts are like "I want in on the crazy too!" and then, before I know it, I am running all over the place, overbooking my schedule, forgetting about appointments, and acting like a complete maniac. Anyway, what I really want to say is that I'm hoping these tasty little tarts will make up for my lack of posts lately.

Chocolate Cake Indulgence

Say hello to my most recent creation! To celebrate a friend's birthday, I broke out my new Sticky Fingers cookbook and baked a classic chocolate cake. Oh, and it was vegan, which makes me jump for joy on the inside because the taste and texture were spot on. This cake beats any store-bought boxed cake mix, hands down, and was worth every ounce of effort it took to make. **One side note here: I am fully aware that a vegan cake ≠ a healthy cake. If I wanted a healthy cake, I would have made it with beets or something. I just like the fact that making a dessert so utterly delectable doesn't require any animals.

I had a little difficulty with this cake... not because the instructions weren't clear enough, but because I broke one of my own cooking rules: read the entire recipe and cooking instructions beforehand. I am writing this in the hopes that I will actually remember it next time I decide to take on such a large baking endeavor. You see, in order for this cake to work, there is a certain chemical reaction that takes place when the apple cider vinegar is poured into the batter (which contains baking soda), after which, the batter must be promptly poured into the pans and placed in the oven. My cake still turned out light and fluffy, thanks to some quick assistance from my roomie, but I just want to remind everyone to read the instructions before picking up any measuring cups.




My roommates and I decided to celebrate the special birthday occasion with a delicious roasted root vegetable and gnocchi dinner paired with some champagne while watching the Golden Globes. Yes, we are awesome. Tack some chocolate cake on the end and I call it a dang good night.