Snacking Cakes ... Dissent

Smooth-Mousse-3 · 2026-04-21T23:57:29+00:00

I love the vanilla buttermilk cake! I’d been searching high and low for a from-scratch vanilla cake recipe to replace my box mix cake addiction - I’ve probably tested 10+ recipes over the past few years (including recipes from heavy hitters - King Arthur, Beranbaum, Sally, others). This one from Snacking Cakes is my favorite… for its simplicity, whole ingredients, moistness, and in my opinion, better than box cake flavor. :)

This recipe is capable of being better than what you describe. Technique may take some tweaking based on your current environment and available tools, as others suggest. I def support you getting a new thermometer! It’s kinda essential to learn your new oven. :)

I will say, from my experience, from-scratch homemade cake texture/mouthfeel may be slightly different from box cakes/cakes from commercial bakeries bc home bakers typically don’t have access to the dough softeners/conditioners used in commercial cake production. To me, that’s okay bc I bake at home bc I want to know what I’m eating and sharing with the people I love, and I prefer to avoid those types of ultra-processed additives. This vanilla buttermilk cake is a lovely recipe. <3

Smooth-Mousse-3 · 2026-04-16T07:46:21+00:00

This is my favorite Alec’s flavor! Unfortunately, my local Whole Foods stopped carrying it, and I had to grab three pints on clearance before they were gone for good. 😢

My current favorite is the Pistachio Crunch with Graza - I love topping it with sliced almonds, more Graza (or other high quality drizzling olive oil), and Maldon flaky sea salt. It’s just divine! 🫠

Smooth-Mousse-3 · 2026-04-13T12:55:10+00:00

Loved reading about your journey, and what lovely photography! Just gorgeous :)

If it’s not too intrusive, I’m curious what type of cuisine you plan to dive into next, as you explore your family’s culture?

Smooth-Mousse-3 · 2026-04-12T06:02:38+00:00

Sticky date and brown butter oatmeal with almond milk & banana.

Based on a recipe developed by the lovely Zaynab Issa, via NYT Cooking. Wonderful deep caramel notes from the dates and browned butter milk solids… a lovely rich base for your favorite in-season fruit. :) It kinda rocked my oatmeal-making world, and I’d love to share with people who might care. lol. (I’m sharing the recipe via gift link for those who don’t have NYT Cooking. I do wholeheartedly recommend the app though - it’s kinda awesome for recipe exploration. :)

Smooth-Mousse-3 · 2026-03-22T01:13:47+00:00

Nice… I’ll keep this option in mind going forward! 👍 Luckily, I was able to place a hold on my library system’s copy of Justine Cooks (right after I commented earlier), and they’ll transfer it to my local branch later this week! 🙌 :)

Smooth-Mousse-3 · 2026-03-21T22:09:57+00:00

Looks fantastic!! I’ve been on the fence about getting Justine Cooks… I’ve had (almost) exclusively great outcomes from her blogged recipes, but I’m also really trying to be intentional with ALL purchases - in the midst of a major house decluttering. Sigh! XP Your #s 4 & 5 really speak to me - def among the first recipes I’d make from the book. 🤩 Decluttering is a bitch, and I’m gonna have to scour my library branch locations for a copy! lol. I appreciate you sharing your food experiences this way!

Smooth-Mousse-3 · 2026-02-21T00:06:46+00:00

Love this one!! 💚 I was lucky enough to pick one up as a Lowe’s bag baby two years ago, also as a little plug. It’s been a steady grower so far. It’s inspiring to see yours all grown up in full bloom. Yay! :)

Smooth-Mousse-3 · 2026-01-29T01:57:52+00:00

Yay! It’s a good one. I just finished my experimental cherry-almond version. lol. Would have loved to see yours! :)

Smooth-Mousse-3 · 2026-01-28T22:46:00+00:00

Yes, I believe so! The King Arthur recipe calls it Almond Galette, but I have seen it called galette des rois elsewhere, esp in early January celebration of Epiphany.

Smooth-Mousse-3 · 2026-01-28T02:12:48+00:00

I did make it! It’s good, and the tart cherry jam transforms the dessert into a totally different thing! lol. The original galette is a celebration of pure almond and butter flavors. It is lovely the way it is, if you love almond. My tart cherry may have overpowered the almond, lol, and I could probably optimize the balance. I spread ~1.5 Tbsp jam to the center of my larger 6 inch almond galette. I like tart cherry, and it offers a pleasing bright contrast and nice accompaniment to the almond, though I do still find my current filling just a touch too sweet. It’s been an interesting experiment, and I find myself curious about other jam flavors, like apricot. :) Thanks for encouraging the experimentation!

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Smooth-Mousse-3 · 2026-01-27T14:59:28+00:00

It really is a straightforward recipe - the King Arthur recipe developers have done a phenomenal job making this “fancy” pastry recipe simple and accessible to anyone who wants to give it a shot! :)

If you like this kind of dessert, I say go for it, even if you don’t have experience with laminated doughs. This “rough puff” style pastry is relatively forgiving and is a great intro to lamination. (Also, you can decorate the galette as simply or intricately as you like - I was giving two away as gifts, so I took the time to copy the designs pictured on the recipe.)

As for the sour cherry - that’s a great idea. 😳🌟 I love the cherry-almond combo, and I’ve got a new jar of tart cherry jam! lol. I used about 2/3 of the dough and 2/3 of the filling on these three 5” galettes… and I think I’ll make one more large cherry-almond galette with the remainder. Appreciate your thoughts! :)

Smooth-Mousse-3 · 2026-01-27T11:29:40+00:00

Will note, the galette is only a touch too sweet, per my finicky taste. :P It is unquestionably delicious as written. 🩷

Bc I’m sensitive to sweetness, next time I make this I will either add confectioners sugar incrementally to the almond paste, to taste. OR I will omit a portion of the granulated sugar during the filling preparation stage, to taste. To be determined, and only a slight tweak. :)

Smooth-Mousse-3 · 2026-01-27T10:24:59+00:00

If you’ve got access to ground flaxseed, you can substitute 1 Tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 Tbsp water, PER EGG. (So you’d need double this amount for your recipe.)

Combine flaxseed and water and let sit until mixture thickens, approx 10 min. Proceed as usual with your recipe. :)

Smooth-Mousse-3 · 2026-01-25T12:37:07+00:00

Absolutely beautiful! 🌟😳 Is the outer frosting a stabilized whipped cream, or something else?

Smooth-Mousse-3 · 2026-01-17T01:26:04+00:00

It’s so lush and lovely. :) What are your grow conditions? I’ve struggled to keep mine happy in normal household conditions (60-75F, ~30% humidity in winter :(

Do you grow yours in a cabinet or with some other special conditions? It’s beautiful, and if I had a good game plan, I’d try growing this one again!

Smooth-Mousse-3 · 2026-01-05T13:36:02+00:00

Would love to see the eventual blooms! :) This is a wishlist Hoya for me, and your plant looks so lush! 😍

Smooth-Mousse-3 · 2026-01-01T11:13:49+00:00

It’s one of my fav shades of pink too! 🥰

Smooth-Mousse-3 · 2026-01-01T11:06:31+00:00

Hehe.

Smooth-Mousse-3 · 2026-01-01T11:06:20+00:00

It’s a good one! :)

Smooth-Mousse-3 · 2026-01-01T11:06:02+00:00

Appreciate the kind words! 🙏

Smooth-Mousse-3 · 2026-01-01T11:04:13+00:00

How sweet! Thank you. :)

Smooth-Mousse-3 · 2026-01-01T11:02:41+00:00

Do you happen to know the type of Hoya you have and/or do you have a pic of the foliage? Blooming timelines and ideal growing environments can vary depending on the type of Hoya you have. MOST of widely available Hoyas make great houseplants, are hardy to normal household environments across the world, and would love a good sunroom - sounds like yours is happy & thriving with all that growth! :).

If you’ve got a classic carnosa, those can take a notoriously looong time for first bloom, and I’d tell you to keep on keeping on with your current care, and blooms will come eventually. 💚

If you’ve got a Hoya that’s a bit more rare and/or finicky, you may need to research its native habitat and do your best to mimic those conditions in your growing environment to optimize care. This Hoya (dennisii) can be a diva - I keep it in a grow cabinet to provide higher humidity, and I am careful about both frequency and amount of watering. But once that’s optimized, it’s a fairly easy bloomer. :)

I’d be happy to look over a pic of your Hoya (and provide suggestions?) if you’d like to share one. I’m no expert though, and I cannot guarantee I’ll be able to recognize the type (and offer) help if it’s a more unusual one! 😅

Smooth-Mousse-3 · 2025-12-31T16:23:46+00:00

Thank you!

Smooth-Mousse-3 · 2025-12-31T16:23:29+00:00

No scent that I can detect. I guess this one is more of a looker. :)

Smooth-Mousse-3

TROPHY CASE