Darcie Bakes //

Tres Leches Cake: Take Two.

Baking has always been a mostly solitary activity for me. Usually I’m content with this; I’m a very introverted person at heart, after all. I just love being in that therapeutic zone in my own mind when I’m working on a baking project. {But I also have a tendency to be in my own head a bit too much. Oops.}


So I think it goes without saying that it’s not often that I take the opportunity to bake with other people. But every now and again, someone asks to bake with me; in part as a friend date, but also as a baking lesson for them. Making this tres leches cake turned out to be the perfect friend date/baking lesson with one of my newer [but really great!] friends, Helen.

We spent a Saturday morning a while back back dressed up like 1950s housewives, petting her cute little dog, Harry, and making delicious cake. Just ’cause we can. The cake was a very late birthday present for one of our other good friends, Jimmy. You see, tres leches cake is Jimmy’s favorite cake of all time, and I actually made him a tres leches cake using a different recipe a while back. While that recipe certainly wasn’t bad by any means, I had been itching to try a new recipe this time around. I found that I actually prefer this recipe over the old one; this cake was nothing short of amazing.

trust the process collage
{From top to bottom: 1. whipped egg whites; 2. Helen uses the whisk attachment on the mixer; 3. A shot of my half sleeve as I’m using the mixer; 4. Lightly sweetened homemade whipped cream is the best!}

{Side Note: Unfortunately, I didn’t receive my 64 gig SD card for my digital SLR camera in time for this project, so I wasn’t able to take fancy pictures. So you’ll have to deal with semi-crappy phone photos of this cake for now.}

{From top to bottom, left to right: 1) Helen brought her doggie, Harry over to visit for our baking shenanigans; 2) I like to draw my “menu” on the chalkboard in my kitchen; 3) Helen snapped a photo of me pouring the three milks over the cake; and 4) We enable bad doggie behavior by letting Harry sniff some of the cake; don’t worry, I got him some pig ears to make up for the teasing!}

If you’re not familiar with tres leches cake, you are missing out. But don’t worry: I’m here to fill you in on tres leches cake and its awesomeness. Tres leches translates to “three milks” in Spanish. The cake itself is actually a sponge cake, so it soaks up the three milks; the end result is a deliciously moist, rich cake. In this case, the three milks used are evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and heavy cream. We also added some pure vanilla extract and bourbon to the milks for good measure. Then you just make a simple homemade whipped cream topping, and serve it with maraschino cherries after it’s had time to chill in the fridge for a while.

{Our Sunday “Tres Leches Cake and Macaron” party was a smashing success!}
{Jimmy and Helen dig in to their cake slices!}

The recipe itself comes off as slightly intimidating [e.g. separating eggs, whipping egg whites, etc.], but it’s truly not that complicated. It’s mostly a matter of reading the recipe multiple times prior to making it, and ensuring that you understand all the directions. If you’ve got a free Saturday afternoon and you’re looking for a special cake to make for someone, then I’d highly recommend making a tres leches cake. It’s a rare treat for me to have such a cake, but they’re totally worth it. Enjoy. {PS: It also helps when you have great friends to make and share the cake with, plus a cute doggie to “supervise” the process!}

{I enjoy the last few bites of my cake.}

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Tres Leches Cake.

 

Yield: One 13×9″ pan; about 12 slices.

Ingredients:

For the Cake:
– 1½ cups all-purpose flour
– 2 teaspoons baking powder
– ½ teaspoon salt
– 6 large eggs, separated
– ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
– 1½ cups granulated sugar
– ⅓ cup cold water
– 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
– 1 teaspoon pure almond extract

For the Milks:
– 1 cup heavy cream
– 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
– 1 small can (5 ounces) evaporated milk
– 1 tablespoon rum or brandy {Optional; I used some bourbon because I was out of rum.}
– 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
For the Whipped Frosting:
– 2 cups cold heavy whipping cream
– ½ cup powdered sugar
– 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract {I used vanilla bean paste here.}
– Sprinkles and maraschino cherries for garnish

 

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking 9×13″ baking pan with parchment paper and/or grease lightly with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder and salt, set aside.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment [or an electric hand mixer in a large bowl], whip together the egg whites, along with the cream of tartar until soft peaks form, about 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl and set aside.
4. In the rinsed bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the egg yolks and granulated sugar until thick and pale. Stir in the vanilla extract, almond extract and water, until smooth. Add the flour mixture and stir until just combined.
5. Fold in the egg whites, a one third at a time, making sure to not over mix.
6. Pour batter into prepared baking pan and bake for about 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely in the pan, but on a cooling rack.
7. Whisk together the tres leches ingredients, in a medium bowl. Using a wooden skewer or toothpick, poke holes all throughout the cooled cake. This will allow for the milk mixture to seep in. Pour the milk, evenly, over the cake. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to chill in the fridge for about 3 hours, or overnight. {I let mine chill overnight, and it is definitely worth the wait!}
8. Make the whipped cream topping by beating the heavy whipping cream along with the sugar and vanilla extract, until soft peaks form. Spread the whipped cream over the chilled cake.
Cover and refrigerate overnight.
9. Just before ready to serve, decorate with sprinkles and maraschino cherries! Enjoy chilled!

 

+ Recipe via The Candid Appetite [Originally found on Joy the Baker’s blog, but I think the recipe is by TCA].
{I had a slice for my post-lunch snack the following day. It was delicious.}

Random Sides // 26 Things in 26 Years: Part II.

Today is my 26th birthday.

I’m still a bit nervous about it, because it means I’m four years closer to being thirty (!!!). About a month ago, I posted my first thirteen pieces of “things I’ve learned” – aka Part I. So check it out if you like, then let’s get started with Part II!

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14. Do something that you consider fun every day, no matter how small and/or seemingly silly. Some days, it’s indulging in a chocolate bar from Trader Joe’s. Other days, it’s just dressing cute and admiring how I look in the mirror. To make every day a bit more fun, I like to incorporate small things that bring me joy.

15. In order to be more content, it’s better to live and let live. I find that I am much happier when I focus on bettering myself instead of worrying about who someone else is or what s/he is doing. Other people are gonna be who they are, and that’s their right. It’s also your right to be who you are. Embrace the differences, and continue being your amazing self.

16. If you’re wanting to do something but are apprehensive… It’s best to just start. I’ve been equally intimidated by and enamored with blogging for years. And there are a million reasons as to why I shouldn’t do it. But there are also a million reasons as to why I should. I have found that simply just doing it helps out a lot. It’s much easier to get into a good blogging routine when I just do the damn thing instead of freaking out over all the ridiculous details.

17. Sometimes, adult life is just plain weird. Actually, life in general is weird. But adult life is especially weird. It’s aight. Embrace the weirdness. Prime example: you may one day find yourself drunk in a grocery store, arguing with the guy you’re dating that you just need fancy-ass glass Pyrex tupperware [and that’s kinda weird, is it not?]. Not that I’d know that from experience or anything…

18. Learn to forgive yourself and let go. If you gained five pounds, it’s not the end of the world (seriously!). If you accidentally on purpose drank an entire bottle of wine, it’s okay. We’ve all been there. Learn from your perceived mistakes, try to figure out how to prevent them from happening next time, and keep going. It really is okay; don’t beat yourself up.

19. Just because someone is a nice/cute/”cool” person does not mean that they are the “right” person for you. I have dated a few guys; and for the most part, they are nice and decent dudes. But I have learned the hard way that they are not right for me. That can be unfortunate – sometimes amicable breakups are worse than messy ones. In the end, however, it’s for the best; it means that you are that much closer to finding someone who is more right for you.

20. There is almost always a way [or usually multiple ways!] to solve just about any problem. If one method for solving a problem – whether it’s at work or in a relationship or any kind of personal issue – isn’t working, there’s usually an alternative route. Most problems can be solved, even if it takes a lot of hard work, thinking, and painful discussions. I try to keep this in mind to reduce my anxiety levels and stay positive about life.

21. If you want something bad enough, you’ll keep tryin’. Or, conversely, if you don’t want something bad enough, you’ll probably find excuses. Think long and hard about why you want something, and keep going.

22. In general, your mid-to-late twenties are going to be a lot better than your early twenties. I will always miss certain aspects and memories of my early 20s. Sometimes it’s fun to reminisce about my undergrad days. I have a lot of really entertaining [some more embarrassing than others] stories. But would I ever go back to the ages of 20-24? Not a chance. I am much more secure in who I am and happier with where I’m at now. So if you are in your early 20s and are struggling, keep going. Things do get a little easier as you grow into who you’re meant to be.

23. Keep pursuing your passions unabashedly, and shake it off [whoops, TSwift reference] when others tease you about your obsessions. A lot of people tease me for being so obsessed with baking and crafts and all that “artsy fartsy” stuff. Some people think it’s goofy. But guess who has delicious baked goods? Not them [unless I share, of course]. Other people may not understand your passions, but guess what? It doesn’t matter. Keep doing what you love, even if you don’t receive recognition and approval from others.

24. I read this somewhere awhile back, but I wholeheartedly believe that it’s true: “When the answer is ‘no,’ trust that a better answer is ahead.” It’s super easy to take rejection personally. Whether it be rejections related to dating, school, or work… Let’s be honest: it stings. A lot. It really helps me to keep things in perspective – that when one person or organization tells me, “No, I don’t want you.” – there will be something better {read: more suitable for ME!} coming along in the near future. It may take weeks, months, or years… But in time, things do fall together how they’re supposed to; it’s just one of those weird mysteries of life in which you gotta have a little faith.

25. Cut other people some slack. Most of the time, people are doing the best they can, in the best way that they know how. You never know what demons a person is battling. Of course, this does not excuse crappy behavior. However, it’s sometimes just not worth our time and energy to get on people for being, well, human [read: imperfect].

26. Being four years away from age thirty is not all that bad. Actually, I kind of like it. I know I’ve barely been 26, but I think it’s growing on me already. Why? Because the beauty of getting older is that every year, you’re wiser, you’ve grown more as a person, and you’ve accomplished more. Every day, I’m getting closer to accomplishing my goals, and learning to love myself for who I am. I think twenty-six-year-old Darcie is a pretty cool chick. And I’m looking forward to enjoying the latter half of my 20s!

What have you learned over the years? I think it’s a good idea to reflect back on how much we grow and learn each year. It is especially helpful when I’m feeling stupid/inadequate/like a failure in general; it reminds me of how much progress I make as a human being every year.

<3

Random Sides // 26 Things in 26 Years: Part I.

In exactly one month, I’ll be turning twenty-six years old. When I turned twenty-five last year, I thought I was “old.” HA! Now I’m only four years away from being thirty. *shudder* Okay, all of you over the age of thirty are probably rolling your eyes right now, so I’ll shut up. Just like last year, I wanted to do a blog post on the things I’ve learned by the ripe old age of twenty-six. But since I get way too verbose in these posts, I figured I’d split my list of “twenty-six things” into two parts. Letsa go with the first thirteen! [These are in no particular order of importance, by the way.]

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Obligatory Disclaimer: I’m not telling anyone else how to live their lives, and most of these concepts are still ones that I have to drill into my head on a regular basis. #imjustbeinghonest [< That hashtag should be read to the tune of Outkast’s song “Hey Ya.” Just sayin’.]

01. The fact that a certain individual of your preferred gender doesn’t like you “like that” doesn’t make you any less of a person. I used to be ridiculously insecure when my crushes were unrequited [this sounds so silly right now, but I can’t be the only person who has gone through this]. I’d always automatically assume that it was because something was “wrong” with me. Then I finally had the epiphany of a lifetime: Unless you smell bad/are a total asshole/something else generally repulsive, the fact that some people don’t see you as a romantic prospect usually has nothing to do with you. There are so many reasons as to why someone may not be romantically interested in you; often times it could boil down simply to compatibility issues. It’s best to just move on.

02. In the same vein as number one, stop taking things so personally. Occasionally, I surprise myself by how easily offended I can get. If someone cuts you off while driving? It’s not about you [unless you were being an assclown toward them, then it might be]. If a coworker is short with you? Maybe they haven’t had their morning coffee yet. Who knows. Don’t take things so personally, because 99% of the time, it’s not about you.

03. Your “quarter life crisis” may very well last several years. My “quarter life crisis” began around the age of twenty-two, and as far as I can tell, it does not seem to be showing signs of letting up any time soon. Often, I feel lost, confused, frustrated, disconnected, etc. But that’s what our twenties are for: stumbling around, making mistakes, feeling lost, falling down, and just generally effing shit up. The good news about all that craziness is that you can always dust yourself off, get back up, learn from and/or correct your mistakes, and find yourself.

04. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, always let your loved ones know that you love and care about them. My paternal grandmother passed away several months ago. While I know there’s nothing I can do now, and I’m also certain that she knew she was loved by all of us… Sometimes I still wish I had told her how much I loved and appreciated her before she died.

05. Learn to give places and things a chance. St. Louis often gets a bad name as a city [especially due to recent events], but I have found that the city has a lot more to offer than people often realize. St. Louis may be a smaller city in comparison to New York City, Chicago, or San Francisco. But it’s still a neat city, chock full of history and cool spots and things to explore. I’m doing my best to embrace it, and give it a chance; I’ve come across a lot of amazing places, things, and people by attempting to be somewhat open to what it has to offer.

06. Most of the time, you’re gonna have to work your ass off to get what you want. And it gets tiring and frustrating at times. But that’s life; nothing worth having comes easily, so to accomplish your dreams… keep trudging onward.

07. Take care of your teeth. If you’re one of those magical people who never gets cavities and does a mediocre job at taking care of your teeth, I hate you right now. I have terrible teeth, and I’m prone to cavities. Therefore, it’s extra important that I am proactive with my dental health so that I have a nice smile for years to come.

08. Trust the process. There’ll be times in which nothing makes sense. And things can be chaotic. But I always like to remind myself, ‘”TRUST. THE. PROCESS.” It may not always make sense in the moment, but it will in time. Just roll with it.

09. There’ll be a day in which you realize that your life is pretty ordinary. You’re most likely ordinary and average and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Actually, I kinda like being ordinary. It means that other people don’t generally give a shit about what I’m doing, and that’s kind of liberating because it means I can keep on doing whatever the hell I want. 🙂

10. Making time for your hobbies and passions will sometimes be the only way to stay sane. Life can be pretty monotonous, and sometimes day jobs become overwhelming, uninspiring, and just plain stressful. This is, unfortunately, a normal fact of life for most of us. Pursue your hobbies and other passions on the side; it will help keep you happier and more sane.

11. In your younger, more “entry level” years of your career, you’re going to have to do quite a bit of “grunt work.” With any job or career, there will always be tasks that you’d rather not do. Especially when you’re young. There is a lot of crap that probably gets assigned to me at work because well, it’s at my pay scale level. Even though I’d prefer to avoid some of the more menial tasks, I also always try to realize their value. And I am also grateful for all the career opportunities I’ve been given. I think it’s important to find a balance between striving to do better in my career, while also accepting that it’s going be a long process before I get to “where I want to be” in regard to my career.

12. Each day is a new day; embrace it as such. I have a really bad habit [likely directly related to my depression, which I’m working on] of having the mindset that every day is monotonous. While monotony certainly does exist in everyday adult life, life as a whole doesn’t have to seem like one big monotonous joke. Each day, I am working to try to find joy in some small part of it. Each day is a new day, and while routines can be boring, each day is also a huge blessing, and a clean slate.

13. Get enough sleep. I’m still working on this all the time. But we all know that getting the proper amount of rest is so important. Some people say, “I’ll sleep when I’m dead.” For me personally, however, if I don’t get a decent amount of sleep, I am unable to function. How you sleep-when-dead people do it is beyond me… 😛

Part II is coming either on my actual birthday – Saturday, March 7th, or (the day before) Friday, March 6th, 2015! So stay tuned. 😀

PS: Let me know if you have any sage advice for me. I enjoy reflecting back on what I’ve learned over the years on each of my birthdays. <3