O-L-D

How did this happen??? 27. Twenty-seven. twentyseven. It even looks old.

In order to make my birthday feel more like a celebration, I’ve spent the last couple of days rounding up all the things that really need to be moved along (i.e. all the frozen cake and cookie bits in my freezer) in the name of a baking experiment. Here’s the collection, separated into chocolate-based goods, fruit- and spice-based goods, and frostings.

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You might be wondering how I was able to chop all of those amazing goodies and have them sitting out on the table without nibbling on them as I worked. I wasn’t.

For the first project, I very loosely used this recipe for Strawberry Layer Cake from Cooking Light. Obviously, I didn’t quite follow the recipe, especially since I had four cups of the fruity baked goods (mostly blueberry muffins, pumpkin muffins, and lime sugar cookies) to incorporate!

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In addition to the extra baked goods, other changes to the cake involved 5 oz. whole wheat pastry flour in place of 10 oz. all-purpose, no sugar (there was plenty in all those cake pieces I was mixing in!) intead of 1.5 cups, 2 tbsp canola oil in place of 1/2 cup butter, 1 cup plain yogurt in place of 1 cup buttermilk, and the addition of the last 2 tbsp of homemade berry jam and 3/4 cup fruit salad. I immersion blended everything together and poured it into two sprayed 8-inch cake pans:

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I also baked a mini strawberry cake so I could taste test:

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It passed 😀

I almost followed the instructions for the icing. But instead of 1/3 cup cream cheese and 1/3 cup butter, I used 1/2 cup extra-strained homemade Greek yogurt. Instead of 3 cups powdered sugar, I used a red cup of jello that Myrna gave me at work last week. And instead of 2 tbsp Grand Marnier, I used 1 tbsp Amaretto. And for fun, I threw in a bunch of unsweetened shredded coconut, 1/4 block silken tofu, and some cinnamon. Taste test:

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Finished:

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For the second project, I (again, very loosely) used this recipe for Glazed Chocolate-Avocado Cupcakes from Vegetarian Times that I found via VeggieGirl. Once again, the recipe required some alterations as I had 3 cups of chocolate-baked goods to use!

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Changes involved using 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour in place of 1.5 cups all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder in place of 3/4 cup, and no maple syrup (once again, the 3 cups of chocolate goodies had enough sugar!). I immersion-blended everything together and spooned the super super fudgy batter into 30 paper-lined mini-cupcake cups:

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Obviously, a taste test was in order for these, too.

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Successfully chocolatey and fudgy!

I followed the instructions for the glaze, except I used chocolate from various scraps I had around that were most definitely not vegan, including the rest of my Newman’s Own Organics Dark Chocolate Orange bar. Finished:

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Frosting these cakes became birthday breakfast #2 (birthday breakfast #1 was pumpkin pie flax-oat bran) after I got back from the gym this morning. You can rest assured that quite a significant portion of the frosting made its way into my mouth! One of the perks of being the birthday girl and the baker on the same day 😀

Thank goodness I have class tonight and can hopefully unload all of this decadence there!

Who is your favorite person to feed?

34 thoughts on “O-L-D”

  1. Mara @ What's For Dinner? says:
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    HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I had a major issue turning 27 too, but 28 was no sweat. We’ll see about 29!

    Favorite person to feed: fiance and my mom. Fiance because he’ll eat anything, and my mom because she’ll really tell me what she thinks!

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  2. Hallie says:
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    Happy birthday!! (if today’s the day, haha). Taurus girls are the best 😉

    Umm…my favorite person to feed….me? I like feeding my BF too, especially when I get him to eat my healthy cooking!

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  3. Vani says:
    Reply

    Happy Birthday, Sarah!!!!! I love love love your creations. So creative 🙂

    Fave person to feed = my little sister, because she is SO picky, and I feel accomplished if I make something she likes!

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  4. Erin says:
    Reply

    Happy Birthday! You are most definitely not old, and I’m amazed by your baking experiments. I would never ever think to do that, but it looks so good!
    Have a great day.
    My favorite person to feed is me. I’m selfish! But I know what I like and there’s no pressure when I feed me versus others.

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  6. Melissa @ For the Love of Health says:
    Reply

    Happy Birthday!!!!!!!!!!! I hope you have an amazing day!!!

    Your baking looks super amazing!! Yummy!!

    I love to feed all my friends and family! I don’t know if I could pick just one. I just love to see smiles when the food is really good!

    Enjoy your day!

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  7. Allison says:
    Reply

    Happy Birthday! I just turned 27 too, and had the exact same thoughts! I thought about my idea of a “27 year old” when I was a high schooler and I was totally grossed out!

    But what matters is how old we feel right?? 🙂 The baked goods look heavenly – hope the rest of your day was wonderful!

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  9. FoodsThatFit says:
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    Happy Birthday!!!!!!!

    I am very impressed by your baking adventures, and that you never let anything go to waste. Very cool!! The cake turned out beautiful.

    My favorite person to feed is my Dad. He’ll try anything and always genuinely seems to like it 🙂

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  11. Elisabeth says:
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    You’re making me want to bake cupcakes.

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY! And, if 27 is OLD, then I’m almost dead. hee hee.

    My favorite person to feed is my BF’s mom. She loves food as much as me, and she gets uber-excited about delicious food, and tells me like 5,429 times as she’s eating how great it tastes. Call me crazy, but there’s nothing better than someone complimenting your artful deliciousness as they’re partaking in your creation.

    The BF? Yeah…he could love something I make and not mention it for like 3 weeks.
    “hey, honey?”
    “Yes, love?”
    “You know those (insert food item) you made a few weeks ago?”
    “Yep.”
    “I liked them…can you make then again?”

    Food does not excite him AT. ALL. It’s so anticlimactic.

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  12. marie says:
    Reply

    Happy Birthday!! FWIW, my just-turned-36 vantage point makes 27 look really young!

    And I love to feed my DH. He is a really good sport about trying new things and sometimes loves the stuff that I think didn’t turn out so well.

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  16. Rose says:
    Reply

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Wow – you were ultra creative here. Kudos!

    Favorite person to feed… my cat! because then he loves me for a little bit 🙂

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  18. Diana (Soap & Chocolate) says:
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    YAY Happy Birthday!!! I have missed “reading you” this past week! And you are not old because I do not intend on being old when I turn 27. So it is written, so it shall be done.

    I will celebrate with you at the FoodBuzz thingie tomorrow night – since I’m off at 5 I won’t be exactly on time, but I will text/call you when I get there so I don’t miss you!

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  19. Lauren says:
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    Happy Bday!!! 27 is my favorite number, and it isn’t all that old 😉

    The results of your baking experiments look fabulous – very creative use of what you had on hand.

    I, of course, love to feed myself – but I also love to feed my fiance. He tries everything I make, and he even has one foot on the health-food bandwagon. I think I’ve convinced him that healthy food can be yummy!

    Enjoy your day!

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  26. coco says:
    Reply

    both projects look delicious!!!! I want to try the icings!!!!
    Happy birthday! 27 isn’t old at all girl! It’s a great age to enjoy! 🙂
    favorite person to feed: parents, my bf.

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  27. Pingback: Caked « Tales of Expansion
  29. Susan says:
    Reply

    Happy Birthday!!!! Those are some creative (and tasty looking) cakes!

    Obv, I’m my favourite person to feed 🙂 Second favourite is my boyfriend, mostly because I feel good knowing he’s at least getting some nutrients with my meals.

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  30. alexa says:
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    You are most definitely *not* old….just enjoy the perfect excuse to eat copious amounts of cake!! (And frosting……the whole point for cake’s existence)
    *happy birthday!!!!!!!*

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  33. Julie says:
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    Sarah,

    Happy Belated Birthday. My favorite person to feed is myself, and I look like it…..To that end, thank you so much for bringing that wonderful cake and cupcakes to class on Monday night.

    They were healthy and delicious and I was super grateful that I was a recipient of your birthday baking. So, if I forgot to say it on Monday:

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

    On a personal note: 27 is not old, unless it’s from the perspective of a 14 year old. Then you’re ancient. It’s all relative to your audience. Congrats on your blog; your dedication and commitment is very mature!!

    warmest regards–your old HB2 classmate,
    Julie

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