tastes just like the 90's.{ bolo de arroz: portuguese rice cake }

Bolos de Arroz, literally "rice cakes", are traditional Portuguese cupcakes, widely acknowledged as  a snack and not as a dessert. In Portugal, coffee is a formality after each and every single meal and it is drunk like a shot. The actual portuguese expression for drinking coffee is even - literally - 'taking coffee'. Yet the portuguese have a thing for coveting pastry trays while ordering their coffees, and when they lend more than two minutes to the act of washing them down, they might very well lower their voice a notch, gulp the guilt and order a Pastel de Nata or a Bolo de Arroz.

Usually served at breakfast and any time in the morning, while going out for an espresso after lunch, as an afternoon snack after school, but mostly appropriate for any occasion when hunger or a sweet tooth strike, these are nowadays probably one of the most simple, common and underrated cakes in the whole country.

I was curious to see if the batter would do well as a normal cake for slicing, so I decided to pour it into a loaf pan - and I have to say it worked just perfect. It is so simple to make it like this, that if you love Bolos de Arroz, or if you have never had one, you must try this recipe!

goldener herbst.{ pumpkin spice gugelhupf with cheesecake filling }

This cake is a winner. Its batter bakes beautifully, turning several shades of autumn leaves: from caramel brown on the outside to deep orange on the inside. It is easy and fun to make, even more impressive when sliced, and it will fill your kitchen with the soothing scent of spices. Its crumb is dense and moist, a bit like banana bread - but full of pumpkin spice love. The cheesecake filling baked inside the cake is compulsory, not only to add to the show factor, but also because it perfectly complements the taste of the batter. Fresh currants on top bring a nice zesty contrast to the whole.

zebrastreifen.{ zebra gugelhupf }

Looking for the perfect slice of cake for your cup of coffee? No frosting, no fillings, just a nice slice of a simple cake? Simple cakes don't have to be plain or boring, and this zebra bundt cake definitely makes a point of it: it's efortlessly gorgeous! Easy in the kitchen, makes an huge impression at the table. My recipe delivers the perfect crumb, caramelized edges and a delicious flavour that is not too overwhelming - perfect to couple with your coffee or tea. Get your stripes on and los geht's! 

a birthday cake for prince charming. { semi-naked hummingbird cake with mascarpone frosting and toffee caramel sauce }

The recipe for the Hummingbird Cake is said to have been first published in 1978 by the Southern Living magazine, and it has ever since become a staple in the Southern US cuisine. Packed with exotic flavours, this cake relies on a rather unusual combination of ingredients, starting with the fact that it asks for more fruit than flour. With banana, pecans and pineapple at its core, it's easy to imagine a dense cake with a compact crumb, however, this cake, will prove you wrong: it has a deliciously tender and slightly moist texture, which is just compact enough to make it a perfect candidate for layering and frosting! My staple mascarpone frosting is in the sweet spot between whipped cream and cream cheese, with a hint of lemon, vanilla and maple syrup, and the whole thing is taken to new heighs by all that caramel dripping on top! This cake had such wonderful layers of flavours that each bite was a different experience of yumminess. And on top of all, I can't help but being super proud of how gorgeous my first semi-naked cake turned out!

ideas and inspiration: brunch is the new black! { how to plan a brunch party }

Looking for a refreshing party theme? One that is unconventional without being too over-the-top? Fit for all sorts of parties, guests and venues? Easy to pull off, though exceeding expectations? One that requires low-key hosting and yet sets an upbeat mood? Throw a brunch!

You will find precisely null reasons brunches should be saved for baby showers or limited to sleepy hungover chatting with the girls. I like brunches so badly that I'll sleep in on the weekends just to merge breakfast and lunch together. So badly, that I decided to throw one for my birthday. Booze included - of course!

have a christmassy tea time treat! { gluten-free mini cinnamon rice gugels }

'Bolo de Arroz', the portuguese rice muffin, ocasional replacement for a Pastel de Nata as a side for an espresso or a meia-de-leite, was the inspiration behind these mini gugels. I have spiced up the original recipe up and made it totally gluten and lactose free! Mini lemony cakes, with a texture similar to that of madeleines, they are the perfect as a coffee or tea-time treat and for sharing with friends!

autumn aura. { gluten-free spiced pumpkin-carrot cupcakes with vanilla cream cheese frosting }

Miniature sized cupcakes are a whole lot of cute. I called these mini stunners 'autumn aura' because if autumn were a pallet of flavours, that of this cupcakes would be there, side by side with roasted chestnuts and pear compote. Behold the beauty of these tiny things, the dash of coconut on top lending them a snowish appeal. Bite into the delicious balance between a moist peppery pumpkin cake and a thick vanilla cream cheese frosting. And you wanna know what...? They are also gluten-free.

bite sized frosted babies with golden sparkles. { gluten-free vegan devil's food mini cupcakes }

How could one guess these decadent looking tiny beauties would hide such a secret under their golden shimmer? They are healthy, packed with good stuff, vegan, gluten-free and not any less delicious than their regular counterpart! Wanna bake something you can eat without any bit of guilt yet still looks sexy and sinful as heck? This is it!

floresta negra. { schwarzwälder kirschtorte: black forest cherry cake }

Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte, or Black Forest cherry cake, is a layered bliss in many levels, let it be flavour or texturewise. Just you imagine a chocolate cake as light as a meringue, drenched with juicy and boozy cherries and layered between fluffy clouds of whipped cream. Got your attention already? I've taken this German classic and I've given it a delicious twist!

let it fall, let it fall. { zwetschgendatschi: german streusel plum cake }

'Zwetschgen' (bavarian name, 'abrunhos' in portuguese) are a unique kind of plums, characterized by its elongated shape, dark amethyst peel and ideally golden flesh. For being seemingly less watery than other plums and for their deliciously intense flavour, they are perfect for baking. This cake is a German classic that combines several things that I personally adore, and that I guess are favourites for many of you as well: a buttery yeast dough, an awesome layer of juicy baked fruit, my own very favourite recipe of spiced crumble... plus it's easy to prepare and quicker than a normal bread! Made with seasonal fruits, this recipe couldn't be better suited for this well settled Fall.

in praise of slowness, making the plan as you go and sparking creativity { lemon poppy seed pound cake with blueberries and basil }

For its exquisite yet crowd-pleasing flavour profile and its laid-back yet preppy looks, this cake suits any occasion or table just perfectly. It brings that extra something to a picnic-style brunch in the balcony with plenty other things to choose from, it is just as good for packing and taking to the park to share with friends on a sunday afternoon, or it can just as well be the star of a fancier dinner. Do not skip the glaze and the lemon zest on top, for they are not only a final decorative touch, they actually change the experience of biting into a slice.

they'll melt in your mouth and they're oh-so-addictive { apricot, almond and white chocolate brown butter blondies }

Melt-in-your-mouth summer blondies, with the irresistible taste of brown butter, packed with gooey white chocolate chunks, thinly sliced almond and fruity fresh apricot pieces. They are so wasy and quick to make, plus they take little time in the oven, which makes them the perfect comfort treat for when it is hot outside, yet the heart still asks for some warm pick-me-up. One warning though: they are extremely addictive!

Munich is a terribly moody city when it comes to the weather. Maybe someone has forgotten to explain this city how seasons should work, or maybe it's them who have forgotten the city at some point over the ages. Fact is: once more, spring has come and gone, summer is supposed to be back, yet, looking outside, nothing quite seem to prove it. That's fine for me now, I've grown fonder of this crazy weather, even if I miss our west coast summer and sea a little bit too much. Nonetheless, sunny days and good weather usually mean more smiles, more energy, and an overall better mood. If the weather and emotions are connected, one can definitely acknowledge Munich as a bipolar city.

it's THAT chocolate cake! { chocolate-cherry cake with mascarpone-blueberry filling and brigadeiro frosting }

It happens that, sometimes, I find myself in the need of baking or cooking something for some special occasion, and yet I have absolutely no clue of what I intend to do exactly, or even the desire to do anything at all. I know... coming from me, it may sound a bit odd. But, even if seldom, it happens.

happy third! { snickers 'klimt' pie }

Cheers! So it's been three years since I finally decided this thing was for real, threw all my fears and doubts out of the window, ignored all the discouraging voices around me and started working my ass off on improving. Not that it was that hard - there's nothing I'll take more gladly than a good challenge and holding an adventurous journey against all odds definitely thrills me.

I am absolutely amazed at how I have managed to hold on to this page, which feels, in a way, as much of a home as every other place I could once call mine. I have a clue, though, about how I was able to do it. I have to thank it all to my family, especially my brothers, to all of you who visit this page and keep on spoiling me with sweet comments, but, on top of all, to all the amazing people I have met along this 'between kitchens' journey - and that I am now lucky to call friends. To all my awesome friends around the world, to my family and to my followers, I here state my most deep gratitude. None of this would have been possible without each one of you! ♥

Not all that is gold glitters, or do you? ;)

no butter, no cake? no way. { olive oil lemon bundt cake with white chocolate and berries }

this cake has a very funny story.

banana. caramel. buttery. need i say more!? { banana caramel cobbler with maple syrup }

disclaimer:

if anguish creeps up on you after eating dessert,

or if the thought of stepping on a scale gives you the creeps,

i hate having to break it to you, but...

your job is done here.

no need to check how delicious this thing can be,

no need to see how easy-peasy this recipe is.

to put it plainly:

i ate half cake...

...straight out of the oven.

do you wanna? { cherry pie bars }

dreams. creativity. inspiration. originality. authenticity.

passion. love. freedom. breaking the rules. depth. intuition. quick-witt.

i crave all of the above... and some more.

two-thousand-fifteen! { spekulatius bundt cake with cranberries, orange and almond }

my handsome 'little' bros and me wish you a happy new year 2015!
by my dearest pretty little stories

i am sorry i haven't been posting lately.
truth is... it's not like i haven't been cooking!


you've seen what i've been doing in the kitchen - i cannot lie.
i've got plenty of inspiring recipes to share with you, which have accumulated to a dramatic point over the last month, while i kept running around thinking about loads of other stuff, not without bearing a guilty tiny corner of mind, squeezing and twisting over the postponed blogger work.
it's just that every time i come to Portugal there's so much stuff to do that i don't know where to turn to anymore, and time seems to slip between my fingers. when i finally find myself staring at my laptop's overly bright screen, it's most likely three in the morning and, despite the intensity of the light, i'm already having trouble keeping my eyes open.

in any case, i decided that even if i cannot find the right words - you have no clue how demanding i am with writting, particularly my own! - and even if there was no recipe attached, i would not keep myself from posting in the first day of the year... especially because this post was already meant for yesterday... uups!

about a birthday cake. { ombre chocolate cake with orange marmalade curd, frosted with ganache, pistachio and vanila-caramel buttercream }

i mostly like to talk, but is it okay if sometimes i don't feel like saying anything?

it was a really exhausting (though great) weekend!

made this cake for my birthday while watching my favourite series

and i had so much fun planning, baking and assembling the whole thing!

hope you enjoy it!

love, xoxo,

inês.

birthday celebration challenges | the outcome

we've got a winner!
it's Susana, from basta cheio, and you can check her post here too