NEST Recipe: Norwegian Cream Cake 'Blodtkake'

My mother is from Norway and she makes this delicious cream cake for almost all of our birthdays (if she doesn't make a chocolate cake with 10 different kinds of chocolate... and rum). She's adapted this traditional Norwegian recipe over the years and here's her take on it: 

(recipe after the jump) 

Featured Recipe: Root Beer Float Cupcakes

Root beer is a favorite in the States and I sure miss it sometimes. Here in Australia they don't have it in most of the shops, although they have something similar called Sarsaparilla. You can find Root Beer in some speciality shops but it comes at a price. So when I saw this Root Beer Cupcake recipe over at A Beautiful Mess, I thought um YUM! 

You can find the recipe over here. 

Original photo by A Beautiful Mess

Caramel Machiato Cupcakes Recipe. Yum Yum!

For a long time now I have dreamed about owning and running a cafe. I grew up working in coffee shops and I've even attended espresso/coffee conventions and have read books on the subject. Total coffee nerd right here! IF I did have my own cafe I would definitely be serving delicious cupcakes like these Caramel Machiato Cupcakes. They look to-die-for! 

I also love the idea of raw materials and a community feel to the cafe. AND I would sell fresh flowers... just because. 

You can see the rest of my collections of inspiring photos on my 'My maybe 'One Day' Cafe... *sigh*' Pinterest board. If you want to check out and follow the rest of my Pinterest boards, click the Pinterest logo on the right of this page. 

original photo 1 by Flour Child // photo 2 found via Design Sponge // photo 3 of Sunshine found via Remodelista // Photo 4 by Gingerlily Flowers 

NEST Recipe - Choc Chip Mint Cupcakes

I made some yummy cupcakes yesterday, Chocolate chip Mint cupcakes. With choc chips in the cake and on the frosting. 

I adapted a recipe that I found on taste.com.au. See the recipe after the jump.

photos by me

Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes Recipe

This was the coveted birthday treat when I was a kid. If you had Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes at your birthday party, the cool kids were sure to come. I'm looking forward to making these for Emmy's first birthday in a couple of weeks. 

These can be a little tricky to bake, so here's a little how-to video from Martha on how to make them. She uses a slightly different recipe for more grown up ice cream cone cupcakes with coffee in the cake and frosting, sounds yummy.

The full recipe is after the jump 

Cupcake Photo From Here 

NEST Recipe - Heart shaped Norwegian waffles

I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to live in Norway for a little while with my mom's family, and something I remember making heart shaped waffles for dessert on cold snowy nights before snuggling up next to a wood burning stove. 

You don't have to have a heart shaped waffle iron to make these, but it's a plus! 

(I've directly translated this recipe from Norwegian)

125 gr (1 stick) melted butter
50 gr (1/2 cup) sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 pinch salt
4 eggs
250 gr (2 3/4 cups) flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/8 - 1/4 milk (or buttermilk) 
spices optional: a little pinch of cardamom, nutmeg, and cinnamon 

Whisk melted butter, vanilla extract, salt, sugar, and eggs together until you get a light consistency (I use an electric whisk). Sift flour and baking powder and carefully stir into the butter/sugar mixture. Add milk and give the mixture a good whisk. 

Most waffle irons don't require you to butter or oil the hot plate before each waffle, but some might. If you're required to, put a little vegetable oil or butter on hotplate before each waffle. Cook 4-6 minutes each, or until waffle iron tells you it's done. 

Toppings: My favorite are butter with strawberry or raspberry jam, or butter with sprinkled sugar and cinnamon. 

Enjoy! 

photos by me