Tomorrow Shall Be Cool

First of all, happy Easter to everyone!

After an amazing day of celebrating Christ’s resurrection with my family, I’m once again back on the Plains getting ready for the final stretch of this semester.

Deep breath.

But on a more fun note, tomorrow morning I will get to head over to Acre to film for a class project.

Now, I know I’ve mentioned Acre a few times on Taste of the Plains, but only because it’s worth talking about. They’ve got good food, a really chill atmosphere and arguably the freshest food around.

They have their own on-site garden, for Pete’s sake! (Which I will hopefully get to see!)

While I’m there, I’ll be interviewing David Bancroft, the executive chef. I’m going to get to learn about where his vision for Acre came from, how he got to where he is and what Acre does differently. If you want to know anything else, type a question in the comments section and I’ll ask during the interview–unless it’s just silly (yes, there are dumb questions).

So keep checking back for the final product, because it’ll be up VERY soon!

And as a parting gift on this Resurrection Sunday, here’s a little recipe I used for my family’s Easter dinner:

 

Filled’n’Frosted Angel Food Cupcakes

 

1 box angel food cake mix (amount of water called for on the box)

Jar of fruit preserves (seedless strawberry, blueberry or raspberry work best)

2 cups Powdered sugar

3 Tbsp water

1 tsp lemon zest

Juice of 1 lemon

2 drops vanilla extract

 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a muffin pan with cupcake liners. Mix cake mix and water, pour into liners and bake 13-15 minutes.

2. While the cupcakes bake, mix powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons water, 2 drops vanilla, teaspoon of lemon zest and the juice of one lemon in a bowl. (Add more water/lemon juice or sugar to reach desired. The glaze should be thin, but not watery.)

3. When cupcakes are done, remove from the tin immediately. Allow to cool for a couple of minutes, then poke a hole into the middle with the end of a wooden spoon and pipe the fruit preserves/jam into the middle of the cupcake. (You can use a ziplock bag if you don’t have a piping bag or icing tool)

4. Spread the glaze over the top of the cupcakes, making sure to have a thin layer over the entire top. Garnish with fresh berries if you’d like–this covers the hole in the middle if you’re into presentation.

 

Have a wonderful week!

Cakeapota-what?

“Let them eat cake,” Marie Antoinette supposedly once said.

Well, visit Cakeapotamus on Pepperell Parkway in Opelika and it’s obvious owner Amanda “Mandi” Buckalew has a similar message. However, Buckalew’s cakes are definitely not what the late French queen had in mind.

From sculpted “Harry Potter” Sorting Hats and Darth Vader riding a unicorn to stylish wedding and baby shower cakes, Buckalew has done it all.

“My clientele want 50-50 something nobody’s ever heard of or just something pretty,” she said.

She doesn’t discourage the quirky requests, though. In fact, the bakery itself practically begs customers to add to Buckalew’s unique portfolio (viewable in the photos on the bakery’s Facebook page).

Paraphernalia from “Dr. Who,” “Star Wars” and “Harry Potter” litters nooks and crannies around the two-room shop. The walls are decorated with pictures from various parties held at “the Cakepot,” including princess tea parties and one “Star Wars”/”Ghost Busters” hybrid party for a 5-year-old girl. One wall bears a pink-painted bass fish on a plaque.

“It has a lot of character,” Buckalew said. “We have a lot of regulars and people who participate and wonderful things are happening.”

These wonderful things include active participation in events announced on the Cakeapotamus Facebook group. One such event was a field trip to the sing-a-long version of “Frozen” recently.

Buckalew credits the success of her shop to its unique style and her personal approach to owning a bakery.

“I opened in an old millhouse, not a strip mall,” she said. “And I decorated it with ‘Batman’ and ‘Harry Potter’ and ‘Star Wars’ because that’s what I like.That resonates with people.”

Buckalew said owning and operating Cakeapotamus is her “happily ever after job.” As she lives out her fairytale, her shop allows customers to ride along.

 

For more information on Cakeapotamus, check out the website and Facebook page.