THE YEAR OF CAKES

So far it seems, there is a whole lotta cakin'goin on in this, our very new year. Last night was my last pastry class and this is what I came home with. It is a: coconut cake with grated coconut in the batter, fresh lemon curd filling, and cream of coconut and rum buttercream. It is now hibernating for a few days in my freezer and I intend to eat it on my birthday, this week. That chocolate rose adorning it was my first one! Pretty good I thought 'cept for that teeny bite out of it, a chocolate bug must have bitten it, a lil candy aphid perhaps?

Above the cake is the incredibly decadent VEGAN rice pudding from my first (failed) attempt at rice pudding fritters -what was to be my January DOTM. Not this time, but maybe when I am more adept at deep frying. So simple and so luscious it was!! Will post the recipe- if you can even call it that- tomorrow.