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There are a lot of things in this world and in my life that I could do without, but chocolate isn’t one of them.

Oh my goodness, I am addicted. I love any kind of chocolate; dark, white, milk chocolate, filled chocolate bars, chocolate with chili, puddings – any kind! But if I’m being completely honest with you, there is nothing that makes me happier than a huge slice of chocolate cake! Preferably with chocolate frosting, too! A cup of dark roast coffee is its perfect companion.

It has been a long road to find the world’s greatest chocolate cake recipe, but I think I’ve come really close with this one. I’ve served this at so many parties already, and it has always been a huge success. One time, this literally disappeared in 10 minutes – and I’m not even exaggerating! People came back for a second slice immediately as they had gobbled up the first one.

All this talk about chocolate has made me hungry… I think I’m going to make this cake for dinner! You know; because I can!

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Quick Tip: Instead of chocolate buttercream, you could use store-bought frosting.

That Meringue Takes This Key Lime Pie To The Next Level

It’s hard to forget the first time I ever tasted key lime pie. I was 10, and for some reason I had never even heard of this wonderful dessert before. My parents took me to this small, family-owned restaurant during our vacation. I was looking at the menu and I thought it sounded really weird that they were serving a pie with keys in it. Haha! It’s funny how kids think sometimes, isn’t it? My mother explained what the name was about, and I really wanted to give it a try.

Oh boy, it was delicious! It was one of those flavors I will never forget. I even got to meet the lovely lady who made the pie. She was the grandma of the family – she and her husband had started the restaurant decades ago, and she still came in every day to make the most amazing desserts for their customers.

When I grew up and got interested in baking, I decided I had to try and make key lime pie just as delicious some day. This recipe is it! The meringue on top makes this even more special, and every time I have a slice of this pie, it takes me right back to that day of our vacation.

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Quick Tip: Margarine can be used instead of butter.

My mother was practically born to bake. She is so good at it we’ve often told her she should set up her own bakery! She likes to experiment with different recipes – sometimes she sees a recipe on TV or a magazine and she’ll make something similar, but with her own ingredients. She has made the most beautiful and decorative cakes and pastries for family gatherings, but to her it’s always about the flavor. If she makes a cake and it doesn’t taste good enough, she’ll throw it away.

It’s a bit of a surprise that this easy-to-make cake is one of her favorites. I mean, the ingredients are so simple and the method couldn’t be easier. But that’s where the flavor comes in! This is one of the tastiest cakes on the planet, according to my mother, and she really knows about cakes. That’s why I knew I couldn’t fail with this recipe – and she was absolutely right!

I’ve made this cake several times already, since Mom found it over at Can’t Stay Out Of The Kitchen. It always turns out delightful and I can barely wait until the next time again!

Recipe and image courtesy of Can’t Stay Out Of The Kitchen.

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Quick Tip: Let the cake cool before cutting it into squares.

Anyone who cooks for their family, friends, or significant others always tell me that the secret ingredient to any dish is love. It’s not just romantic love or the kind that you feel for friends and family members. It’s the love for food. It’s your desire to make people happy by preparing them dishes that will make them smile. It sounds cheesy and it’s a bit cliché, but I know how true that is. Because no matter how simple are the ingredients that you use in a dish, as long as you put your everything while making it, it will always always taste good.

Just like this dish that Southern Bite shares with us. It has the simplest ingredients. There isn’t even any special method that’s needed to employ just to create this delicious dish. But I made it once for a group of friends and they all loved it. Just the look on their faces told me that my efforts weren’t wasted. They appreciated the dish because I made it for them. It tasted delicious to them because it’s something that I created out of my desire to feed them with something really tasty. Because everyone will always, always deserve a good meal.

Photo and recipe courtesy of Southern Bite.

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Quick Tip: Serve with your favorite fruit juice or hot tea.

Pumpkins are versatile vegetable-fruit. I think it’s the reason why there was once a debate if it’s really a fruit or a vegetable. They can be made into soup (creamy pumpkin soup is the best!). They can be made into vegetable stew (they taste good with okra and coconut milk). They can be made into cakes. And they can be made into pies. Its texture makes it one of the best main ingredients for pies. It easily blends well with other ingredients, creating a soft and creamy mixture.

I used to hate pumpkins when I was a kid, but not because of its taste. I used to be quite affected by the Halloween pumpkin stories that I couldn’t look at them as food. Of course, when I grew up and realized that pumpkin faces were simply carved and they’re not really heads of dead people, I appreciated pumpkins more. I have to say though that pies are my favorite type of pumpkin dishes. The natural sweetness of the pumpkin and the additional flavors just make pumpkin pies irresistible. I usually eat a pumpkin pie with a bit of whipped cream on top. It’s one creamy taste after another and I have no regrets.

Photo courtesy of Cook Diary. Recipe courtesy of Recipe Lion.

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Quick Tip: Serve with a cup of tea.

I love eating all kinds of batter and dough; that’s why even though I’m not a kid anymore, I still love to watch and “pester” people baking in their kitchens. I always dip my finger on the mixture when the baker is not looking. And since my best friend makes the most scrumptious chocolate cake, she is always my victim. Whenever I go to her house, I force her to bake something. Granted, she always catches me dipping my fingers in the bowl, which is why she just sets aside a small amount for me to nibble on while I let her bake in peace.

Some of you might remember that chocolate cake from the movie Matilda. My best friend’s cake looks better than the one Bruce devoured. I also think it even tastes better than that. Yeah, yeah, give me the Best Friend of the Year award, but joking aside, my best friend’s cake is so moist and soft even after refrigerating. Trust me, I know, because I always take home a ziplock full of chocolatey goodness and store them in my fridge for days. It also has the most delicious chocolate frosting—it’s not too sweet. Since my best friend is a bit busy lately, she doesn’t have time to bake anymore. I found a way to recreate her recipe. This one that I found over at Food.com has similar tastes but different ingredients.

Photo courtesy of Traditional Secrets. Recipe courtesy of Food.com.

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Quick Tip: Use Hershey’s special dark chocolate if possible.

A couple of weeks ago I organized a special dinner for 5 people. The guests were some of our closest friends and one of them had a birthday coming up, so I wanted to serve something extra delicious for dessert.

At first, I thought of making a bunch of cupcakes with frosting and pretty decorations. But then I came across this cake recipe and I just couldn’t resist trying it! Creamy whipped frosting sandwiched between rich chocolate, make this deliciously decadent dessert irresistible. The topping really brings the whole dish together wonderfully.

This cake is also perfect for those who would like to make their dessert ahead! After removing from cake pans, wrap them in foil and pop them into the freezer until ready to fill and frost. This will help keep the cake moist, as well as prevent crumbs from getting into the frosting.

Then just thaw the cake, make the frosting and you’re done. How easy is that?

Recipe and photo courtesy of Stetted.

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Quick tip: You can use buttermilk instead of milk, if preferred.