February 2013

Day 1:
LOVE

"We love because HE first loved us"

We all know the verse "Love thy neighbor as thyself," right?
Well how often do we actually think about what that really means? Because believe it or not, that person that just cut you off in traffic or that rude customer at work...Yeah, you're supposed to love them too.
Sometimes we need a little reminder to love everyone around us.
So since we love raspberries, and we love baking...We decided to bake a raspberry-almond cake that is reminiscent of love.
If when you bake this delicious raspberry cake, be thinking about ways that you can better love others.
From two bakers to another...

First Love Raspberry-Almond Cake

Cake

2 Eggs
1 Cup of Sour Cream (you can substitute plain yogurt)
1 Cup Sugar
1/4 Melted Butter
1/4 Cup Vegetable Oil
2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
1 Tbsp. Baking Powder
1/4 Tsp. Baking Soda
Pinch of Salt
1 Tsp. Vanilla Extract
1 Tsp. Almond Extract (We think it would be better to use 2 tsp almond extract instead of vanilla)
1 1/2 Cups Fresh Raspberries (We used frozen, but if you can use fresh DO!)
Granulated and Dark Brown Sugar for crunch top

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Butter the sides and bottom of a 9 in (we used 9 1/2) Springform pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper. Butter parchment paper.

Mix sour cream (or yogurt), eggs, sugar, vanilla+almond, melted butter, and oil together.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.

Mix the flour mixture into the sour cream mixture.

Pour half the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle with half the raspberries. Spoon the rest of the batter over the raspberries and top with the rest of the raspberries.

FYI: Don't get crazy with the raspberries. Trust us. 12oz is enough. Unless you want your mouth to turn inside out.

We went a little crazy with the raspberries :\

Bake for approximately 45 minutes (We had to bake ours about 55 minutes, but we would recommend only adding 5 minutes at a time past 45 so that you don't burn your yummy cake!)

***Five minutes before your cake is done baking, sprinkle the dark brown sugar over the raspberries and top it all off with a dusting of granulated sugar. (This will make the top a little crunchy and a lot delicious!)

Let cake rest for 10 minutes on a cake rack. Turn cake out of pan, peel off parchment and turn cake upright.

Almond Cream Cheese Frosting

1/2 Cup of Cream Cheese
1 1/2 Cups Powdered Sugar
1 Tsp. Almond Extract
Splash of Milk for Desired Consistency

Beat together and drizzle over cake while it's still warm!

Go home, icing, you're drunk.

But for real, even though the icing doesn't *look* great, it *tastes* fantastic!

You have now successfully baked your very first First Love Raspberry-Almond Cake. Woot woot! Party over here! Party over there!

Keep reading for a few inspiring insights. Because who couldn't use a little inspiration?!

Mallory Says:

I'm sure you've heard of "looking for love in all the wrong places." We as humans do this far too often. And not just with love. We look for comfort and reassurance and strength in all the wrong places. We try to fulfill our needs (and the gaping holes in our hearts) with the comforts of other desperate souls. I'm just as guilty as (if not more so than) anyone. I find myself in a state of discomfort, so I turn to my mother or my friends for words of wisdom and encouragement. While there's nothing wrong with seeking some comfort in others, they shouldn't take the place as our main source of peace-of-heart.

If there is anything at all that I'm realizing over time in my relationship with (the ultimate comforter) God, it's that no one holds my heart like the Shepherd. No one cares and tends to my self-inflicted emotional wounds like my God does. He holds me in His arms and tells me that "I'm here, beloved. No one can hurt you now."

The abundance of His love makes me want to laugh and cry and dance all at the same time.

So when we know we have a love like this available to us anywhere at any time, why would we ever feel the need to replace it?

Romans 8:38-39

Molli Says:

"We accept the love we think we deserve,".

- The Perks of Being a Wallflower

In this book, Stephen Chbosky conveys incredibly interesting insight about people in a beautifully written story. That's why it's one of my favorites. But when I read that line, it was one of the saddest realizations about humans that I've ever heard. If we accept the love we think we deserve, we will NEVER experience God's love (and if you think you deserve God's love, then I should probably be whipping you up a humble pie). God's love is so sweet...Just a taste would blow your mind. Can you imagine a life filled with it!? You may be completely opposed to receiving God's love or you may just have a hard time remembering it on a daily basis. Regardless, God loves you. Nothing you do, say, or think could make Him love you any more or any less (Many people forget that far too often, me especially). His love is constant, boundless, and oh-so-sweet! So, you must first accept God's love for yourself, and then fervently pour it out to others in your life. Pour His love out so fervently that others notice something different about you. A good start might be making this cake for a grumpy neighbor or struggling friend. I'm sure they'll appreciate this delicious demonstration of love!

John 13:34-35