Happy New Year everyone! Yeah yeah, 2019 is so last week. Literally. We woke up this morning to a blanket of white and a school delay for the kids. Everyone’s finally out the door with their winter gear in tow.

I sat down at the computer and suddenly realized I hadn’t yet posted a BEST OF 2018 post. So here goes, drumroll please: Top 2018 Recipes from THLG!

The following recipes brought in the most web traffic here on the blog this past year.

#10 – Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting

Gourmet Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe: Light and fluffy cream cheese frosting, flecked with yummy vanilla bean specks. Cream cheese and butter combine for a gourmet cream cheese frosting that’s a showstopper on cakes and cupcakes alike! Perfect for anything that needs an extravagant swirl of sweet delicious.

#9 – Brown Sugar Hawaiian Ham Roll Sliders

Layer sweet Hawaiian rolls with sliced ham and sharp VT cheddar cheese. Then brush with a sweet and spicy brown sugar glaze and bake. Brown Sugar Hawaiian Ham Roll Sliders are heaven on a plate! Perfect for game day or pair with soup for a quick and easy lunch or dinner.

#8 – Authentic Italian Ricotta Pie

Ricotta pie is not to be confused with traditional cheesecake. The texture of ricotta pie is lighter and more “eggy” than cheesecake, similar to a thick custard. Ricotta Pie is traditionally savored in Italy and around the world on Easter and other special holidays. This authentic recipe comes from the old country.

#7 – Cinnamon Streusel Apple Coffee Cake

This tender, crumby Cinnamon Streusel Apple Coffee Cake deserves a spot on the menu for all your special breakfasts and brunches. Your new favorite sour cream coffee cake packed with apples, cinnamon filling and topped with sweet, crumbly cinnamon streusel. Perfection.

#6 – Peanut Butter Chocolate Acorns

Perfect little bite for kid parties and harvest time. Great DIY kids’ craft. Super cute. Fun to make, fun to eat. Perfect Thanksgiving favor. Squirrels of all ages will go nuts over these Peanut Butter & Chocolate Acorns!

#5 – Old Fashioned Fresh Squeezed Limeade Recipe

This Old Fashioned Fresh Squeezed Limeade Recipe will transport you to a bygone era, when chatting and sipping in the old porch rocker was summertime itself. Fresh-squeezed lime juice combines with pure sugar in this simple recipe for a refreshingly sweet tart summer sipper for everyone to enjoy.

#4 – Jordan Pond House Best Popover Recipe

These Jordan Pond House Popovers are known regionally as the best popovers in all of New England. If you’ve never tried a popover before, you’re in for a real treat! Enjoy warm, slathered with butter and strawberry jam for a homemade treat fit for the king. (Or queen….)

#3 – Ultimate Three Cheese Gruyere Mac and Cheese

The best, sophisticated and cheesiest homemade mac and cheese out there! Sharp white cheddar, coarsely grated Swiss-style Gruyere and dry Jack combine for the ultimate macaroni and cheese experience. Ultimate comfort food.

#2 – Sweet Stabilized Stiff Whipped Cream

Sweet (Stabilized) Stiff Whipped Cream: the perfect topping for cakes, pies, parfaits and summer desserts! It’s delicious and holds its shape, even in the heat. This is not Cool Whip and uses all real ingredients, no chemicals. I was surprised this recipe came in as #2, but apparently folks love their real whipped cream topping! And I know why.

#1 – Brick Street Chocolate Cake

And finally. Nope, I wasn’t surprised to see the Brick Street Chocolate Cake came in as #1 yet again!!!! This cake constantly gets great reviews. Here’s one from last week:

“I’m not someone that loves chocolate. It’s OK. But I never crave it. Well, I stumbled upon this recipe before Christmas and decided to make it for my family Christmas dinner. Your post had me intrigued. It was a HUGE hit! My Aunt also doesn’t love chocolate and both of us were saying how we couldn’t get enough of this cake! I did use my convection oven and made no modifications to the recipe. I look forward to having an excuse to make it again. Absolutely amazing.” -Kim

This cake is easy to make and a real crowd pleaser. The original recipe was developed for baking in a convection oven, but has been adapted here to bake in a regular oven as well.

Hope you try one or more of these scrumptious recipes in the coming weeks, and watch your inbox for more culinary delights in the new year!

XOXO,

You may also like:  Best of 2015, Best of 2016, and Best of 2017

The post Top 2018 Recipes from THLG appeared first on Through Her Looking Glass.

I didn’t even mention previously that we’re having prizes here on THLG this weekend. We are. Truth is, you’re ALL winners, but I only have two prizes. So please keep reading to see if You Are The Prize Winner today.

Something mega exciting happened here last Tuesday evening while my family was quietly (?) sitting around the dinner table slurping up finishing the last delicious spoonfuls of Hearty Italian Sausage Soup.

The freezing rain pelted down hard outside, rivulets froze on the dining room window panes. And then at 7:23 p.m. on the dot, drum roll please, the 5,000th person subscribed to Through Her Looking Glass. Yes, 5000.

So woot woot. Party time! I think this is worthy of a celebration, a party for 5,000. And prizes too.

Are you someone who never wins prizes? Then you’re in good company with me. My oldest son, who claims he never wins ANYTHING, just won a $100 gift card to a sports store last month. He entered a contest on FB (or maybe Twitter) and was recently notified he was the winner. Hopefully everyone gets to win something along the way, because it’s exciting! Especially when it’s unexpected.

The biggest prize I ever won took place last year. And interestingly, it was for someone else. I was honestly so incredibly happy for her. Because she has a heart of gold. Many of you know our youngest son Hudson (7) has Down syndrome and autism. He also has learning delays, uses a speech device and wears pull-ups.

Thankfully he’s able to communicate in other ways besides words and brings us all great joy. He’s been a big unexpected blessing in our family. He’s also lucky (as are we) to have a wonderful teacher at school, not to mention a whole slew of dedicated therapists and assistants cheering him on.

One of my fave pics of Hudson when he was three, taken by my friend Linda. And here’s one of my favorite posts about Hudson: Hudson & the Little Yellow School Bus

One morning last year I was visiting my buddy Shashi’s blog and she was running a contest by Smithfield (the pork people). You entered by naming someone in your community who makes a big difference and telling how. It took all of a nano-second to think of Hudson’s teacher, Mrs. Livingstone.

If anyone makes a difference in our world and Hudson’s, she does. And other special education teachers we’ve encountered along the way too. I wrote a few choice words about Mrs. Livingstone in the comment section – about how blessed Hudson and his classmates are to have her for their teacher. I never thought of it again.

Then a month or so later, I got an e-mail from Smithfield saying Hudson’s teacher had won the prize. At first I wondered if it was a hoax. But she got an e-mail too. And then she got the prize — a $1000 gift card to Walmart. Figures. I finally win something big and it’s for someone else. Lol.

But truthfully, I couldn’t have been happier that she won. Of all people, she deserved it. It seems our culture celebrates the sports and movies stars, but the crucial people, those often selfless individuals who educate, shape and mold our most precious assets, our children, not so much. That’s why I was so thrilled she won the gift card.

So back to the prize today on THLG. Even at a virtual party, someone should get a real PRIZE. Don’t you think? But who? You can’t exactly beat a piñata or pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey virtually. Or if you can, I don’t know how. So I thought long and hard about WHO should get the prize. And finally it came to me. Two people will get prizes today.

Prize #1 goes to the very first reader who ever subscribed to THLG and is still a reader here today. Because she had faith in me, even when I didn’t. And that subscriber is, drumroll please…. Carrie W. of Easley, SC. Woot woot!

And Prize #2 goes to the reader who has left the most comments here on THLG since it began in late 2014. And that would be Susie M. of Columbia, SC. Congrats m’aam – and thanks for all the time and energy you’ve graciously spent being so supportive here!

I thought the prizes should be baking related, since it’s the Brick Street Chocolate Cake and other baking recipes that seem to bring in the most readers.

So the prizes today are $50 gift cards to King Arthur Flour Store in Norwich, VT. My favorite haunt for quality baking supplies.

I wish it was a larger gift card ladies, but in the food blogosphere, I’m still relatively tiny. (If only we were talking waist size.)

So hint hint folks: DO recommend THLG to your baking friends, so the prizes will be bigger next time. Lol.

Have fun shopping Carrie and Susie – I’ll e-mail you soon to confirm your snail-mail addresses. (And so glad King Arthur ships, because you’re not exactly a hop, skip and a jump away from Norwich, VT.) Maybe some day you’ll visit King Arthur in person – and I could come along for the ride. Not that I’m inviting myself along or anything. (Well, maybe.) I do love a good field trip as much as the next girlfriend, and it would be an adventure for sure.

Wish I could send you all a prize. Some of you are mousie quiet and drop in to read. Thanks for dropping by! Some of you kindly share your favorite recipes to give me ideas. Thanks! Some comment. (Which lets me know someone actually reads my posts, and thanks for the kind words.) And some of you e-mail behind the scenes with encouragement or share your own poignant life stories with me.

It’s always a pleasure to hear from you. Because what’s the use of living, learning and growing if we don’t pass on what we learn along the way? Sharing our stories is therapeutic (at least for me!) and reminds us we aren’t alone on the journey.

And while I can’t send gift cards to everyone, I do wish you all a restful, joy-filled weekend.

XOXO,

Allie

The post Keep Reading to See If You Are The Prize Winner Today appeared first on Through Her Looking Glass.

Hi friends! Here we are, on the very cusp of 2108. Happy New Year! 2017 was a remarkable year for me personally and also on the blog. And across the world too. It hardly seems possible the New Year is finally here, but I’m SO glad it is!

We just got back from a few days up in the tundra of Quebec City over New Year’s weekend. The Northeast is experiencing a cold snap right now, and -24 on the thermometer in Quebec City was beyond frigid. I’m thankful to still have a nose!

And so, without further ado…. here’s the countdown of your top favorite recipes here in 2017!

#10 Authentic Italian Ricotta Pie

Creamy and delicious, this ricotta pie is an authentic recipe from the old country. This pie has a lighter texture than cheesecake. Some add rice to Italian Ricotta Pie, but this recipe doesn’t. This scrumptious pie is not overly sweet, and is traditionally savored on Easter. But perfect for any special occasion.

#9 Jordan Marsh Blueberry Muffins

Jordan Marsh Blueberry Muffins continue to be popular here. What’s not to love? Moist, bakery-style muffins studded with blueberries and topped with crunch bakery sugar. This is an old New England recipe from the days of the Jordan Marsh department stores in Boston.

#8 Peanut Butter & Chocolate Acorns

These cute little Peanut Butter & Chocolate Acorns will have all your little squirrels rushing right over to help! These are a fun project do with the kids or grandkids, fast and easy! Many of you made these for Thanksgiving favors this year. (Me too!)

#7 Cinnamon Streusel Apple Coffee Cake

This Cinnamon Streusel Apple Coffee Cake is a new recipe on the blog this year and I guess you really loved it! My kids love the thick streusel topping. Apples are so good in coffee cake! The inspiration for this cake came following a family apple picking adventure in Vermont.

#6 Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting

This light and creamy Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting is out of this world good with the vanilla bean specks! (Use vanilla bean paste you buy in the baking section near the vanilla extract.) Everything’s more delicious with vanilla beans, especially frosting for cake and cupcakes!

#5 Grilled Corn, Basil and Tomato Salad

You all (note I did not say ya’ll, despite my many years living in the south!) enjoyed this Grilled Corn, Basil and Tomato Salad so much this past summer!!! That salty feta with the grilled corn, fresh basil and ripe garden tomatoes is the best combination on the planet. I think we made it weekly this past summer with freshly picked New England corn. Summer can’t come soon enough!

#4 Ultimate Three Cheese Gruyere Mac and Cheese

Creamy Mac and Cheese with Gruyere (and cheddar and dry jack!) is incredible. We like this as a main dish with a leafy green salad. In fact, I’m making it at our house tonight, by popular request!

#3 How to make Sweet, Stiff Whipped Cream

I was surprised that Sweet Stiff Whipped Cream landed as #3. But it’s so easy to make and it helps all those spectacular desserts using whipped cream to STAY spectacular. No more trifles that fall. This easy recipe for stiff whipped cream keeps pies, cakes and other desserts extraordinaire looking their best for days.

#2 Jordan Pond House Best Popover Recipe

These Jordan Pond House Popovers are the bomb, especially piping hot from the oven, slathered in butter. We discovered them when we visited The Jordan Pond House in Acadia National Park (Maine) a few summers ago. These are known regionally as the best popovers in all of New England, hope you try them this year! (Charlie and I made them over Christmas vacation.)

#1 Famous Brick Street Chocolate Cake

And last but not least…. the Famous Brick Street Chocolate Cake was #1.  I’m so glad you love chocolate as much as I do, we can be good friends. (Chocolate should be listed as one of the superfoods.) Seriously, this is one of the best chocolate cake recipes on the planet. If you haven’t already, you gotta try the Brick Street Chocolate Cake in 2018! It’s the perfect dessert centerpiece for Easter, 4th of July, Thanksgiving and Christmas. And any other grand occasion.

Thanks for being such awesome readers and friends, providing great feedback throughout the year with your thoughtful comments, suggestions, shares and pins! I look forward to sharing many new recipes and ideas in the coming year.

Wishing you and your family a wonderful year of health, joy and peace in 2018! Cheers!!!

Allie XOXO

The post Reader Favorite Recipes of 2017 appeared first on Through Her Looking Glass.

Here’s a decadent, cool and creamy cheesecake with the sweet pucker of lemon bars: Candied Lemon Cheesecake! I’m delighted to share this outstanding cheesecake recipe from the kitchens of Southern Living.

It combines a deliciously sweet and crunchy crust, creamy cheesecake and tangy homemade lemon curd. (Or take a short cut and use store bought!)

This dreamy cheesecake is garnished with gorgeous DIY candied lemon slices. Every baker needs at least one showstopper, gourmet dessert in their summer recipe box. This is IT!

Lemon curd is one of the creamiest, most delightful culinary inventions ever. Perfection as a spread, sandwiched between cake layers, spooned on ice cream. But especially cheesecake! Or just slurp it from the spoon. (Not that I’d know anything about that.)

Lemon curd is simultaneously sweet and mouth-puckeringly tart. Eggs, fresh-squeezed lemon juice, sugar and pure butter combine to silky smooth perfection. Lemon curd is fit for royalty. (Suitable for the likes of you and me.)

I suggest you begin this Lemon Bar Cheesecake recipe a day or two in advance of when you’ll serve it. And plan to chill out. ‘Cause there’s lots of chillin’ involved in this recipe. The dough, lemon curd and baked cheesecake all need significant chill time.

Don’t hustle, bustle and rush making this dessert. Savor each delicious step! (Especially the eating!) First make the lemon curd and candied lemon slices and set aside.

Then process the dough in the food processor. Chill before rolling out and fitting in a 9″ springform pan. Chill again.

Fill with creamy cheesecake batter and swirl with homemade lemon curd. Top with remaining cheesecake batter, then bake.

Cool completely. Chill baked cheesecake, then spoon lemon curd on top.

Optional: Garnish with gorgeous Candied Lemon Slices. (May I suggest: you’ve already come this far. Just go the whole way baby.)

I loved putting this Candied Lemon Cheesecake together and adding the final gourmet touch of candied lemon slices on top.

Print

Candied Lemon Cheesecake

Deliciously sweet and crunchy crust, creamy cheesecake and tangy homemade lemon curd. Garnished with tart candied lemons.

Course Dessert

Prep Time 23 hours hours

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 day day

Servings 1 -9

Author Allie Taylor

Ingredients

Lemon Curd:

• 6 lemons for 1 cup of fresh lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of lemon zest
• 1/2 cup butter softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 eggs

Cheesecake:

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup cold butter cubed
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 - 2 tablespoons ice cold water
• 4 8 ounce packages Philadelphia brand cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups lemon curd divided

Optional: Candied Lemon slices for garnish

• 2 small lemons
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 3/4 cup water

Instructions

Lemon Curd:

• Grate enough zest from lemons to get 2 tablespoons.
• Squeeze lemons 'til you get the 1 cup you need.
• Separately in a microwave proof bowl, beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer 'til blended.
• Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, blending just until incorporated.
• Slowly add lemon juice, beating at low speed until blended.
• Stir in lemon zest.
• (At this point, it looks curdled.)
• Microwave at high for 5 minutes, stirring once every minute.
• Then microwave a little longer, stirring at 30 second intervals, just for 1-2 more minutes.
• Lemon curd will thicken, and coat the back of a spoon, and start to mound slightly.
• Cover warm curd with plastic wrap directly on it (to prevent a film from forming) and chill a minimum of four hours or 'til firm.
• Refrigerate in airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Optional Candied Lemon Slices:

• Slice 2 lemons into 1/8 " thick rounds, removing seeds.
• Stir together sugar, lemon juice and water in large skillet.
• Heat over medium heat 'til sugar dissolves completely.
• Carefully a lemon slices, and simmer gently for 14-16 minutes.
• Keep lemon slices in a single layer, turning every so often.
• When lemons are translucent and rinds are soft, remove from the heat.
• Using tongs, place candied lemon slices in a single layer on wax-paper or parchment lined baking sheet.
• Cool completely for about an hour.
• Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 hours and as long as two days.
• Reserve syrup for another use.

Cheesecake:

• Pulse first three ingredient in food processor until blended.
• Add butter and pulse until just crumbly.
• Separately, whisk together egg yolks and 1 tablespoon ice water in a small bowl.
• Add to flour butter mixture and process 'til dough forms a ball.
• Add up to 1 tablespoon more water, 1 teaspoon at a time if necessary to hold it together.
• Shape dough ball into a flat disk and wrap tightly in plastic.
• Chill for a minimum of four hours before rolling out.
• Roll dough into a 14 " circle on a lightly floured surface using a rolling pin.
• Fit dough into a lightly greased 9" dark springform pan.
• Press dough onto the bottom and up the sides of the pan.
• With a sharp knife or kitchen shears, trim away excess dough around the top edge.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• In medium mixing bowl, beat softened cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth.
• Gradually add granulated sugar, beating until just blended.
• Add eggs, one at a time and beat until just mixed in.
• Beat in vanilla.
• Pour 2/3 of cheesecake batter (about 4 cups) into prepared crust.
• Spoon 1 cup lemon curd over the cheesecake batter.
• Gently swirl with a butter knife.
• Spoon remaining cheesecake batter on top.
• Bake at 325 degrees for an hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes or just until center is set.
• (Cheesecake should just be turning golden.)
• Turn oven off.
• Let cheesecake stay in the oven, with the door closed, an additional 15 minutes.
• Remove cheesecake from oven.
• Carefully run a knife around the outer edge of the cheesecake to loosen it from the sides of the pan.
• (But don't remove the sides of pan. Yet.)
• Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack, about one hour.
• Cover tightly and chill 8-24 hours.
• Remove the sides of the pan and transfer cheesecake to a cake platter.
• Spoon remaining 1 cup lemon curd over cheesecake.
• Optional: Garnish with Candied Lemon Slices

You may also like: Blueberry Pound Cake

The post Candied Lemon Cheesecake appeared first on Through Her Looking Glass.

Good morning friends! And happy weekend! If you read one THLG blog post this summer, I hope it’s this one. Because there are some changes coming behind the scenes here and I want you to be the first to know. I’m getting all my Ducks In a Row for fall. Many of you who come in and read on the weekends have been here since day 1 of THLG last November (2104). Thanks so much for sticking with me, there sure have been a lot of changes along the way.

Some people hike. Or bike. Get a pedi or mani. Even read to recharge and relax. And some people write. It’s certainly cheaper than therapy. (!) Blogging has also been more work and more fulfilling than I ever dreamed.

And quietly, very quietly, this blog hit 100K page views last month…

I know. I feel like we should par-tay or something. You know. Party hats, streamers, blowers. Cake! Thanks for being such a big part! You’ve been such incredibly supportive readers. And it means the world to me. Thank you. (Wish I could send a bouquet or whip up a blueberry pound cake for each of you.) I visit other blogs all the time and am often reminded of the kind, gracious readers here that leave such encouraging comments. Because not every blog receives so many nice comments. The comments are vital because they confirm to new blog visitors that there are actually people who come in and read it!!! And that helps it grow. So thank you for doing that. I know life is busy and it takes extra time to comment.

We were out walking around the nearby pond last Sunday night, came upon the Ducks In A Row pictured above. They were so serious, all in a row, bills pointed. Steadfastly observing the sunset as I quietly approached to snap their mug. It was almost surreal.

I know people follow this blog for different reasons. You might be a personal friend or family member wanting to help. You might enjoy the creative writing aspect, seeing life through a different lens. Or maybe you like new recipes. But for whatever reason(s) you follow, I’m so appreciative. Thank you.

I started this blog for a couple of reasons:

• #1 – I have a genuine passion to write, communicate, share and connect with people.
• #2 – Our family needed a second income with flexibility for our situation. (Four boys, and our youngest, Hudson (5) has Down syndrome. Often sick, he has lots of doctor and therapy appointments to work around.)

I’d always wanted to write, but truthfully, feared I might fail. In faith, I finally picked up my pen (keyboard) last year and started. One post at a time. What a learning journey it’s been. I’ve met so many wonderful people along the way. Initially I planned to write poignant and humorous stories about life and family, with a recipe or two thrown in for good measure. Because my true passion was creative writing/expression. But as I continue on this journey, I’m also developing a new passion for food blogging. It’s become clear that the recipe posts bring in the majority of the site traffic. My feeling is that more time spent on food posts will open more doors long-term, helping provide for our family through advertising and other writing opportunities. So going forward, I’m including more recipe posts and fewer writing posts. I wanted to give you a heads up because I know this may come as a disappointment to some. And I’m sad about that.

I also hear a voice in my head. The voice of my dad, a true Mainer:

“Allie, you can please some of the people all the time and all the people some of the time. But you can’t please all the people all the time.”

Truth.

And I hear his other quotes too ….

“Don’t stick your head out too far, you might come home in another car.”

Or following a hearty cough…

“It’s not the cough that carries you off, it’s the coffin they carry you off in.”

Cheery. Let’s move on before things degenerate….

Back to the blog and getting my Ducks In A Row. Here are the numbers. Thought you might be interested. The most popular blog post to date is Blueberry Pound Cake with over 4K views. The next ten most viewed posts are all recipes too. The 12th most viewed post is a writing post Can’t Buy This, read nearly 1K times. So the numbers speak pretty clearly.

So I’ll be concentrating more on recipe posts in the coming days. Truth is, I’m kind of excited. I’ll continue my other writing, there will just be less of it. And I wanted you to know first. Getting my Ducks in a Row here, charting a little different course.

Might even take flight… that’s the hope.

I’d love to hear your thoughts. Maybe you’re getting your Ducks In a Row too? I’d love to hear where you’re headed…

Be sure to tune in tomorrow. I’ve got a funny story for you: Still Working On our Manners

The post Ducks In A Row appeared first on Through Her Looking Glass.

We have a real treat in store today, a trip to Frosted Joy Bakery. Eye candy? Uh huh. More like eye cake. Let Them Eat Cake!

I met Carrie many years ago, when she was just a kid. I was practically a kid myself, just newly married. I’ve had the joy and privilege of watching Carrie grow up, study Graphic Design and Fine Arts, and see her artistic talents blossom. (Now she’s married and has four boys!) Carrie’s the owner/designer at Frosted Joy Bakery. There’s a great deal of frosted and a whole lot of joy in everything Carrie does. A woman of many talents, she’s also the CFO at 229 Design, a strategic design and branding company she co-owns with husband Eric.

So what are we waiting for? Let’s go see the CAKES! And then we’ll hear from Carrie herself.

OLAF!!!

So I guess you can see that Carrie’s quite the artiste.(!)  So many different techniques, colors, mediums and exquisite custom details. Customers can rest assured they will receive a one-of-a-kind cake from Frosted Joy Bakery. We recently chatted and I asked Carrie a few questions.

Baby Owen with Carrie

THLG: When did you start Frosted Joy Bakery?

Carrie: About five years ago, though I started baking and decorating cakes ten years ago for my son’s first birthday.

THLG: How did you learn how to decorate cakes like this?

Carrie: I’ve always loved being in the kitchen cooking and baking. Decorating cakes was another “medium” for me to express myself with design. I’ve not had any formal training or decorating classes. I am basically a student for life.

THLG: So how did Frosted Joy start?

Carrie: Frosted Joy Bakery’s humble beginnings started by posting pictures of my cakes in social media channels and word of mouth. And what seemed like overnight, I was baking and decorating custom cakes three to four times a week.

THLG: WOW! Seeing your cakes, I can understand why. The cakes are so amazing and perfect. But tell us, inquiring minds want to know…have you ever had a cake disaster?

Carrie: Being self-taught means lots of trial and error. Plus, I’m human. I’ve left the sugar out of a recipe before, left out the butter, filled pans too full. I’ve had cakes collapse, fondant crack. But it’s those experiences that make you try harder to keep it from happening again. Experience has always been the best way to learn in my opinion. Failures are lessons learned – not defeats. I love a cake challenge!

THLG: Love that. “Failures are lessons learned, not defeats.” So what’s your favorite cake flavor?

Carrie: I love strawberry cake with strawberry cream cheese frosting. This is my birthday cake every year. I love it that much!

THLG: Sounds yummy! What’s your favorite thing about Frosted Joy?

Carrie: What I enjoy almost as much as the baking and decorating are the moments when I see how much a child, teenager, parent, grandparent – people from all walks of life, light up in their eyes when they come to see it for the first time. It’s a real blessing to know I’ve had the privilege to make a joyful moment in someone’s life. And that’s where the name Frosted Joy came from. I’m humbled that so many people allow me to be part of their big moments in life. I’ve met many new people along the journey, and building those relationships is such a blessing.

The Whitlock Family

THLG: So tell us a little about your family.

Carrie: I have a wonderful husband, Eric. We’ve been married for almost fifteen years. We’re blessed with four boys we dearly love. Yes, four boys: ages ten, eight, five and one year old. They are the best taste testers around!

THLG: Wow, four boys. (I can certainly relate!) So how in the world do you juggle family responsibilities with the deadlines of a custom bakery?

Carrie: It’s tough sometimes, but I’ve learned to do as much as I can while the older kids are at school and the baby is napping. I work in stages. I’m blessed to have my parents and mother-in-law close by to help out when needed, even wash a dish or two!

THLG: Thank you so much Carrie, for sharing your beautiful cake creations and Frosted Joy Bakery. It’s been such fun to see what you do and hear about your family.

When I was needing a logo for Through Her Looking Glass, it was Carrie and her husband Eric I called at 229 Design. I love my logo. Carrie and Eric worked as a team to perfectly capture the essence of Through Her Looking Glass. 229 Design specializes in branding, also rebranding existing businesses, focusing on people and empowering them with the tools to build and grow successful businesses.

I saved this picture for last, because it’s my favorite Frosted Joy cake. Carrie recently made this for baby Owen’s first birthday. Not only does she bake amazing cakes, Carrie’s also a kind, generous person I’m honored to call a dear friend.

You can visit Frosted Joy Bakery on Facebook to see more fantastic cakes. Sadly, many of us can only salivate. (Drool?) We may never get to taste one of Carrie’s cakes because there’s only one Frosted Joy Bakery in Easley, South Carolina. (Ever considered franchising, Carrie?) But I know many readers have had the pleasure of sampling a Frosted Joy cake. Do take a moment to tell us about that cake and the special occasion you were celebrating!

(Please subscribe to Through Her Looking Glass in the sidebar or below. Many thanks!)

The post Let Them Eat Cake appeared first on Through Her Looking Glass.

“Deck the halls with boughs of holly! Fa la la la la, la la la la!”

Rhode Island is near and dear to my heart. I was born there just a few short years ago. Giggle. Only thirty-nine by forty-one miles, Rhode Island has some of the best coastline in all of New England. (I’m not biased or anything.)

I’ve got a real treat for you today. Through Her Looking Glass was invited on an exclusive Rhode Island Christmas Home Tour in Barrington. Love this home owner’s style, she knows a thing or two about design and ringing in the season. When you got it, you got it. And she does. You’ll see warm wood tones, artistic vignettes, lamp light, gorgeous artwork, eclectic decorations and a dash of coastal inspiration.

Fireglow mingles with saltwater breezes…

Clever perch, fella.

The starfish were hung by the chimney with care…

“Meet me under the mistletoe…”

Love. Love. Love.

Clever use of driftwood….

Pewter. Fruit. Classic.

The Holy Family.

Twelve drummers drumming. (Well, actually just one.)

“Sing we all Noel…”

Unclench those teeth, little holiday man. It’s Christmas after all!

There just aren’t enough wreaths in this house. 

“Infant Holy, Infant lowly, for His bed a cattle stall.”

An elf! (Not on the shelf.)

Rudolph putting on airs.

This gorgeous platter is begging for some Decorated Christmas Roll Out Cookies http://throughherlookingglass.com/?p=1821

(Or Peppermint Bark  http://throughherlookingglass.com/?p=1977 )

Must. Have. Chocolate.

“Peace on earth, good will to men.”

Snowman. With attitude.

There’s just something about a cut glass shade. Gorgeous.

“Silent Night. Holy Night.

All is calm, all is bright

Round ‘yon virgin, mother and child.

Holy infant, so tender and mild,

Sleep in heavenly peace,

Sleep in heavenly peace.”

-Franz Gruber, 1818

Thanks, Sis, for an inspiring home tour and getting me in the Christmas spirit. Love what you’ve done. Such a beautiful home and family, inside and out. Merry, merry Christmas!

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