I am a member of the Everywhere Society and Everywhere has provided me
with compensation for this post about Macy’s and Martha Stewart.
However, all thoughts and opinions expressed herein are my own.
I was given an incredible opportunity last week - to meet Martha Stewart. THE Martha. The mother of all things good. If you don't understand that sentence, then you can tell how old I am. I remember her show ending with "It's a good thing." I'm old enough to remember when her show came out. I'm old enough to remember all the SNL skits on her. And I'm old enough to remember her for more than just her going to prison. So yes, I was slightly giddy to meet her.
Most people remember the insider trading scandal that rocked the world of most housewives across the nation. Our icon was guilty of what and was going where?! But this is what I have found amazing about Martha - despite this, she has come back strong, working as hard as ever for what she believes in. And when I met Martha, she was gracious and actually interested in what I do here in Vegas. She was interested in my little blog with the funny title. She taught me a lesson - despite dark days and trials, we just keep moving forward, working for what we believe in.
Anyway, so I was able to attend the book signing of Martha's new cookbook - Cakes. There was a HUGE line. Seriously. With women of all ages (and yes, a couple of men too!). I was so surprised, mainly because I arrived an hour early and expected no one to be there that early. And as we were in line, people who saw what was happening and asked how they could get in on the opportunity. It was so fun listening to all the stories of how Martha has inspired women of all ages. Some remember her very first show. Some remember her holiday special (which I remember the parody on SNL). It was just neat hearing how Martha has touched so many women in so many different ways.
Now, about her cookbook. There is something that I have always loved about Martha's cookbooks (and I'll admit, I've owned 3) - both the front and the back are filled with tips and detailed instructions. For example, the front of her Cakes cookbook gives detailed tips on making cakes. One of which is "Be mindful of recipes details. If the ingredients list calls for '1 cup sifted flour,' then sift it first before you measure." That may seem like a silly detail that you should just know, but sometimes when we're in the thick of baking, we forget little details like that.
Now, I couldn't just go to a book signing and not bake something afterwards, right? So I came home and baked some cake. More specifically, Martha's Mini Rum Bundt Cakes. And yes, I used actual Rum for the cake. The alcohol cooks out. But I used her regular glaze recipe in order to avoid the straight up alcohol. What, I don't drink alcohol. No. But that's a story for another day. So I used a regular glaze and topped it off with some fresh berries. HOLY SMOKES they were good. While the cake itself was not terribly rich, when I topped it with the glaze and the berries, it just sent the whole dish right off into space. So yummy.
Final note. If you are a follower on my Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook accounts, then you would know that I received an extra copy of the Cakes cookbook, signed by Martha. And I'm giving it to one of my awesome readers. To enter, please see the entry form at the bottom of this post. Good luck, and happy baking! "It's a good thing."
Mini Rum Bundt Cakes
Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature, plus more for pans
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. coarse salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 Tbs. dark rum
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
5 large eggs
Glaze:
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 Tbs. plus 1 1/2 tsp. milk
Directions:
1. Make the cakes: Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Generously butter nine 1-cup mini Bundt pans; dust with flour, tapping out excess. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl. Combine buttermilk and rum in a glass measuring cup.
2. With an electric mixer on high speed, beat butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to medium. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in 2 batches, alternating with the buttermilk mixture and beginning and ending with the flour; beat until just combined.
3. Fill each pan with about 1/2 cup batter; tap pan on counter. Bake until tops spring back when lightly touched, edges begin to pull away from pan, and a cake tester comes out clean, 18-25 minutes. Transfer pans to a wire rack to cool 10 minutes; turn out cakes onto a rack to cool completely. (Cakes can be stored at room temperature, wrapped in plastic, up to 3 days.)
4. Make the glaze: Whisk together confectioners' sugar and milk until smooth, adding more milk if needed to reach desired consistency. Set cakes on a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle 1 1/2 Tbs. glaze over each cake.
Makes 9 cakes
(From Page 57 of "Martha Stewarts' Cakes")
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