coffee bar done right

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To all of you that are new to the blog, and there sure are a lot more of you these days, thanks for stopping in. I hope some of you stick around for the fun things that are coming later this year. In case you missed one of my favorite projects from last year here is a little recap.

The project I did in the last year that I am most proud of is the coffee bar. However, when I posted the finished piece in it’s new home I didn’t really give it the time it deserved so today seemed a good day to correct that wrong. You can read about the ridiculous challenges I had refinishing this piece here. It is a fun story and a great example about why you should not paint over the hardware on your cabinets. If you are looking for information on sources you can find those on this post.

The finished project has been in the house for four months and I still look at it everyday with pride. It holds everything we need for coffee, tea and the extra storage is essential in this funny kitchen that was so obviously designed by someone that doesn’t cook. Having a water cooler in the house always seemed odd to me, but it is really one of the greatest ideas we had. The coffee tastes better with this water and I drink more water because it is so conveniently the right temperature.

We have really grown the coffee cup collection since we put the shelf up. You can see more evidence of my love affair with Le Creuset. I guess I could have staged the cubbies to let you believe I have everything here looking like a magazine but that would be so far from the truth and would just feel insincere. Everything in my house is not well put together like some of the other blogs out there. It all has a home and is quite functional which is what I need out of my spaces.

You can also see the evidence of my crush on Fiestaware. I love that Fiestaware and Le Creuset both allow me to mix the colors to make for a bright cheerful kitchen. Then there is the coozie/koozie collection. That is evidence of a lot of punk shows, two years at The Fest in Gainesville, sporting events, gift from friends and even a wedding favor in there. I don’t get as much use out of them these days but like any souvenir they are great memories and it is fun to have a place to show them off and I still collect them. I love this picture because in the background you can see my favorite Gaslight Anthem poster. This poster is the inspiration for the kitchen colors and the blog design.

What project are you most proud of? Put a link in the comments so I can check out your pride and joy.

Jamaican Spiced Upside-Down Cake

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I love to bake but I stick mostly to cookies. However, since I promised myself I would cook from every magazine I get I am trying a lot of new things. Last night we had cake! Jamaican spiced upside-down cake to be precise. And since a picture is worth a thousand words I give you…

This recipe didn’t come from one of the recent magazines. It actually came from the October issue of Everyday Food. Everyday Food has been one of my favorites for years and I will be said to see it go. It was always filled with a lot of quick easy recipes that Martha Stewart doesn’t have.
As with any upside down cake you have to put something on the bottom that will look purdy when you flip it over. This one has pineapple. Instead of slicing my own pineapple I bought slices from the produce section and then just sliced those thinner to make the layers I needed.

The cake came out looking a bit funny and lopsided but since it was going to flip it upside down I didn’t worry much about the look of it.

Once it was flipped you hardly noticed that it was funny on the bottom. If yours comes out funny you can always trim it flat before you flip it. I was very excited that we got to use our Fiestaware cake plate for the first time. A cake like this requires ice cream of some sort. Talenti gelato is one of my favorites right now. It comes in great flavors and the container is reusable.

I am not usually the dessert eater in the house but this was so good I wished I had cut myself a bigger piece.

Jamaican Spiced Upside-Down Cake

Serves 9
Active time: 20 minutes Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes + cooling time

9 Tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 1/2 cups packed dark-brown sugar, divided
1 pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/8 -by 4 3/4-inch slices
1 can (13.5 ounces) coconut milk
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 Tablespoon grated lime zest plus 2 Tablespoons lime juice
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
1 Tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoons ground allspice
1 teaspoon fine salt

Preheat oven to 350F Melt 5 Tablespoons butter and add to a 9-inch square baking pan, tilting to coat bottom and sides. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup sugar and arrange pineapple slices in 2 slightly overlapping rows.

In a large microwave-safe bowl, microwave coconut milk and remaining 4 Tablespoons of butter in 20-second increments until butter is melted but not hot. Whisk remaining cup sugar to remove lumps, then add to bowl. Whisk in eggs, lime zest and juice, and vanilla.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, allspice, and salt. Add flour mixture to coconut milk mixture in 3 additions, whisking until smooth. Pour batter over pineapple and spread in an even layer. Tap pan on counter to remove any air bubbles. Bake until cake is golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean, 1 hour. Let cool on a wire rack, 1hour. Run a knife around edges before inverting onto a platter. Serve warm.

Tips:
Buy fresh pineapple spears to save time
Make sure coconut milk and butter don’t get to hot or eggs will cook when added
place aluminum foil under pan as it cooks to catch juice that may bubble over

Linked to House of Hepworths