Happy Saturday, Reader! I don’t know about you, but here in Washington, DC, it feels like warmer days are finally on the way. That idea took me back to a sunny memory from a trip not long ago. 🌄 A little backstory... In 2024, I traveled with family to Cappadocia, a city in Turkey famous for its hot air balloon rides. We woke up around 4am, which I would generally say is not the time you’d expect anything good to happen… but I share the photos here as proof that the early wake-up call was more...

Happy Saturday, Reader. If you’re still figuring out what to bake for Easter tomorrow, I’ve got you. 💛 This past week, I made two versions of one of my all-time favorite spring desserts. First up: this old fashioned carrot cake with pineapple. It's a super soft, classic layer cake that I actually made for my dad’s birthday last weekend. It’s one of those recipes that’s been on repeat in my family for years, and for good reason. The crushed pineapple along with freshly grated carrots keep it...

Happy Thursday, Reader. For spring and Easter baking, I'm making tweaks to some of my existing recipes to dress them up for the season, and I wanted to share two types of cookies with you. 🪺 Up first are my big batch chocolate chip cookies. They're in rotation whenever I need a classic dessert for a crowd. Yielding 40 cookies, it's a good option that's quick to whip up, and any leftovers will freeze well for three months in an airtight container. To theme this recipe with Easter, I swapped in...