Chocolate Bundt Cake

Today, I want to talk about nothing bundt cake.

(I'll show myself out.)

This chocolate bundt cake, in particular. It's so good, guys.





A great chocolate cake recipe is essential for a baker. I've made so many chocolate cake recipes over the years, but I have two go-to's, and this is one of them. I've been making it for six or seven years now, and I've lost track of where I got the original recipe, but I keep coming back to it when I'm making cake. It works really well as a single layer, layer, or bundt cake, or you could turn it into cupcakes.



I don't have too many expectations for a chocolate cake. If it is rich, moist, and very chocolatey, I'll be happy. This cake definitely meets those requirements, and it has the advantage of being easy to make. When combined with ganache, it's rich enough that even I couldn't eat a huge piece.



This recipe is quick, low-mess, and low-stress. The batter is really easy and comes together quickly; you can make it in one bowl in just five minutes. The recipe is then made even easier by not having to make frosting. You can just make a simple ganache to pour over the cake. Between the shape of the bundt cake and the shiny ganache, the cake is pretty without even having to try to decorate it nicely.




INGREDIENTS
Chocolate cake:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk (I used 2%)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water

Ganache:
1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup heavy cream (half-and-half also works)
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS
Heat the oven to 350°F. Grease a bundt pan - I used melted butter - and then dust with cocoa powder. Make sure you do this to the crevices of the pan so that the cake doesn't stick to the sides.

Combine flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Add the eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes to combine. Stir in boiling water.

Pout batter into the bundt pan. Bake for 50 or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool for 15 minutes, and then remove from pan to a wire rack, and let cool completely.

To make the ganache while the cake cools, place the chocolate in a medium-size bowl and pour the heavy cream into a small saucepan. Bring the cream just to a boil over medium-high heat.

Pour the cream over the chocolate, and then let it stand for 1 minute. Stir until the chocolate has melted and combined with the cream to make a smooth and shiny mixture. Stir in the vanilla. Let the mixture stand again for 10-15 minutes. The ganache will cool and thicken.

Before pouring it on the cake, briefly whisk the ganache again. Pour it evenly over the cake, and then let the ganache set for 30-40 minutes. Slice and serve the cake.

Shae's Visit: DC

A couple weeks ago I posted photos from my adventures in Virginia with Shae. I didn't include photos we took in DC because the Virginia post was already really long; we took so many pictures that week that cutting down the amount of photos to include in two posts was very difficult.

Anyways, our DC adventures took us to many museums, monuments, and food. Going to museums is one of our favorite things to do. We spent many afternoons in museums in NYC last year, so when we were both in DC, home to many free museums, our planning revolved around visiting them. We started off our first day in DC by immediately going to the National Gallery of Art, one of my favorite museums in DC and in general. 

I didn't realize until later, when I was uploading the photos to my laptop, that I hadn't taken any other photos in the National Gallery, other than some quick photos on my phone.

I mostly took photos downstairs at the concourse that connects the west building to the east building. The walkway has been turned into a tunnel of light by the light installation, Multiverse. The lights move and change in patterns, so it's fun to watch it go through the cycle. We went back and forth on the walkway at least five times in order to take a bunch of photos.

After leaving the National Gallery, we went to the next stop on our list: the Air and Space Museum. We weren't there for too long; the museum was packed, I had been there many times before, and both of us wanted to go to another art museum. We had decided to go to the Hirshhorn next. I had actually never been there, so it was nice to go to one that was new to me as well.

When we went downstairs, we found that the walls and floors were covered with phrases in huge lettering, like "FORGET EVERYTHING" and "BELIEF + DOUBT = SANITY."

The next room contained only a light installation, made of fluorescent lights that bathed the room in blue. It was very blue, an intense kind of light and color that kind of hurt my eyes but was fun to photograph.

After going upstairs to an exhibit and the set of lights below, we finished up at the Hirshhorn and crossed the Mall to the Museum of Natural History. I've always loved the natural history museum, ever since I started going to DC with my mom and for school trips, so I've been to this museum too many times to count. I haven't gotten too sick of it yet. Shae hadn't gone since a school trip years ago, so it was fun to explore the museum again for a little while. There is a new wildlife photography exhibit that I really enjoyed, and the gemstones and minerals and oceans exhibits are always good spots to check out.

We had been on our feet and walking around for hours at this point, so my feet were already aching, but that didn't stop us from continuing on for a couple of more hours. I had made a list of monuments to visit, and we made it to each of them except the Jefferson Memorial and the Tidal Basin. I love the Jefferson, especially at sunset and at night, and although we could have made it there around that time, we were very tired from the long day of touring. But we did make it to the rest of the monuments I had put on our list!

We headed down the Mall to the Washington Monument, where Shae decided that "the hills are alive with the sound of freedom." We proceeded to take advantage of the light from the setting sun and take some portraits (as well as 1000 iPhone photos). We also spun in circles until we were dizzy, because why not? 

Our next stop was the World War II Memorial. We didn't stop by after sunset when the memorial is lit up, making the states pillars stand out from the surrounding darkness, but the memorial was bathed in soft, golden light from the setting sun.

The Lincoln Memorial was next on the list. We walked alongside the reflecting pool, which I was happy to see was filled (it had been drained for the winter the last time I went there), to the Lincoln, swamped by tourists. The reflection of the Washington Monument and the sky, whether it is bright out with blue sky or lit up in the darkness, is one of my favorite sights in DC. 

While Shae climbed up all the stairs to visit Abe ("he's very honest"), I people-watched and took some more photos of the memorial. I have been to the Lincoln Memorial many times, and I have taken many photos of it at all times of the day and year, but it is one of those places in DC that, despite being a tourist attraction, I still enjoy taking photos of and visiting, even when there are crowds of people there. 

On our way back to the metro, we passed by the Korean War Veterans Memorial and the DC War Memorial. We then trekked back past our other stops until we got to the Smithsonian stop. The day was basically a huge loop around the length of the National Mall between our museum visits and monuments tour. I was exhausted but it was really fun to go back again and take hundreds of photos with Shae.

The next day, we took the train to Rosslyn and walked over the Key Bridge into Georgetown. Our first stop was Baked & Wired, a bakery by the canal that has great cupcakes (or cakecups, as they call them) with great names. After eating a healthy lunch of cupcakes, we walked along the river and around the cute streets of Georgetown.

After walking back over the bridge into Rosslyn, we took the train to McPherson Square and walked a few blocks to the White House. We took photos and stood amongst the crowd of people for a few minutes, but I always feel underwhelmed by the White House; you are standing at a barricade feet from the fence, just looking across the lawn at it. Maybe it's because I've spent my whole life in the DC area, but it isn't the same as going inside, I'm sure, and it isn't the same as visiting some other spots in the city, at least not to me.

Whatever the reason, it wasn't one of the places we most wanted to go, so we took photos and said "hey" to Obama from afar and walked a couple blocks to get to the important thing: food. Donuts and fried chicken, to be specific, at Astro on G Street. I really liked their donuts when I last went there, so we switched up the order this time and got creme brulee and maple bacon donuts, along with fried chicken. I definitely recommending stopping by there.

Our last stop was the National Portrait Gallery & American Art Museum, two museums that I love. There are in the same building, and I've spent a few nice afternoons wandering around exhibits. The Eye Pop and Watch This exhibits are recent ones I really enjoyed this summer.

"Electronic Superhighway."

My obsession with subway (and, in this case, metro) photos continue. 

It was so much fun exploring DC and Virginia and being a personal tour guide for Shae while she visited. There is something special about showing someone around your hometown, and I'm glad we have hundreds and hundreds of photos to document it as well. Here's to our next adventure of cities, food, and photos.

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Books: August 2015

I didn't get to read for fun for months, thanks to college, as I had to read hundreds of pages each week and just didn't have any time left to relax with a book I wanted to read for fun. When I got home in May, I added to the already large pile of to-be-read books in my room by getting more than a dozen from the library and buying another dozen at the used bookstore. (I have a problem.) People usually write about books to read over the summer, but instead I now have recommendations based on what I read this summer. Fall reads? End-of-summer reads? Reads for anytime? Whatever. Recommendations and thoughts on the books below!

1.

All the Light We Cannot See

by Anthony Doerr

“Don’t you want to be alive before you die?”

All the Light We Cannot See

was one of the books I was most excited to read this summer. Doerr's book won the Pulitzer for fiction this year, and I had heard only glowing reviews of the book; I wholeheartedly agree. This book is beautiful. The two central stories, of a German boy and a French girl around World War II, build until they start to come together in a way that I won't forget for a long time. It is so many things: a war story, a coming-of-age novel, a narrative about morality and harsh realities.

It was a surprisingly quick read for me, despite being more than 500 pages, with a beautiful and elegant style that doesn't make the often heavy material dense. Doerr does things with words that are simply stunning, constructing a narrative and descriptions that are fully realized. The setting hauntingly transforms from idyllic to war-torn and lonely. The world of this book is sad, grieving, and hurting, but it is also full of hope, thoughtfulness, and human goodness.

As Doerr explained that the deeper meaning of the title is "a suggestion that we spend too much time focused on only a small slice of the spectrum of possibility," this book illuminates a unique story. I highly recommend it; overall, it is haunting and bittersweet story about human connection and ordinary people whose lives are inexplicably linked.

More after the jump!

2.

The Secret History

by Donna Tartt

“Beauty is terror. Whatever we call beautiful, we quiver before it.”

Last summer I read Donna Tartt's third book,

The Goldfinch,

the Pultizer-winning, lengthy tome of a bildungsroman novel. I

loved

it

,

and I

recommend it as well as this one. I was so eager to read

The Secret History,

her debut novel about a group of students and the crime they commit, that I bought it in the fall while at school, but I didn't have time to sit down and read it until I got home for the summer.

From the first page, the book subverts traditional mystery and thriller style and tells you what is going to happen: the group murders one of its members. Then the narrator backs up and explains how they got to that point in a narrative rife with suspense and trepidation, but the murder doesn't take place at the end of the novel. Instead, a good portion of the book occurs after the murder, examining the tension and fragility of the group and its members now that they committed this crime.

The characters aren't exactly likable on paper. They're snobbish, arrogant, and pretentious, remaining aloof from the rest of their school and basically the rest of the world in favor of being intellectuals obsessed with classics. But thanks to Donna Tartt's skill, she makes you enthralled with them, and almost like them. (As

Shae

 would point out, they become your problematic favorites.) They are so skillfully drawn, as is their group dynamic, which I am still fascinated by, three months later.

I want to write like Donna Tartt. Her writing is stunning and powerful, and there are times when reading her books when you reach the end of a sentence or paragraph and let out a breath and just think, "Wow." In those moments, I often think about how I want to write like she does. Every word she uses is used deliberately, and you get the sense that this is a very carefully controlled narrative.

This got very long and I could write an essay on this book, so my point is: read this book. Love it. Come talk to me about it.

3.

American Gods

by Neil Gaiman

“People believe, thought Shadow. It's what people do. They believe, and then they do not take responsibility for their beliefs; they conjure things, and do not trust the conjuration. People populate the darkness; with ghosts, with gods, with electrons, with tales. People imagine, and people believe; and it is that rock solid belief, that makes things happen.”

I want to read everything by Neil Gaiman, a realization that occurred to me when I wasn't too far into

American Gods.

I'm planning on working my way through his other novels and short story collections, but for now I'm fascinated by this Gaiman classic.

American Gods

is hard to describe, but essentially it is about ex-con Shadow, who is hired by the mysterious Mr. Wednesday, and follows the story of the "old gods," who face their increasing irrelevance and dwindling power in the new world of America. It is a story about those things that populate the darkness, invented by humans.

This unforgettable book has a great sense of mystery and magic woven into everything written. Gaiman uses setting incredibly well, as he creates a landscape rich with elements of Americana. It is a dark and strange work, rife with questions and suspense. But it is also entertaining, in a sort of subdued, witty way, not to mention the fantastic storytelling. I was floored by his use of mythology; he carefully weaves together mythological characters from many, many backgrounds, not drawing only from Greek gods. Don't get me wrong, I love Greek mythology and modern adaptations or usages of it, but people tend to focus on the Greeks when there are so many other mythological, fantastical stories and cultures to draw from.

This is not a fast-paced, action-packed book. It is a complex story that unfolds slowly. It takes time. It takes dedication. But it is so worth it.

4.

The Song of Achilles

by Madeline Miller

“We were like gods at the dawning of the world, and our joy was so bright we could see nothing else but the other.”

I actually started reading

The Song of Achilles

last summer, but didn't get the chance to finish it. I was somewhat familiar with the story of Achilles, Patroclus, and the Trojan War before I started reading, but I had never read the original source of the story,

The Iliad. 

After reading

The Iliad

for a class and discussing the analysis of the story, including the nature of Achilles and Patroclus' relationship, in class, I returned to

The Song of Achilles

this summer.

Miller has taken an ancient story typically read in college classes, selected an element from it, and focused on that; in the process, she turns the story of Achilles and Patroclus into a fresh, modern take. Her novel is an exploration of their relationship before and during the Trojan War; the rest of the dense, extensive

Iliad

 takes a backseat here, instead forming the background of the book. Miller's depiction of Achilles highlights the classic characteristics - stubborn, reckless, proud, temperamental - but makes more room for his devotion, passion, and even a surprising tenderness. He is a much more human figure, who is also keenly aware of his fate but doesn't understand how it will come to pass. Along with using his perspective very well, Patroclus becomes a fully realized character when in Miller's hands, just as their relationship becomes clear and compelling. The writing in this book is stunning; it is cleverly modern and classic at the same time, as well as simply beautiful. Additionally, it is an emotional book without being melodramatic, striking a good balance.

The Song of Achilles

is a wonderfully written, haunting story of the humanity in the Trojan War - specifically, the humanity of one of the greatest Greek heroes - and a tale from

The Iliad

of life and love. It is also a great, accessible version or piece of the Greek epic, which is good for both those who can't get through

The Iliad

and those who enjoy it. Honestly, I'm still not over this book, and it is one of the best things I've read this year.

5.

Yes Please

by Amy Poehler

“It takes years as a woman to unlearn what you have been taught to be sorry for. It takes years to find your voice and seize your real estate.”

I

love

Amy Poehler. I've loved her since watching her on

Saturday Night Live

during the 2008 election when she and Tina Fey killed it as Hillary Clinton and Sarah Palin, which introduced my 13-year-old self to political humor and satire at the time I was getting interested in politics. I'm obsessed with

Parks and Recreation

and her wonderful creation, Leslie Knope. Amy Poehler is part of the group of my favorite funny ladies (such as Mindy Kaling and Tina Fey) who are such #lifegoals for me, not as an aspiring funny lady (I am 100% not funny) but as a woman who wants to work in media and emulate their spirit of creativity, unabashed enthusiasm, dedication, and determination. Of course, I was dying to read her book,

Yes Please

, when it came out.

I actually read this book in one sitting on New Year's, which was a nice and inspiring way to start out the year. I finished it and immediately wanted to reread it. This book is as funny, entertaining, witty, and cheerful as you would expect. I like some memoirs and books of essays by celebrities - Tina Fey and Mindy Kaling's books are wonderful, and I recently read Neil Patrick Harris's memoir - because I am not above admitting that I enjoy reading about behind the scenes stories, the entertainment industry, and everyone-in-show-business-is-friends anecdotes. Maybe it's because I want to work in the media industry, maybe it's because I am a pop culture junkie. But I think what elevates the books of my favorite funny ladies (Poehler, Fey, and Kaling) isn't just their wit, but their thoughtful looks at life, both in entertainment and in personal life.

Yes Please

looks at what it's like to work in television and comedy, be a writer, grow up, and live life, particularly as a woman, discussing everything from the importance of a strong sketch and confidence to a good partner and good female friends. I could write a lot more here, so I'll just say: read this book.

6.

Code Name Verity

by Elizabeth Wein

“It's like being in love, discovering your best friend.”

Okay, so I didn't read this one this summer; I read it two summers ago, loved it, and have been recommending it to everyone since then. My mom just read it this summer, so I'm using that as an excuse to talk about it here. I was blown away by this book; I still feel stunned from it, and it's been two years. I'm still emotional about it, and I haven't been able to prepare myself for a reread of it yet. This is a powerful, affecting book that won't leave you.

Code Name Verity

is about two young women working for the British military during WWII, and their friendship is central to the story. At the beginning of the story, one of them has been captured, and is writing her confession. I

love

this book for numerous reasons. It seems very well researched, so the historical element of the book really holds up. It is also very carefully constructed and plotted narrative, one that manages to surprise the reader. It will make you gasp multiple times, as things start to come together and the story comes to an end.

It doesn't fit the stereotype for YA; it is a YA book without romance, instead focusing on a female friendship. These young women, and their friendship, are beautifully drawn and unique. I mean, a female agent and pilot in WWII, who don't sacrifice femininity and their real selves to join the war effort, who are brave and complicated and very real? Sign me up. Plus, it is charming and funny and heartbreaking and clever, all in one book and well-balanced. It is a very personal, compelling novel that makes you feel the desperation and the will to live of these women. Basically, it's

so good.

7.

Station Eleven

by Emily St. John Mandel

“The beauty of this world where almost everyone was gone. If hell is other people, what is a world with almost no people in it?”

Station Eleven

is such a gem of a book. I had never heard of it until I came across it on Goodreads, but oh, is it good. I need someone to read it so they can talk about it with me. I don't always like post-apocalypse novels that take place after civilization has crumbled. Criticisms of the genre aside, I got sick of all of the dystopian and utopian stories that dominated YA, movies, and TV for a few years.

Station Eleven

, however, stands out as a very unique, smart depiction of what happens after the collapse of civilization as we know it, triggered in this case by an extreme flu epidemic.

This poignant book of interconnected stories goes back and forth between characters and between the time before and after the epidemic.

Station Eleven

asks what happens after the society falls apart, and in this world, rather than dramatic new regimes and wars, the survivors have come to a point where they have accepted this as the reality, and so they begin anew. They build new lives with new families in new homes in new towns. People hold on to the not-yet-forgotten past, but they try to move forward. However, one group of characters remember a line from

Star Trek

, a relic of the past: "survival is insufficient." They bring much-needed art from the past culture back into the world. Ultimately, that is what this book emphasizes. The world after the epidemic highlights human resilience and survival, but it is not enough.

8.

The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry

by Gabrielle Zevin

“We are not quite novels. We are not quite short stories. In the end, we are collected works.”

At the recommendation of my mom and my aunt, I finally picked this up a few days ago, and I didn't put it down - I literally read it in one sitting. I hadn't read a book by Gabrielle Zevin in years, but I'm glad I chose to read this one.

The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry

is about the lonely owner of a failing bookstore in a small island town. A.J. Fikry is irascible and opinionated about pretty much everything, but especially about books. He receives an unexpected gift than transforms his life.

This is a quick read, just 270 pages that fly by, but it packs a lot of emotion and plot into its pages. It is a sweet, relatively light, and entertaining story that frequently made me smile and even laugh out loud. 

The Storied Life

has an interesting cast of characters to fill out life on Alice Island, and I was pleasantly surprised as I read more about them. In general, this book was a pleasant surprise; I didn't know anything about it beforehand, and it wasn't what I had expected. I thoroughly enjoyed it, partially for its focus on books and those who read them. It is perfect for a bibliophile; there are countless references to books, as well as recommendations made by Fikry within the narrative and as written to someone in his life. This is a book about people who love books, who fall in love with books, and who know the power of books. On a grander scale, Zevin's novel is about second chances at love, life, and happiness. And, of course, books.

Go forth and read! I'm currently reading

Neverwhere

 by Neil Gaiman. I'm always looking for new books and adding to my very long list of to-read books on Goodreads, so let me know if you have any recommendations! Also, let me know if you read any of these and your thoughts.

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Blogging, Plans, and Cinnamon Rolls

I've been following blogs - food, photography, books, travel, style, and writing - for years. As both a writer of sorts and new media enthusiast, I've always wanted to blog. I've probably signed up for and started a dozen blogs over the past several years, and never followed through with them. This time, I'm more determined to stick with it.

I started this blog with the intention of using it for my photography; I linked to it on my portfolio and started putting together posts of photo adventures and shoots. But I do more than take photos, so I plan on incorporating that into this blog. I bake (and eat) too many desserts, so I want to post some recipes. I watch too much television and love theater and buy too many books, which I would like to write about on here as well. Along with living in NYC during the school year, I'm going to Europe for a study abroad semester next year, so I plan on writing posts both to update my friends and family about what I'm doing and to create a record for myself of photos, experiences, and thoughts on my first time out of the country while I live in England and travel. I also try to motivate myself to write all the time. During my first year of college, I found myself only writing essay after essay for classes, instead of anything creative or journalistic. My hope is that this blog will help me write more.

Anyways, to start that off, let's move on to the truly important thing: cinnamon rolls.

You're welcome.

I love cinnamon rolls that are made from scratch much more than I enjoy, say, Cinnabons, but the problem with making the rolls from scratch is that it involves yeast - which can be hard or scary to use for the first time - and a lot of time spent rising. I'm not patient enough for overnight rolls or ones that have to rise for two hours after both mixing and rolling.

Luckily, I found a recipe one hour cinnamon rolls, which doesn't require lots of rising, kneading, waiting, and baking. Thanks for rapid rise/instant yeast, the rolls rise quickly and don't bake for too long, so you have hot, delicious rolls before you know it. The recipe typically takes me longer than an hour, because I get distracted or move too slowly, unless I really focus on getting it done and multitasking.

I've made these probably a dozen times now, after trying about a dozen recipes for cinnamon rolls in the past six years. The other recipes either took too long, didn't rise correctly, or just didn't turn out perfectly. These are my favorite, and not just because they're easy and quick to make. The dough is light, not too sweet, and a bit chewy. They're completed by adding plenty of filling and cream cheese icing, the latter of which I drizzled on for photos and then proceeded to slather on without regard for how picture-perfect it looked.

I haven't really improved upon the recipe because it's got an A+ from me as it is, so head over to Gimme Some Oven for the original recipe - or scroll down for a few minor changes and notes from my own experience - to make these great rolls, ASAP.

INGREDIENTS

Dough:

1 cup milk (I prefer 2% over skim)

1/4 cup butter (1/2 of a stick)

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 envelope instant or rapid rise yeast

1 egg, room temperature

Filling:

1/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

2 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1/4 cup butter (1/2 of a stick), completely softened - not melted

Icing:

1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened

1/4 cup cream cheese, softened (I prefer using a stick of cream cheese, not a tub, and not a low-fat version)

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1-2 tablespoons milk, as needed

DIRECTIONS

Mix together 3 cups of flour (not all of the flour called for in the ingredients), sugar, and salt. Heat the milk and butter in a separate, microwave-safe bowl for a minute, remove and stir, and then continue heating in 20-30 second intervals, stirring after each time. Repeat until the butter is completely melted and the milk is warm, not hot. If it's too hot, let the mixture cool down a little first.

Add the milk mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer, and then stir in the yeast. Add the flour mixture and egg to the bowl; beat on medium-low speed until combined. Gradually add the rest of the flour if the dough sticks to the sides of the bowl until the dough pulls away and forms a ball. Beat for another 5 minutes. Then remove the mixer attachment, cover the bowl with a damp towel, and let it sit in a warm place for 10 minutes. While the dough rises, grease a 9x13 baking pan, and make the filling by mixing together sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a separate bowl.

After the dough has sat for at least 10 minutes, turn it out onto a floured work surface, and use a floured rolling pin to roll the dough out into a large rectangle. (Ali at Gimme Some Oven says about 14 x 9 inches in size, though if it isn't perfect, the rolls will be fine - sometimes dough is stubborn and won't roll out to the the perfect dimensions or even shape.)

Spread the softened butter out evenly over the dough, and then sprinkle the filling mixture over the buttered dough. Roll up the dough, beginning at the long edge the dough. Once it is tightly rolled, pinch the seam so that is sealed and doesn't fall apart.

To cut the roll, use a piece of floss to cut off the ends and then the remaining dough into 10-12 pieces, by putting the middle of the floss under the roll and wrapping it around, crossing and pulling the piece until it cuts through the dough. This method cuts the rolls better than with a knife, which can squish the pieces.

Put each cinnamon roll, cut-side down, in the pan. Cover the pan with a damp towel and leave it in a warm place to rise for 25 minutes. Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Once the rolls have risen, take off the towel and bake in the center of the oven for 15-20 minutes. The rolls should be golden, cooked through, and puffed up even more. Let them cool on a wire rack for at least 5 minutes, either in the pan or after turning them out of the pan.

Be patient, even though they smell good, and make the icing, by mixing butter and cream cheese together until combined and creamy. Mix in powdered sugar. Add 1 or 2 tablespoons of milk to thin the icing if it is too thick, based on your own preference. Once the rolls have cooled, drizzle/smear/cover with icing, serve, and enjoy with milk or coffee.

Watch them disappear too quickly, and make them again, because hey, they don't take that long.