for ROSE’S heavenly CAKES: Spice Cake with Peanut Buttercream (page 35), as well as most other butter cakes using the 2-step mixing method, it is imperative to have the butter at the correct temperature, so the cake batter becomes beautiful.  70 oF is ideal.

using a pocket infrared thermometer:

and while you wait for the butter to get there, have a cup of coffee!

this is what the cake batter should look like:

ok, i know you love photos, so here some miscellaneous photos of what i’ve been doing this week:

1- cup(s) by Suzanne Wolfe.

2- my favorite burr grinder and coffee tray mat in action: 

3- with some great coffee:

4- while listening to life music: