Bottle it up | STRACCIATELLA CAKE IN A JAR

May I have your attention please: The sun is out! I repeat: The sun is out!

Which means it is about high time to spend your days out on the balcony. Ideally with a cooling beverage, or as I would prefer, a slice of cake with a scoop of ice cream slowly melting away, oozing over the edges of perfectly baked, crispy golden batter, dripping onto your favorite skirt… YUM!

Now I know this isn’t always an option. Mainly because there is only so many times you can wash your favorite skirt. But also because cake isn’t something you just happen to have in your pantry at all times. And here I go, making you drool – shame!

But imagine a world in which this were an actual, viable option.

Imagine a pantry brimming full with moist, yet crumbly cake sending sweet fragrances up your nose with every swing of the pantry door.

Bottle It Up | LEMON & YOGHURT CAKE IN A JAR

I'm not sure why I've kept this recipe from you for so long. Because it is simply divine.

And I know what you're thinking.

No blogger has ever put a recipe out there without claiming it to be "the world's best", "a must-try" and "grannies favorite".

As I am not a qualified baker and have no professional culinary training whatsoever, I don't even want to make such a claim.

But! You are just going to have to trust me when I say with absolute certainty that this is at least the best cake in a jar that I have ever made! It is super moist and incredibly lemony. I took a first bite and thought I was chewing on the most gooey lemon bar. Which is saying a lot. Because lemon bars.

Best Summer Cocktail Recipe | THE HUGO

Hugo is like my new best friend.

If you haven't heard of Hugo yet, you can't possibly be European. For about a year now Hugo is on everybody's mind in this part of the world. He came into our lives so suddenly, but managed to sweep us off our feet even more quickly. I can't remember life without him really.

Hugo and I hang out a lot in the summer months. He is refreshingly sweet and cool at the same time. He listens patiently and always manages to relax me after a long day at the office. He brings people together. And to tell you the truth, he's immensely delicious. Visually and otherwise!

I could have him for breakfast, lunch and dinner - if you know what I mean!

Ok, I'm just gonna stop myself right there, no need to go down that route. Any further.

Bottle It Up | ALMOND & BAILEYS CAKE IN A JAR

If you're planning on doing some holiday baking this year, I've got just the thing for you!

We all know by now that cake in a jar makes the perfect gift. You can make cupoards full and you're all set for weeks and months of birthdays, holidays and nonsensical celebrations such as America's National Cake Day (November 26th, be sure to mark your calendars!).

But I like to think of these darling sweets as little "emergency cakes", à la "In case of emergency, break glass". Though I don't recommend any actual breakage here.

LET'S CELEBRATE! 1st BLOG BIRTHDAY & BLUEBERRY GALETTES

Hip Hip Hooray! Motte is officially one year old TODAY!

Nuts, how time flies, isn't it?

You blink once and BAM! another year over.

I'm not sure how often a person actually blinks within one year, but that is clearly beside the point anyways.

Google says about 5.6 million times.

HOMEMADE STRAWBERRY LEMONADE

Ever since I started this blog I have come to realize that I complain about the weather a lot. It is either too cold, too wet, uncomfortably foggy or so darn windy. And I never forget to let you know about it either.

Today, it is much too hot.

Like, I-do-not-want-to-move-ever-again-in-an-attempt-to-keep-the-sweat-from-running-down-my-face kind of hot.

But this time, instead of moaning about the temperature, the lack of fans in my apartment and the number of days until fall is finally upon us, I have decided to share with you a more practical solution to withstand the heat. Because so far, moaning has gotten me nowhere. And, truthfully, the fall months are simply going to make me curse my broken umbrellas and non-existent rubber boots.

THOUGHTS ON A MONDAY MORNING V

"Just living is not enough," said the butterfly, "one must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower."

4th JULY INSTANT FROZEN YOGHURT

The rumors are true.

I am an inventor.

Yes, my humble self has sailed uncharted waters. I have packed my bags, or in this case my smoothie maker, and am taking the high road to success.

For I have single-handedly discovered the one thing long missing from any recipe collection:

SUMMER SMOOTHIE DELIGHT

Like most of you (I'm just guessing here), I too had planned on being über-productive this weekend.

Like crazy busy, but not in a bad way.

Never in a bad way.

Rather, like the-cookie-monster-gobbling-up-chocolate-chip-cookies-by-the-ton-in-a-matter-of-seconds kind of productive. You know, get stuff out of the way.

In a pleasurable manner.

Happy Donut Day | SAY IT WITH A SONG DIY

"I'm not done with that cupcake, so donut stop me now!"

"I have seen it do miracles, so donut stop believing in the magic of fried dough!"

Musicians and bands all over the world, such as Queen and Journey, have been getting it right for years. So let's just put some faith into them performers and, this Donut Day (yes, this is a thing), say it with a song!

ACCIDENTAL INDOOR BREAKFAST PICNIC

Sunday is my favorite day of the week.

Sundays stand for relaxation, for unwinding, a much needed break. Sunday means sleeping in, coffee and cuddles, scented candles, a cuddly blanket and a good book. It also means pets are allowed on the bed and binge-watching your favorite TV show.

THE MOST ‘POP’ULAR SNACK

Let’s face it. Over the years, popcorn has turned into the go-to snack as well as a popular dessert.

It’s quick, it’s easy, versatile and simply poppin’.

I want to say I prefer salty popcorn over sweet. But given we are long past the point of having only those two options, I’ll go ahead and say I prefer savory popcorn.

So recently, I have been experimenting with flavors.

Mother's Day Delight | RASPBERRY & LEMON MINI BUNDT CAKES

Whenever I hear or read the words ‘bundt cake’ my mind races straight to Maria Portokalos who with a disapproving glance at the bundt cake in her hands whispers ‘There’s a hole in this cake’.

Such a wonderful moment. Just thinking about it brings a smile to my face!

And, oh, the hair! That sweater! I mean, what is that woman wearing??

SIMPLE POST-WORK SUMMER SMOOTHIE

Yes, it is true.

It did indeed take me until now to jump onto the smoothies-for-life-bandwagon!

The blogging community has long been waving their “The Smoothie Way is the Only Way” banners and has been doing so so very gracefully, no doubt.

THE MOST INDULGENT TRIPLE-CHOCOLATE PICK-ME-UP-COOKIES

Today, I wasn’t feeling too well. In fact, I was pretty down.

So to pick myself right back up I did something I hadn’t done in a while. In fact, since I made these cupcakes for my birthday last fall…

I decided to do some baking. With butter and sugar and all that other teeth-attacking goodness!

A VALENTINE’S DAY IN BERLIN

Today I thought I’d quickly share some photos of my Valentine’s Day Morning. Or rather, Valentine’s Morning.

Christmas Fever | SPICED APPLE JAM WITH OVEN-BAKED PUMPKIN SEED CRISPBREAD

CAUTION!

Christmas Fever has struck again!

Lately, all I can think about is how I am going to decorate for Christmas. How I should tackle this year’s Christmas gift shopping in a timely and fashionable manner. Where should I put the tree? The star? The snowflakes? WHEN WILL IT FINALLY START TO SNOW??

A Luminous Happy Birthday | DIY SPARKLING CUPCAKE TOPPERS

This past week Berlin hosted one helluva party. For this one joyous weekend film collages on several locations across the city, guided and so-called discovery tours along the former course of the Berlin Wall, a Wall Stories exhibition, special guests and live music reminded of the boundless joy of 1989 when the Berlin Wall finally came down, all those 25 years ago. It was a celebration of East and West joining together; of two becoming one.

(Am I the only one stuck with the Spice Girls in their head now?

Candle light and soul forever

A dream of you and me together

Say you believe it, say you believe it)