Written by Of all the fabulous things I love about the holiday season, my favorite is the tradition of cake! Several years ago, Philippe tried a new recipe that was officially titled « gâteau framboise-coco-chocolat blanc » that was so delicious I immediately renamed it Christmas Cake. This was a not-so-subtle attempt at suggesting this cake should become a permanent part of our holiday tradition. Luckily, it worked, and we’ve had this delicious delight each year since then. Not so luckily, my requests to have it at other times of the year are now immediately rebuked because it is reserved just for the holidays. I really didn’t think that one through. Last year, we enjoyed it in the form of a bûche de noël, or yule log, and it somehow tasted even better that way. I actually painted this on the 90th day of doodlewashing from the same reference photo to see if I’ve improved, topping it with some imaginary raspberries this time around. I’ll let you be the judge. You can find the first version by clicking here.
This year, our oven decided to die just before we started all of our recent travels. Well, it had a problem with the digital interface panel and started beeping incessantly, so we had to kill the circuit breaker to silence it. Though we have a small countertop convention oven that will usually do the trick for most things, it’s too small to bake the sheet cake needed for a proper bûche de noël. Philippe informed me of this, and I was expectedly crestfallen. The wall plug appeared to have flipped a circuit recently and when I went to reset it, I accidently turned the oven back on. Magically, it was working just fine again and ready to bake! I don’t know if this would count as a Christmas miracle, but in our house it’s pretty darn close.
So all has been restored and we’ll be enjoying a fabulous food-filled Christmas ahead. The gifts are definitely something to look forward to, of course, but if you could try a bite of this cake I’m sure you’d agree it’s one of the best presents of all. It’s still a couple weeks away, but I’m thrilled for its arrival. These little traditions make the holidays so incredibly special. Those wonderful things that only come once a year are totally worth the wait. I’m thrilled to be back home for awhile and ready to enjoy the season properly. Complete with a working oven, dark chocolate filled with genuine spirits (courtesy of Costco… they’re awesome!), and the legendary dessert that will now be forever known as Christmas Cake.
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About the DoodlewashSennelier L’Aquarelle: Sennelier Red, Red Orange, Olive Green, Phthalo. Green Light, Ultramarine Deep, and Payne’s Grey. Lamy Safari Al Star pen with Platinum Carbon with black ink in a little red cloth hardbound l’aquarelle journal I found in a Paris shop. |
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YUM!
Thanks, Jodi!! 😃💕It’s sooooo good! I can’t wait!
and look at how you have refined your talent too!!
Thanks! 😃Yeah…I seldom look back, but it’s definitely progress!! Yay!
Thank cake kind of has your smile – and that glass plate is soooooo real looking.
Thanks so much, Cynthia!! 😃💕 hehe…my smile, eh? Awesome!!
We must have the recipe! It looks wonderful!
Thanks!! 😃💕 It was a clipping from a magazine (all in French), but now mostly in Philippe’s head I think. One day I’ll get him to right it down! 😊
That looks SO good!!
Awww thanks so much!! 😃💕
Excuse me while I slobber over your drawing.
Lol… Best compliment for a food illustration ever!! Thanks, Laura!! 😃💕
Oh yes, you have improved exponentially as an artist from your 90th Doodlewash, Charlie. Even the raspberries reflected in the glass dish, let me dig in, please.
As for the oven, I didn’t understand any of that technical lingo except that it broke and then it unbroke. Do I get a piece of that delicious looking cake now? Yum yum!
Thanks so much, Sharon! 😃💕 Appreciate that! Guess daily practice pays off! And of course you can have a slice. As for the oven… it was just as confusing as it was described! Lol Made no sense whatsoever, but thankfully it’s back up and running now, just in time for Christmas!
When I remodel my kitchen, there will be no oven. There will be vending machines: 1: cereal, yogurt, salad, and fruit; 2: tea, hot and cold; 3: pizza, soup, and sandwiches; and 4: chocolate., all kinds. All other foods will be eaten in someone else’s house or at a restaurant.
See, nothing will break down.
That is a brilliant kitchen!! I love it!! Definitely lower maintenance!
No problem — just have Philippe make the recipe in the form of a heart for Valentine’s day, a package with a fondant ribbon and candle for your birthday, in the form of an egg for Easter and the number 1 for the first day of every month. It’s tradition!
P.S. Yup, your artistic expression is growing with each flourish of the brush and pound around the waist.
Thanks so much, Judy! 😃💕 hehe… excellent suggestions. I actually tried that, but since I named it “Christmas Cake” it has now been set in stone. I need to remember that error next time I love a new seasonal treat! Lol
I think I can detect a slight improvement!😂😂😂😂 However, your paintings already had energy and yumminess even then! I wasn’t following at the time, so glad to have found you! You re-energized my painting habit single-handedly and I will be forever grateful for that. Hugs💕💕💕💕💕
Thanks, Marina!! 😃💕 Glad you see improvement! hehe… and even MORE thrilled to know you’re re-energized with your own painting! That’s fanstastic! Never stop now!! Hugs back at ya! 💕
Looks delicious, Charlie. There is the proof how continuous practice does make us better artists! 🙂
Thanks so much! 😃💕 Yeah, I figure since I’m always cheerleading people to paint daily I should provide some proof! hehe
Your cake looks delicious, and it looks even more delicious than the previous drawing. I wondered whether you also have the traditional heavy fruit cake for Christmas, iced with marzipan and hard icing, which is what we traditionally know as Christmas cake?
Thanks so much, Georgie! 😃💕 Actually, I’ve had fruit cake before, but it wasn’t part of our holiday traditions for me here or for Philippe in France, so we just have the Bûche de Noël and sometimes a bit of cobbler during the month. hehe
A mouth-watering doodlewash…I’m gaining pounds just looking at it! (K)
Thanks, Kerfe! 😃💕Yay! Well… not the extra pounds, of course… luckily you can’t really gain them by looking, but I’m about to gain plenty will all the eating ahead! Lol
Me too, I’m afraid…
Please shake Philippe (gently, of course) until that recipe falls out of his head. If the gâteau de noël is even a fraction as good as your painting, I’d like to add it to my holiday traditions, too!
Hehe! 😃💕 It’s so good! Actually, he was ripped out of a magazine, but someone in our World Watercolor Group, found this one which is pretty close. (he just using unsweetened coconut to sprinkle on top instead… looks like snow that way!) It’s all in French though: http://www.invitationsgourmandes.fr/gateau-iceberg-chocolat-blanc-noix-de-coco-framboises/
Crazy! I need to start a campaign to get this on the list of our Christmas traditions! I could start learning to bake, but I don’t know about that 😛 Never mind seals or Polos (well, for now anyway) there’s a more important cause! 😉
It’s fab to see the comparison between this and your first go. What a journey! And now I have an urge for some dessert…
Yeah, this is one magical cake! I including a link to one similar in Heather’s comment above. It will require both baking skills and mastery of the French language, but I think you could do it! 😉hehe
Okay, you’ve got me thinking about starting a new Christmas tradition. I was explaining to my husband about the buche de noel as well. He kind of looked at me funny. “The mouth of Christmas?” he said. I finally got my point across. You see, he’s French Canadian and I’m well, obviously not. At least I have someone to translate that recipe! Wonderful drawing that’s got us all slobbering over our screens!
Thanks so much, Chris!! 😃💕 I highly recommend this cake! So good! And I had the same issue with my Parisian husband with regard to pronunciation. I finally got it right once, but can’t easily hear the difference so it’s usually just a Christmas mouth when I say it too! Lol
Beautiful painting… Amazing
awww thanks! Appreciate it! 😃💕