This BROWN BUTTER APPLE STREUSEL CAKE is tender, brown buttery, and apple-forward thanks to the generous chunks of apples in the batter. It is essentially a classic French Apple Cake where melted butter is replaced with nutty brown butter, and topped with a chunky almond streusel topping. Because if there are two truths I believe in, is that brown butter and streusel are always good ideas!

Sometimes a classic flavor combo just beckons.  Like this CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH STRAWBERRY MASCARPONE BUTTERCREAM.  Classic chocolate cake with a simple American style buttercream made more luxurious with the additions of mascarpone cheese and homemade strawberry puree (or really good strawberry jam).

This cake was a huge hit at a family gathering over the weekend. I'm finicky when it comes to chocolate + fruit combinations in a cake (as in, I don't always love it), but I have to say this cake was reaaally scrumptious. Uber moist chocolate-y sponge cakes are layered with a simple vanilla Swiss meringue buttercream and gently poached sweet cherries, blanketed in dark chocolate ganache and topped with fudge-y brownies (update: I went for fresh cherries and chocolate curls on top on the version in the updated images). It is decadent without being overly sweet or heavy. This is one of the best cakes I've ever made!