Sweet Reflections: Unwrapping The Cake Blog’s Best of 2017 and Gearing Up for 2018

As the calendar page turned and we welcomed a brand new year, there’s a unique energy in the air – a fresh start, a clean slate, and endless possibilities. Here at The Cake Blog, we’re not just looking forward; we’re also taking a delightful journey down memory lane. We invite you to join us in celebrating the incredible baking achievements and beloved recipes that defined 2017, as we reflect on the posts that captivated your hearts and taste buds the most. This retrospective isn’t just about nostalgia; it’s a wonderful way to identify emerging trends, rediscover timeless favorites, and ignite inspiration for your own baking adventures in the year ahead.

For many, the start of a new year is synonymous with reflection and setting intentions. While it might sound like a familiar tradition, pausing to consider what truly matters – be it health, nurturing relationships, career aspirations, achieving work-life harmony, spiritual growth, or financial well-being – is a powerful practice. This intentional pause allows us to realign our focus and channel our energy towards meaningful goals. Do you engage in goal-setting? If you’re eager to harness this fresh energy but aren’t sure where to begin, we highly recommend exploring this insightful goal-setting series to help you kickstart your journey toward a more fulfilling year.

Your Favorites, Our Inspiration: The Top 10 Cake Blog Posts of 2017

Before fully diving into the exciting prospects of 2018, we can’t resist one last look back at the sweet successes of the past year. We meticulously combed through our extensive archive of over 1100 posts, analyzing page views, social shares, and reader engagement to pinpoint the recipes and baking tutorials that resonated most deeply with our incredible community. The results are in, and it’s clear that fresh, vibrant flavors, especially those featuring fruit, were undeniable showstoppers. Of course, the timeless appeal of chocolate also maintained its strong hold, and adorable donut cakes continued to charm their way into your top spots. Get ready for a delicious countdown as we reveal your top 10 most popular posts from 2017, leading all the way to the coveted Number 1 spot!

Number 10: Blackberry Lime Cake by Carrie Sellman

Kicking off our countdown at number 10 is this exquisite Blackberry Lime Cake. Crafted by Carrie Sellman, this recipe features a wonderfully tender cake infused with the bright zest of lime, perfectly complemented by a luscious blackberry buttercream frosting. Adorned with fresh blackberries and delicate edible flowers, it was an instant hit. This cake provided a much-needed burst of springtime freshness after the long winter months and continued to be a favorite throughout the summer, proving that its vibrant flavors have year-round appeal. It’s a testament to how refreshing fruit-based desserts can truly brighten any occasion.

Number 9: Lemon Lavender Cupcakes by Lindsay Conchar

Coming in at number 9, Lindsay Conchar’s Lemon Lavender Cupcakes offered another delightful celebration of fresh, floral notes. These easy-to-make lemon cupcakes are crowned with a subtly fragrant lavender buttercream frosting, then elegantly garnished with lavender flowers and fresh lemon slices. This recipe perfectly encapsulates the essence of spring, combining the zesty brightness of lemon with the calming, aromatic qualities of lavender. It’s an ideal choice for garden parties, afternoon tea, or simply when you desire a sophisticated yet simple treat.

Number 8: Baking Temperature Comparison by Summer Stone

At number 8, we have a wonderfully practical and essential guide: Summer Stone’s Baking Temperature Comparison. This post offers a crucial side-by-side comparison of different baking temperatures, vividly illustrating why an accurate oven temperature is not merely a suggestion, but a critical factor for successful baking. It demystifies the science behind achieving perfectly risen cakes, evenly baked cookies, and golden-brown crusts, making it an invaluable resource for both novice and experienced bakers alike. Understanding this fundamental aspect of baking can truly elevate your results from good to consistently great.

Number 7: Baked Apple Donuts by Carrie Sellman

Holding steady at number 7 is a perennial autumn favorite: Carrie Sellman’s Baked Apple Donuts. Though an older post, its enduring popularity each fall speaks volumes about its irresistible charm. This beloved recipe for homemade apple donuts is generously packed with fresh apple pieces and applesauce, ensuring every bite is moist and flavorful. Each donut is then coated with a delightful, crunchy cinnamon sugar, creating a perfect texture contrast. These baked wonders offer all the deliciousness of traditional donuts without the fuss of deep-frying, making them a healthier and equally satisfying treat for cozy seasonal mornings.

Number 6: Chocolate Flower Cake by Erin Gardner

Landing at number 6, Erin Gardner’s Chocolate Flower Cake proved to be a show-stopping design that captivated many. This tutorial teaches you how to create a magnificent giant chocolate flower cake using surprisingly simple techniques, primarily relying on candy melts and common kitchen tools. Its popularity highlights a desire among our readers for creative yet achievable decorating methods. So many of you embraced the challenge and successfully recreated this stunning floral masterpiece, showcasing the power of accessible instructions and beautiful inspiration to transform a simple cake into a work of art.

Number 5: Chocolate Truffle Cake by Olivia Bogacki

Breaking into the top 5 is Olivia Bogacki’s decadent Chocolate Truffle Cake. This recipe is a chocolate lover’s dream, featuring layers of dense, intensely moist chocolate cake paired with a luxurious, silky chocolate truffle frosting. The indulgence is completed with elegant chocolate flakes, adding both texture and visual appeal. If you haven’t yet experienced the sheer bliss of this cake, it truly is a perfect fit for any special occasion, especially Valentine’s Day or any moment that calls for a truly show-stopping chocolate dessert. Its rich flavors and sophisticated presentation make it an unforgettable treat.

Number 4: Drippy Ganache Cake by Erin Gardner

Claiming the number 4 spot is another trend-setting creation by Erin Gardner: the Drippy Ganache Cake. This highly sought-after tutorial demonstrates how to achieve the iconic “drip cake” effect with perfect drizzles of ganache. Beyond the signature drips, the cake is further elevated with purposefully placed candy pieces and elegant shards of chocolate, transforming it into a true confectionery masterpiece. This over-the-top cake trend, celebrated for its playful elegance and customizable nature, has continued its strong reign in the baking world, inspiring countless variations and proving that a little controlled chaos can be absolutely stunning.

Number 3: Mini Easter Egg Cakes by Cakegirls

Nearing the top, at number 3, we find the ingenious Mini Easter Egg Cakes by Cakegirls. This incredibly popular tutorial offers a fantastic shortcut for creating adorable Easter egg-shaped desserts using readily available store-bought cake and frosting. It brilliantly proves that you don’t always need to bake from scratch to achieve impressive and charming results. Perfect for busy holiday preparations or for involving little helpers in the kitchen, these mini cakes showcase how clever shortcuts can indeed be awesome, saving time without sacrificing creativity or festive appeal.

Number 2: Giant Donut Cake by Cakegirls

Our runner-up, securing the number 2 spot, is the utterly delightful Giant Donut Cake, once again by Cakegirls. This playful and incredibly popular tutorial shows you exactly how to construct an adorable, sprinkle-coated, oversized donut cake that promises to be the star of any celebration. It’s an exceptionally fun and whimsical option for birthday parties, captivating guests of all ages with its charming design and celebratory sprinkles. Its universal appeal lies in its joyful nature and the nostalgia of a favorite sweet treat transformed into a magnificent center-piece.

Number 1: Lemon Blueberry Cake by Carrie Sellman

And now, the moment you’ve been waiting for! Drumroll please… The most popular post of 2017, earning the coveted Number 1 spot, is the phenomenal Lemon Blueberry Cake by Carrie Sellman. This recipe delivers a tender, moist layer cake that truly sings with the vibrant flavors of fresh lemon juice and fragrant lemon zest, beautifully complemented by juicy wild blueberries. The entire creation is then frosted with a tangy yet perfectly sweet lemon cream cheese frosting, creating a harmonious balance of flavors that is simply irresistible. This cake, a personal favorite, embodies everything we love about baking: fresh ingredients, balanced flavors, and an undeniable ability to bring joy. Its consistent popularity proves that classic flavor combinations, executed to perfection, always rise to the top.

Looking Ahead: The Cake Blog’s 10th Anniversary and Our Vision for a Brighter Community in 2018

With our delightful look back at 2017 complete, we now turn our gaze fully toward the exciting path ahead. Believe it or not, 2018 marks a truly special milestone for The Cake Blog: our 10th anniversary! That’s right – a decade of dedicated blogging, sharing countless recipes, innovative techniques, and endless inspiration. We were creating and sharing long before “blogging” became a widespread phenomenon, and it’s an incredible testament to our passion and your continued support. This significant anniversary certainly calls for a grand celebration, and we’re already brainstorming ideas. Do you have any suggestions for how we should mark this momentous occasion? We’d love to hear your thoughts!

As we celebrate this milestone, one thing remains crystal clear: my biggest goals for the coming year revolve around strengthening and enriching our amazing community. I envision our little corner of the internet thriving as a vibrant hub for more meaningful conversations, abundant sharing of ideas and experiences, continuous learning from one another, and, most importantly, an unwavering spirit of positivity. In a world often weighed down by negativity, sadness, grief, worry, anxiety, comparison, stress, and isolation, I truly believe that The Cake Blog can be a beacon of light. My hope is that this space serves as a welcoming retreat where you can consistently discover something new, find the inspiration to make your own life a little brighter, and in turn, feel empowered to share that newfound light and creativity with everyone around you. Let’s build a supportive, inspiring, and joyful community together.

Your input is invaluable as we chart our course for the next year and beyond. When you have a moment, please consider hopping over to our Reader Survey. Your feedback will directly influence the content, features, and overall direction of The Cake Blog, helping us tailor it perfectly to your interests and needs. Thank you for being an integral part of our journey, and we wish you a truly Happy New Year filled with sweet moments and delicious creations!