10 Sandwich Cake Recipes To Serve At Your Bridgerton Season 3 Watch Party

Though you’d never guess it from the look of her colorful treats, Arlyn didn’t grow up cooking. As she describes it, going all-out for everyday meals wasn’t exactly her parents’ thing.

“Cooking was something that was mostly reserved for special occasions like holidays, birthdays, celebrations, that sort of thing,” she says. “It just wasn't worth the trouble to them. Most of our meals were just fast food or frozen Kids Cuisine dinners.”

Arlyn says her childhood was “dysfunctional,” and this detachment from food was just a small part of the picture. Despite an absence of physical affection and frequent “I love you”s at home, Arlyn let her undying love for Food Network and a strong sweet tooth sweep her away into the culinary world.

After years of working in food styling and production, writing about food, and developing recipes, Arlyn’s using her first cookbook to communicate her passion for cooking and baking, as well as carry on the legacy of Filipino food to ultimately find her place in it all.

“I think over the years, I have become sometimes a little uncomfortable to say some of the things I wish I could say out loud,” she says. “For me, food is the way for me to say those things without actually saying them.”

About The Recipes

Sugarcane: Sweet Recipes from My Half-Filipino Kitchen by Arlyn Osborne

Flipping through the recipes in Sugarcane, you may see a few ingredients that aren’t very common in Western cooking listed – like pandan, tamarind, ube, calamansi, star fruit, mochi, and rambutan – but there’s familiarity in each one of them.

Arlyn wrote Sugarcane for both people who are familiar with Filipino food, and those who are not. Either way, the recipes will guide you to greatness.

“I get that it can be a little intimidating for people to try out ingredients or desserts they've never heard of before, but I do think that people should know that if they're cooking from my cookbook, they’re going to be okay,” she says. “I think everyone’s going to feel that they're personified in each recipe a little bit.”

From The Book: Ube Coconut Cake

Arlyn’s Ube Coconut Cake recipe pulls inspiration from ube cake (the “crown jewel” when it comes to Filipino cake) and lucious coconut cakes from the American South. Ube halaya, which is essentially an ube jam, is the star of the coconut cake recipe, lending a gorgeous purple hue to the tender layers. Everything gets sandwiched in between and smothered in a sweet coconut icing *so* yummy, you’ll quickly see why Arlyn makes it every year for her birthday.

Ingredients for Ube Coconut Cake

Ube Cake

• 3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
• ¾ teaspoon baking soda
• ¾ cup (186 g) ube halaya, at room temperature
• 2 ¼ cups (450 g) granulated sugar
• 6 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon ube paste
• 1 ½ cups (360 g) buttermilk
• 1 ½ cups (315 g) neutral oil

Coconut Frosting

• Two 16 oz. (454 g) containers sour cream
• 4 cups (800g) granulated sugar
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• 14 cups (700g) unsweetened shredded coconut

How to Make Ube Coconut Cake

For the Ube Cake

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Grease two 9-inch round cake pans with cooking spray and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.
3. To the bowl of a stand mixer fitter with the whisk, add the ube halaya and beat until smooth. Add the sugar and beat on medium-high speed until combined but not creamed. The sugar should look moist, crumbly, and purple.
4. Add the eggs and ube paste and beat on medium speed until combined, about 30 seconds. Add the buttermilk and oil and beat until combined, about 30 seconds.
5. Sift in half of the flour mixture and whisk by hand until just combined. Repeat with the remaining flour mixture and whisk until just combined.
6. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes.
7. Transfer the pans to a wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes. Run a small offset spatula around the perimeter to loosen the edges. Invert the cakes onto the wire rack. Remove the parchment and invert again onto wire racks so they sit right side up. Let cool completely.

For the Coconut Frosting

1. To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, add the sour cream, sugar, and salt. Beat on low speed until combined. Add a third of the coconut and beat on low speed until combined. Repeat two more times.

To assemble

1. Place one cake layer (top side up) on a cake plate. Top with 2 cups (450 g) of frosting and spread evenly. Top with the second cake layer (bottom side up).
2. Cover the top evenly with 2 ½ (560 g) cups of frosting. Use the remaining frosting for the sides. Wrapt the cake all over with plastic wrap so it touches the frosting directly and protects the cake from air. Refrigerate overnight. As it sits, both the cake layers and coconut shreds will soak up excess moisture from the frosting.
3. Let the cake sit out at room temperature for 1 hour to take the chill off before serving. Due to the nature of the frosting, it's best to use a serrated knife to “saw” through the cake into slices.

Brookies (brownies + cookies) are already an epic dessert mashup, but get even more so when you combine 'em with classic red velvet cake. These layered sweets make a great Valentine's Day dessert, but taste ahh-mazing for any occasion. (via Brit + Co)

Though an actual pizza wouldn't necessarily work mashed up with sweet cookies, making a big, pizza-sized cookie in a skillet yields the all-glorious pizookie! This one gets a crazy Nutella + banana treatment for even more chocolatey goodness. (via Brit + Co)

Not only is this dessert a mix between dessert bars and key lime pie, but it also features a sexy brown sugar crust, creamy key lime pie filling, and a sweet vanilla whipped cream. Yummm. (via Brit + Co)

Tiramisu is traditionally a dessert that features coffee-soaked ladyfingers, and this cake recipe adds the coffee flavor by soaking chocolate chunks in sweet coffee syrup and topping with coffee-soaked vanilla cake crumbs. Yes, please. (via Brit + Co)

Two of our fave cookies just became one. Don’t forget a tall glass of milk to go with these savory goodies! (via Brit + Co)

Cheesecakes are such fun desserts to make, so this one that takes inspo from red velvet cake takes, well, the cake when it comes to dessert mashups! Top this bad boy with Oreos for a nice edible garnish. (via Brit + Co)

We love s'mores, and we love Peeps. Say no more! These colorful bites might just be one of the most fun desserts to make with kiddos or your S/O. Dip your graham crackers in melted chocolate for an extra sweet addition to the usual recipe. (via Brit + Co)

Apple pie is yummy in all forms, but especially this apple pie taco... cinnamon-y apple bits get stuffed into homemade sweet shells for a fun dessert mashup. Finish these bites with whipped cream for added fun! (via Brit + Co)

Palmiers are a classic French pastry that have a flaky effect to them. With this creative dessert, you'll give 'em the cinnamon bun treatment with tons of warm spices and gooey icing, of course! (via Brit + Co)

This dessert-y sandwich is a great treat to make when you don't really feel like baking. Vegan or not, all you have to do is layer on the peanut butter and marshmallow fluff in between two slices of bread and toast it. (via Brit + Co)

This lemon-lavender cake has so many tasty things in one delicious package that we just can't say no to a slice. The color makes this dessert mashup perfect for springtime or even an Easter celebration! (via Brit + Co)

This delicious meringue and berry combo is going to be the star of the show at all your summer cookouts. Toss the berries in a little bit of lemon juice and sugar for good measure. (via Brit + Co)

These pecan pie bars eliminate the need for a pie pan, instead compiling everything in a shallow dish. Each bite is chewy and sweet – the way creative desserts should be! (via Brit + Co)

Despite the fact that these dessert shots have "Halloween" in the name, it doesn't have to be October for you to enjoy them. They're a mix of vegan chocolate pudding and tons of candy, which means they're bound to be a crowd fave. Just switch up the theme based on the season! (via Brit + Co)

We're suckers for churros. Turn the crunchy, sugary treat into portable chips with a creamy icing dip for one of the coolest unique desserts out there. (via Brit + Co)

These sugar cookie bars are topped with a super-sweet (with just the right amount of salted butter) icing. And you can't forget the conversation hearts. So... will U B mine? (via Brit + Co)

One bite of this delicious dessert mashup satisfies not one, but three cravings at once. We didn't know one dessert could be this amazing but we are never going back to regular Snickers. (via Brit + Co)

Tell your loved ones you really love them with this Hershey’s Caramel Kiss hybrid dessert. Add some sea salt flakes on top for a whole new layer of flavor. (via Roxana’s Home Baking)

An apple a day keeps the doctor away. And if you end up counting this gooey, chocolatey caramel dessert as your “apple a day,” we promise we won’t tell. (via She Wears Many Hats)

Twix candy may be a childhood favorite, but that doesn’t mean it can’t make its way into your favorite adult desserts, like this tasty homemade fudge! Whether you want to use the Left Twix or the Right Twix is totally up to you. (via Cleverly Simple)

Not for the faint of heart (literally), this treat combines possibly every classic dessert out there. And then tops it with candy! Let's hear it for sweets. (via Tidy Mom)

These thick, funfetti cake-like cookies taste like birthday fun with a side of glamping (hence the marshmallows). This is a great alternative to birthday cake for any gal who would rather eat cookies! (via Chelsea’s Messy Apron)

Take cheesecake and candy on the go with these bars! Compared to how complicated they look, they're actually a quick fix, and a great option for anyone who doesn't have a ton of time to whip up dessert. (via Domestic Superhero)

These simple meltaways take breakfast pastries to a whole new level with a marshmallow glaze. We'll be snacking on these all summer long! (via Oh Bite It!)

This sweet cake is categorized more in the cookie realm with two huge stacks of dense sugar cookie layers. You'll pipe some vanilla frosting in between the layers and outside of the cake, making for a tasty birthday treat (or whenever you feel like making it, TBH)! (via Completely Delicious)

This dessert mashup would also work wonderfully for a fun brunch set-up! In between the cinnamon rolls are Oreo bits that add some chocolatey flavor and crunchy texture. The icing layer will melt down into gooey goodness once you bake this creative batch! (via Earthly Provisions)

Chocolate and Golden Graham cereal pieces merge together for a simple snack that tastes like an after-hours dessert. This creative dessert is almost like puppy chow or Rice Krispie treats, but way more chocolatey. (via Chef in Training)

This dense treat is perfect for those who prefer their Oreo and peanut butter desserts encrusted in a chocolate brownie. It's one of the coolest fun desserts to make, plus it's super easy since you're using already-made Oreo cookies. (via Picky Palate)

This creative dessert recipe is everything we love about birthdays — ice cream, yellow cake, cake batter, and whipped cream — all rolled into one little cupcake! Let's celebrate! (via Bubbly Nature Creations)

Forgo the cardboard donkey and baseball bat in favor of this sweet, sweet surprise. We love the color on this pick! (via A Subtle Revelry)

A DIY fruity fresh take on the gourmet donut trend! These donuts are a great choice for dessert and breakfast alike. (via A Beautiful Mess)

Even though you always promised mom you wouldn’t eat cookie dough from the bowl, you're totally allowed to break that promise with these ice cream sandwiches. But she can rest easy because this cookie dough is eggless. (via Mel’s Kitchen Cafe)

Of course, if you’re a total cookie dough freak, these little bark pieces might be the perfect bite-sized solution to your craving. They're great as a post-dinner treat and a movie night snack. (via Simple Joy)

Peanut butter bars and cookies joined forces to bring you this colorful, chocolatey piece of heaven. Make it now, and thank us later. Peanut butter and chocolate is one of the tastiest dessert combinations around! (via Oh Sweet Basil)

If you’re craving a slightly over-the-top peanut butter and cheesecake combo, look no further than these cheesecake bars. Our mouths are watering at the sight of this creative dessert. (via Bakerella)

It's impossible to disappoint with this ice cream cake made from layers of ice cream bars, sandwiched between whipped cream and topped with fudge drizzle. OMG. (via The Girl Who Ate Everything)

Is "thanK you aIMee" actually about Taylor Swift & Kim Kardashian?

There is plenty of evidence suggesting "thanK you aIMee" is about Kim Kardashian & Taylor Swift. The first and most obvious is that the title of the song only has three letters capitalized: "KIM." The song talks about "Aimee" (who Taylor admits actually has a different name in real life), a bully figure who beats Taylor's spirit "black and blue."

In the summer of 2016, Kanye West (Kim's husband at the time) released his song "Famous," in which he takes total credit for Taylor's fame following the 2009 VMAs incident. Taylor claimed she never gave him permission to call her a bitch in the song, a video leak from Kim seemed to show the opposite (the video turned out to be edited). At the time, Kim even told GQ that “[Taylor] totally knew that that was coming out. She wanted to all of a sudden act like she didn’t.”

#TaylorSwiftIsOverParty started trending on Twitter, Taylor Swift deleted all social media and stopped doing interviews for three years, then returned with a vengeance on the "Look What You Made Me Do" music video in 2017. The video starts off with a zombie Taylor burying the "nicer" version of herself.

Taylor Swift's "thanK you aIMee" mentions "It wasn't a fair fight or a clean kill // Each time that Aimee stomped across my gravе // And then she wrote hеadlines // In the local paper, laughing at each baby step I'd take." If you ask me, it definitely sounds like a reference to the music video and maybe even Kim's interviews.

Why does "thanK you aIMee" have random capital letters?

Taylor Swift loves hiding clues in her titles, lyrics, and messages. And historically, she's hidden words by using random capital letters. That means "thanK you aIMee" is supposed to draw our eyes to "KIM."

The Lyrics To "thanK you aIMee"

Verse 1: When I picture my hometown // There's a bronze spray-tanned statue of you // And a plaque underneath it // That threatens to push me down the stairs at our school

Pre-Chorus: And it was always the same searing pain // But I dreamed that, one day, I could say

Chorus: All that time you were throwin' punches, I was buildin' somethin' // And I can't forgive the way you made me feel // Screamed, "F*ck you, Aimee" to the night sky as the blood was gushin' // But I can't forget the way you made me heal

Verse 2: And it wasn't a fair fight or a clean kill // Each time that Aimee stomped across my gravе // And then she wrote hеadlines // In the local paper, laughing at each baby step I'd take

Pre-Chorus: And it was always the same searing pain // But I prayed that, one day, I could say

Chorus: All that time you were throwin' punches, I was buildin' somethin' // And I couldn't wait to show you it was real // Screamed, "F*ck you, Aimee" to the night sky as the blood was gushin' // But I can't forget the way you made me heal // Everyone knows that my mother is a saintly woman // But she used to say she wished that you were dead // I pushed each boulder up the hill // Your words are still just ringing in my head, ringing in my head

Verse 3: I wrote a thousand songs that you find uncool // I built a legacy, which you can't undo // But when I count the scars, there's a moment of truth // That there wouldn't be this if there hadn't been you

Bridge: And maybe you've reframed it // And in your mind, you never beat my spirit black and blue // I don't think you've changed much // And so I changed your name and any real defining clues // And one day, your kid comes home singin' // A song that only us two is gonna know is about you, 'cause

Chorus: All that time you were throwin' punches, it was all for nothin' // And our town, it looks so small from way up here // Screamed, "Thank you, Aimee" to the night sky and the stars are stunnin' // 'Cause I can't forget the way you made me heal // Everyone knows that my mother is a saintly woman // But she used to say she wished that you were dead // So I pushed each boulder up that hill // Your words were still just ringin' in my head, ringin' in my head

Outro: Thank you, Aimee // Thank you, Aimee