Recipe Research

Part 1

The recipe content

Title: Poppyseed Cake

Description: A Wintner family tradition, this is the perfect cake that pleases everyone: it's moist but light with just the right level of sweetness, and it has a delicious golden-brown carmelized top. Kind of like pound cake, but better. It's baked in a bundt pan for even baking and easy slicing.

Servings: 16 (more like 10-12 if you cut generous slices like Grandma Sue)

Prep time: 20 min

Cook time: 1 hr

Ingredients*:

*Allergens: this recipe contains dairy, eggs, and gluten. Non-dairy sour cream may work, but egg and flour replacements can be finicky. If experimenting with gluten-free flours, stick to drier ones, like cassava, which shouldn't impact the dry-wet balance too much.

Instructions:

  1. To bake this poppy seed cake, preheat oven to 350° F. Grease and flour 12-cup Bundt pan or 10-inch tube pan and set aside.
  2. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer until light and fluffy. note: use paddle attachment!
  3. Add poppy filling and beat until blended. Beat in egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
  4. Add vanilla and sour cream and beat just until blended.
  5. Stir flour, baking soda and salt until mixed, and add to poppy mixture gradually, beating well after each addition.
  6. Beat egg whites in separate bowl with electric mixer until stiff peaks form. note: use the whisk attachment!
  7. Fold beaten egg whites into batter. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan.
  8. Bake 55 to 65 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean. note: top should be golden but not dark at all! err on the side of underbaking
  9. Cool in pan on wire rack 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely on rack.
  10. Dust with confectioners sugar just before serving.

Storage: Wrap in foil or container and keep out or in the fridge. If it dries out, get it a little wet and put it in the microwave or toaster oven to soften up again. Sue always has some in her freezer for whenever her grandchildren are around. It's never sat in her freezer for longer than a few months, but it probably could.

Source: Solo website (originally found on the back of the can label)

Part 2

Sample imagery

*I tried really hard to search for my own images of when we've made it but I could not find any yet. I would use images of the cake as well as maybe a photo of my grandma, who started the tradition, and maybe simple illustrations for each step.

Part 3

Three links to recipe websites you have found, with a short (2-3 sentences) written review/critique for each, explaining what makes this site a good reference

  1. Taste Cooking by Penguin Random House. The recipe page cuts all the junk out of blogs, so it's concise, compact to view on a computer screen or tablet, and clearly prioritizes information. It's interactive, breaking down all the steps for you so it's easy to track your progress and not quite so overwhelming. Plus, it's pretty.
  2. Food Network . Likewise, this site has a compact layout for the recipe, giving you only the most relevant and important information. It's all easy to read and can even fit on one screen without scrolling. You can also check off ingredients to keep track of progress.
  3. Epicurious This one is also pretty concise and clear. It feels like a luxurious, elevated experience. There aren't any distractions on the page except a video player to the right of the text.

Part 4

Three links to non-recipe websites with stylistic or communication techniques that might inform your own design, also with a short written rationale

  1. Chamberlain Coffee . This site implements very effective world-building through cohesive branding consisting of certain typefaces, illustrations, colors, product photography, and other graphic elements that are repeated in various iterations. The site is also very whimsical, and the copy reflects this too. Overall, it is an immersive environment that makes me want to continue spending time on it.
  2. Notion. I like this site for similar reasons: cohesive branding that's unique and memorable but also accessible and clear, whimsical illustrations, and effective world-building. It's also interesting how little color is used, yet the site is anything but boring.
  3. Good on You. It's a database of information regarding sustainable and ethical practices of thousands of clothing brands, but it doesn't feel overwhelming at all. The design is simple and understated, yet somehow unique and memorable. It clearly communicates important information through text hierarchy, streamlined layouts, and simplified face icons that are quick and easy indicators of a brand's overall ranking.

Part 5

Research Evaluation