Teacup cake

I grew up in a place where socializing over a cup of tea was the norm.  Anytime anyone came for a visit we put the kettle on.  There are hundreds of tea flavors, but our favorite was a simple black tea steeped in a teapot.

Tea is known to contain caffeine which stimulates the central nervous system thereby making us feel alert and focused after drinking a cuppa.  Tea also contains an amino acid, “L-theanine” that promotes relaxation and reduces anxiety. L-theanine increases the levels of a neurotransmitter called gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA) which reduces the stress response in the brain. And when we combine theanine with caffeine in a cup of tea we experience a boost in our brain activity as well mood.

This cake was fun to make. I first made a white chocolate cup using a bowl as a mold, then I filled it with the fruit and nut cake and mascarpone cream filling. The birthday girl did not want to cut it.

So, let’s socialize with a cup of tranquility and a slice of a teacup cake!