Happy New Year! Yes, the year began weeks ago, and I’m a bit late to post this — but I hope your holidays were wonderful and that you’re ready to embrace the new year. I like to begin each year with reflection and a bit of goal-setting. It may sound cliché, but after years of doing it, it feels natural to me. If it isn’t your thing, that’s fine — everyone approaches a fresh start differently. The new year is a great moment to refocus on what matters most to you: health, family and friends, career, work-life balance, faith, finances, or whatever priorities are important in your life. Do you set goals? If you’re curious about how to begin, there are many helpful goal-setting frameworks available that guide you through thoughtful, achievable planning.
While I’m excited to see what 2019 will bring, it’s also fun to look back at what you enjoyed most last year. I reviewed the stats across our 1,100+ posts and compiled the most popular articles of 2018 based on page views and reader comments. Fresh, fruit-forward flavors dominated the list, with citrus and berries taking center stage. Below are the top ten posts from 2018, counting down from number 10 to the most popular post at number 1.
10) KEY LIME CUPCAKES
Light, fluffy cupcakes packed with key lime flavor — lime juice and zest folded into the batter and topped with a tangy-lime frosting and graham cracker crumbs. Recipe by Lindsay Conchar.
YOU SAID: “Amazing Key Lime Cupcakes!!! Recipe was perfect as written, silky soft cupcakes, in a very good way!! Thanks!!!” — Denise
9) BLACKBERRY LIME CAKE
A tender cake brightened with lime zest, frosted with blackberry buttercream and finished with fresh blackberries and edible flowers. Recipe by Carrie Sellman.
YOU SAID: “Just made this for my son’s birthday party… The cake was so smooth and moist. This is also my first time making Swiss buttercream and it was sooooooo goooooood. Very happy with the way it came out! One of my guests said it was the best birthday cake she had ever had!” — Patrice
8) CHOCOLATE TULIP CAKE
A creative tutorial showing how to shape tulip decorations from melted chocolate using a simple plastic spoon. Tutorial by Erin Gardner.
YOU SAID: “Stunning — love the use of a spoon to make those petals, clever you!” — Fiona
7) LEMON LAVENDER CUPCAKES
Simple lemon cupcakes topped with lavender buttercream, garnished with lavender flowers and thin lemon slices. Recipe by Lindsay Conchar.
YOU SAID: “I just made these for my best friend’s birthday and we LOVED them. The cake is so light and fluffy!” — Vicki
6) GIANT DONUT CAKE
A cheerful, sprinkle-coated giant donut cake that’s perfect for birthdays and celebrations of all ages. Tutorial by Cakegirls.
YOU SAID: “Hi! I used your tutorial to make this giant donut cake for my baby girl’s Dinos and Donuts 2nd birthday party, and it turned out absolutely fantastic!” — Sophia
5) CHOCOLATE TRUFFLE CAKE
A rich, dense chocolate cake layered with silky truffle frosting and finished with chocolate flakes for dramatic texture.
YOU SAID: “Made this cake last summer for a small garden party – it was absolutely delicious, this is now one of my ‘bestie’ cake recipes. Thank you.” — Pauline
4) HOW TO BUILD A CAKE LIKE A PRO
Step-by-step guidance on leveling, splitting, and filling layer cakes so they look and perform like professional bakes. Tutorial by Erin Gardner.
YOU SAID: “Before reading this article, I would have never thought about ensuring that the filling is all done without bulging. I like frosting to be soft so that it is easier to spread. Next time I am making a layered cake, I’ll be sure to try and see what happens if I chill the frosting first.” — Michael Lee
3) BAKING TEMPERATURE COMPARISON
An illustrated baking experiment comparing different oven temperatures to show why accurate temperature control matters for baking results. Experiment by Summer Stone.
YOU SAID: “This information is so wonderful and just what I have been looking for to help me bake better. I love the science and pictures. You are a great teacher.” — Shirlee
2) LEMON POPPYSEED CAKE
A tender layer cake brightened by lemon juice, lemon zest, and poppy seeds, finished with a tangy-sweet lemon cream cheese frosting. Recipe by Carrie Sellman.
YOU SAID: “I am new at this baking thing and I must say your recipe was a success! My layers were perfect and the taste was spot on. I’ve tried several lemon cakes and they have not been successful. Now I’m looking forward to trying your Blueberry Lemon … sounds yummy! Thanks so much.” — Linda
1) LEMON BLUEBERRY CAKE
Our most popular post of 2018: a tender layer cake with bright lemon juice and zest plus wild blueberries, finished with a tangy lemon cream cheese frosting. Recipe by Carrie Sellman.
YOU SAID: “My daughter’s 24th birthday was yesterday, and she requested that I make your lemon blueberry cake. Well, it was to die for. I think it was the best cake I’ve ever baked. It looked beautiful with the three layers, and tasted wonderfully tangy, but not too sweet. She brought the leftovers to work this morning, and everyone raved about it. It truly was your recipe, not my baking, that drew the compliments. Thank you for sharing your recipe.” — Rochelle