The Hunt for Red Velvet

Red Velvet is just one of those things. One of those dishes that live in infamy. One that, no matter how many
you try, just can't seem to capture the taste of the one you had that one time that was just "The Best." Your Grandmother, who made The Best Red Velvet. Your Mom. That Little Place Down The Street.

And yet, no one can quite seem to describe it. The exact flavors are elusive. Battles have been fought over cream cheese versus vanilla frosting. Ok, maybe not. But I wouldn't be surprised. All I can say is, this is The Best red velvet cupcake that I've ever made.

When The Fiancé originally asked for Tres Leches cake as his birthday dessert I was a bit apprehensive. I'd never made the cake before and, well, there were indeed a lot of "leches" involved. So when he changed his mind to red velvet instead I was momentarily relieved. Until I remembered the curse of The Best red velvet.

For me, what makes an ultimate red velvet is one that actually provides the red velvet flavor--distinct cocoa with a bit of bite from the buttermilk/vinegar combo--but is still light enough to maintain a bright red color. Let me tell you, it's a balancing act. I chose this recipe because it features cake flour, resulting in a softer crumb, but did increase the cocoa after cutting the recipe in half. People, it's perfection. Just saying.

All dressed up

If you're a real perfectionist, another baker's secret is to use clear, imitation vanilla for the frosting to keep a bright white color for ultimate contrast with the red cake. Make sure the bottle is distinctly labelled as "clear" or, like me, you'll just end up with another bottle of brown, imitation vanilla in your pantry. Enjoy!

Naked

Red Velvet Cupcakes
     slightly adapted from Annie's Eats
     makes 12 cupcakes

1 3/4 cups cake flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 Tablespoons cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 Tablespoon (1/2 oz.) red food coloring
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon white vinegar

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F.  Line cupcake pans with paper liners.

2. In a medium bowl, combine the cake flour, sugar, baking soda, cocoa powder and salt; whisk to blend. 

3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the eggs, vegetable oil, buttermilk, food coloring, vanilla and vinegar.  Beat on medium speed until well blended. 

4. Mix in the dry ingredients on low speed and beat until smooth, about 2 minutes.

5. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared liners.  Bake, rotating the pans halfway through baking, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 18 minutes.  Let cool in the pans 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Cream Cheese Frosting
     frosts about 12
5 oz. cream cheese, chilled
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Combine the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer.  Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.

2. Add in the confectioners' sugar and mix on low speed just until incorporated.  Increase the speed to medium-high and beat 2-3 minutes more.

3. Blend in the vanilla.  Frost cakes, cupcakes, and more to your heart's content!

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Carrot Cake Rice Krispies Treats

Every year at Easter I try to find the perfect dessert to embody the beginning of spring, but for some reason
nothing really reminds me of the season more than a traditional carrot cake. As you can see, this is definitely not a traditional carrot cake.

I happened to come across the Carrot Cake Rice Krispie Treat recipe from a blog called Mallow and Co...yes, a blog devoted exclusively to rice krispies treats recipes. You're welcome. However, after recently reading  Deb Perelman's Salted Brown Butter Crispy Treats recipe in the Smitten Kitchen cookbook, I decided to make a few alterations and came up with this recipe mash-up.

I realize some traditionalists out there may be wondering why you would mess with such a standard like the Rice Krispie Treat--it has been working like a delicious charm since 1939 after all--but let me tell you, it's worth it. Probably the most appealing aspect of this dessert is that it's so quick to make, so feel free to skip browning the butter in this recipe if you're in a hurry, but definitely give it a try if you have the time because it really adds a depth of flavor.

I was skeptical as to whether these treats would actually taste like carrot cake, but they absolutely do. Also be aware that the frosting recipe will leave a bit leftover, so just be prepared to find yourself smearing cream cheese frosting on anything in sight. Or maybe that's just me.

Carrot Cake Rice Krispies Treats
     adapted from Mallow and Co and Smitten Kitchen
     makes 1 8x8 or 9x9 pan

8 Tablespoons butter
1 10-oz bag marshmallows
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup dry carrot cake mix
6 cups Rice Krispies

Cream Cheese Frosting
8 oz cream cheese
8 Tablespoons butter
4 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Butter (or coat with non-stick spray) an 8-inch square cake pan with 2-inch sides.

2. In a large pot, melt butter over medium-low heat. It will melt, then foam, then turn clear golden and finally start to turn brown and smell nutty. Stir frequently, scraping up any bits from the bottom as you do. Don’t take your eyes off the pot as while you may be impatient for it to start browning, the period between the time the butter begins to take on color and the point where it burns is often less than a minute.

3. As soon as the butter takes on a nutty color, turn the heat off and stir in the marshmallows. The residual heat from the melted butter should be enough to melt them, but if it is not, turn it back on low until the marshmallows are smooth. Stir in the vanilla and cake mix.

4.  Pour in the cereal and fold together with a large spoon or silicone spatula. Pour into prepared pan and press firmly and evenly into the edges. Allow to cool for 30 minutes before turning onto waxed paper to frost and slice.

5. For the frosting: Beat cream cheese and butter together until smooth. Slowly add the sugar, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Add in the vanilla and beat until smooth and combined.

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Chocolate Stout Tiramisu

This year for St. Patrick's Day I wanted to try a recipe that kept the spirit of the holiday but was a departure from the standard Irish cream and whiskey-themed desserts we're all used to. Because let's be honest, how many of us actually drink Bailey's and Jameson on a regular basis anyway? Ok, don't answer that.

I thought this recipe's use of chocolate stout was a good way to pay homage to the Guinness we usually find this time of year, but with a modern twist. Let's just say the "good" things about this recipe ended there.

Considering this recipe broke two of my cardinal rules (1) no uncommon, difficult to find ingredients 2) the need to set in the refrigerator overnight) I'm not really sure why I decided to go ahead with it anyway. After a failure to locate Steen's Dark Cane Syrup anywhere in the DC metro area, I decided to substitute dark corn syrup for the cake portion of this dish and the baking failures just piled up from there. I could only find chocolate stout in litre-sized bottles...the cake was tasteless and too soft to dip in the reduction...the carbonation of the stout caused the reduction to boil over...the marscapone wouldn't get fluffy. After two hours of consternation and frustration assembling this dessert...it turned out to be delicious.

While I absolutely recommend you use actual cane syrup if you decide to torture yourself with this recipe, if you have to make a few substitutions along the way--have faith, it will turn out better than you think. I suppose this is the result I get for trying to tamper with tradition, maybe next year I'll just stick to the soda bread.

Chocolate Stout Tiramisu
     from Food and Wine

Cake
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups dark cane syrup (such as Steen's)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 large egg
3/4 cup hot water
1 1/2 tsp baking soda

Reduction
1 cup chocolate stout or other stout
1/2 cup triple sec or orange liqueur
1/4 cup honey

Filling
4 large egg yolks
1/3 cup confectioner's sugar
2 cups marscapone (about 1 pound)
Unsweetened cocoa powder

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Butter a 9-inch springform pan. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk the syrup, oil and egg. In a glass cup, stir the hot water with the baking soda. In 3 alternating additions, whisk the syrup mixture and soda water into the dry ingredients.    
2. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 50 minutes, until a cake tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Transfer the cake to a rack and let cool. Unmold the cake from the pan.  

3. In a saucepan, combine the stout, triple sec and honey. Boil until reduced to 3/4 cup, 8 minutes. Pour into a shallow dish; let cool.  

4. In a bowl, using a handheld mixer, beat the egg yolks and sugar until fluffy. Beat in the mascarpone.

5. Cut off and save one-third of the cake for eating. Slice the rest of the cake 1/3 inch thick. Cut the slices into 3-inch pieces, saving the scraps. Dip the slices into the reduction and place in the bottom of eight 1-cup ramekins. Dip the scraps into the reduction and use to fill in the gaps. Spread 1/4 cup of the filling over the cake in each ramekin. Repeat the layering of dipped cake and filling. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

6. Before serving, let the tiramisu stand at room temperature for 15 minutes. Sift cocoa powder over each ramekin and serve

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Buttered Rum Shoofly Engagement Pie

The mention of Shoofly Pie, like apple butter, is usually something that results in raised eyebrows from those who haven't spent much time in the Midwest or, more specifically, around Amish country.

Essentially a molasses custard pie with a brown sugar crumb topping, this comforting late winter pie results from a combination of simple pantry ingredients coming together into what a friend  from Pennsylvania eloquently called "a sign of the end of winter, but before people were completely at ease. Nobody knew for a fact whether the weather was going to warm tomorrow or three weeks from now." The perfect harbinger of spring, but still decadent enough to warm you on a winter's night, this pie is tried and true...with a just a little modern twist in the form of a dash of rum. Don't tell the Amish. :)

This particular recipe came from  Ashley English's A Year Of Pies, which I received as a Christmas gift. A unique collection of seasonal pies, this book contains many twists on old classics and I can't wait to try recipes like Peaches and Cream Crumble Top Pie, and Chai Spice Apple Pie. While my new favorite pie crust recipe comes from The Homemade Pantry, I decided to try out English's recommended crust instead--I'd review it for you here but I forgot to add half the butter so...we won't talk about that. If I made this pie again I might actually decrease the rum just a little bit, as well as the salt. While they were perfectly complimentary flavors and a welcome update to an old classic, they were just a little bit over powering for my taste.

So, why is this an engagement pie? Well, no reason really except that it turned out to be the first thing I baked since becoming engaged!!! I just wanted to share that news with you, dear readers, and to thank everyone that has extended their well wishes to us, as you will likely be seeing a lot more from my future husband and taste-tester-to-be on The Cupcake Avenger. 

Buttered Rum Shoofly Pie

Basic All-Butter Crust (makes 2)
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp sea salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter chilled and cubed
3/4 cup ice water

Mix the flour and salt together in a medium bowl. Using a pastry blender or two forks, incorporate the butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal. slowly drizzle in the ice water, stir with a large spoon until the mixture begins to clump.

Transfer the dough onto a floured work surface and, using your hands, fold it into itself until all the flour is incorporated into the fats. The dough should come together easily but should not feel overly sticky. Divide the dough in half, shape it into two balls and pat each ball into a 1/2 inch thick disk. Wrap each disc in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour.

Filling
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup (packed) light brown sugar
1 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
1 tsp ground allspice
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp sea salt
8 Tbs (1 stick) unsalted butter, cubed
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup dark rum
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup blackstrap molasses
3 large eggs, beaten

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Prepare the crust and roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface and fit it into a 9" pie pan. Trim the crust overhang to 1 inch and crimp decoratively. Place in the refrigerator.

2. Mix together the flour, sugars, spices and salt in a large bowl. Using a pastry blender or two forks, cut in the butter until pea-sized crumbs form.

3. Bring the water and rum to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Remove from the heat and pour into a medium bowl. Whisk in the baking soda and molasses.

4. Add the eggs beating well to combine, then stir in a little more than half of the prepared crumb mixture.

5. Pour the molasses mixture into the chilled pie crust and sprinkle with the remaining crumb topping. Set the pie on a rimmed baking sheet and bake 45 minutes, or until the filling is set.

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Blueberry Lemon Cookies

As much as I enjoy the rich, indulgent, comforting baked goods that come along with wintertime and the holiday season, I have to admit that winter is wearing on me and I'm already aching for spring and summer.  

If you're also yearning for a taste of warmer temps, these supersoft, almost cakelike cookies are like a summer flashback in every bite.

For some reason my cookies didn't really spread out much at all. I know the temperature was accurate thanks to FINALLY getting an oven thermometer and realizing just how out of whack my oven is. So I plan to replace my baking soda and see if that helps. Just a warning in case your cookies come out flatter than mine--that's how they're actually supposed to look :)

These cookies only had the slightest hint of lemon, which was fine with me, but if you're a huge citrus fan you may want to increase the lemon zest or juice.

A couple of notes: Be extra careful when you're mixing in your blueberries, trying not to squish any if possible. Obviously they'll still taste great, but it kind of spoils the look and mouthfeel when you don't get that burst of fresh berry. Also try to distribute the berries evenly throughout so you don't end up with a bowl full of berries and no batter by the end. Not that that happened to me...

 

Blueberry Lemon Cookies

     from Baker Bettie  

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs, room temperature

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Zest of one lemon

Juice of one lemon

½ tsp salt

½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp cinnamon

3¼ cups cake flour

1½ cups blueberries

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs one at a time, and beat after each addition.  Add the vanilla, lemon zest and lemon juice and beat to incorporate. 

2. In another bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.  With the mixer on slow speed, slowly add the dry ingredients into the batter.  Scrape down the bowl as needed and mix until incorporated.  Fold in the blueberries gently as to not break them.  

3. Allow the dough to cool in the refrigerator for at least an hour and up to overnight.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Use a small scoop (about 1 tbsp size) and place rounded mounds of dough on a cookie sheet lined with parchment or foil.  Bake for 11-14 minutes until the bottoms look slightly browned (the edges should not brown).

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Twisted Sisters Cupcakes, Virginia Beach

On my last trip to Virginia Beach I happened upon Just Cupcakes by a happy accident, and after seeing Norfolk's Carolina Cupcakery featured on TLC's Cupcake Wars, it inspired me to seek out just what other cupcake hotspots I could find on my latest trip to the beach.

While I didn't make it to Carolina Cupcakery, I did happen upon The Sweet Shack--a cupcake haven run by Twisted Sisters Cupcakes. The brains behind Virginia Beach's Best Cupcake of 2011 and 2012, The Sweet Shack is the storefront location of the Sisters' popular cupcake truck.

The Sugar Shack

In addition to a varied selection of cupcakes, The Sweet Shack also offers lunch service and is a great place to stop off for a sandwich, but good luck trying to make it out of there without trying a cupcake...or two...or four (don't judge me).

Part of the adorable lobby where you can enjoy your cakes

As for the cakes themselves I was definitely impressed. That day's selection featured candy bar-inspired treats like Snickers and Heath Bar cupcakes, and I chose an Almond Joy cake along with a Tiramisu and the Pumpkin Spice and Caramel Apple seasonal flavors.

I have to admit that the Tiramisu wasn't my cup of tea, as it's possibly the only cupcake I've had to scrape frosting off of in order to finish. The texture was simply too butter-heavy for my taste. BUT that seems to have been just one off note, as the other three cupcakes were delicious. The Almond Joy had actual flakes of coconut in the frosting, and the Pumpkin Spice was to die for with a creamy spiced filling.

It's easy to see why these sisters were voted best in VA Beach, and you should definitely make a stop off next time you're in town to sample a few of the 70+ rotating flavors. Also be sure to follow them on Twitter to get the low down on all their cupcake truck stops!

If you go
The Sugar Shack
2408 Princess Anne Road
Virginia Beach, VA 23456
@TSCupcakes

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Martha Monday: Chocolate Waffle Cookies

For this Martha Monday, please welcome back our latest guest blogger--my mom! You may remember her from such hits as Apple Pie Rugelach and Cardamom Cranberry Pear Crisp. This week she brings you the perfect recipe to finally utilize that waffle maker that's been hiding in the back of your pantry and sate the sweet tooth that's secretly been missing all of the readily-accessible holiday cookies from last month. You know it's true :) Enjoy!

Oh Martha, Martha, Martha! How you entice us to bake with your glossy photos of perfect pastries and cookies. The picture in Martha Stewart Holiday Cookies 2005 showed perfectly round Chocolate Waffle cookies. This recipe attracted me because I would get to use the waffle iron that generally just takes up space on a shelf. (A gift requested by Mr. Nelson who must have had visions of me making waffles every Sunday morning). I diligently gathered my ingredients and followed the recipe meticulously only to face the cruel reality that baking once a year will not yield the same lovely result.

One thing I hadn't considered was that waffle iron grids can be different sizes, and mine are much larger than those in the picture. Also, my batter was pretty thick and I had to scrape each scoop of batter onto the waffle iron. These cookies did not turn into perfectly round circles, and some were more amoeba-like in appearance. The directions would have you coat the grids with cooking spray each time, but mine is Teflon coated and the the cookies were easy to remove and cooked according to the directions.

When dipping the tops in chocolate they're easy to drop. While the result is a tasty accident, if it happens too often you won't have enough chocolate for all the cookies! I console myself with the thought that taste is more important than appearance and these fluffy, chocolately cookies with their touch of cinnamon are yummy and "a keeper" according to my sister. The only thing that could have improved them would have been to make them with Hilary.

Chocolate Waffle Cookies
     From Martha Stewart
     Makes about 4 dozen

3 oz. unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
18 Tablespoons (2 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 cup plus 2 Tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups All-Purpose flour
Vegetable cooking spray
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar, plus more for dusting
1 1/2 Tablespoons whole milk

1. Melt chocolate with 1 cup butter (2 sticks) in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly. Let cool slightly.

2. Put eggs, vanilla, and granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until pale, 4-5 minutes. Mix in chocolate mixture, salt, cinnamon, 1/2 cup cocoa powder, and the flour.

3. Heat a waffle iron until hot. Lightly coat grids with cooking spray. Spoon about 1 Tablespoon of batter onto center of each waffle-iron square to make 1 1/2-inch rounds. Close cover, cook until set, about 1 1/2 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack, bottom sides up. Let cool completely. Repeat with remaining batter, coating grids with cooking spray after each batch.

4. Melt remaining 2 Tablespoons butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Add confectioners' sugar and remaining 2 Tablespoons cocoa powder; stir until smooth. Stir in milk.

5. Gently dip surface of each cookie in icing so that just the waffle lines (not the gaps) are coated.  Repeat with remaining cookies and icing. transfer to wire racks; let stand until set, about 10 minutes. Dust iced surfaces of cookies with confectioners' sugar. Cookies can be stored in single layers in airtight containers at room temperature for 2 days. (I froze mine and they were fine).

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