Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

I used to think that Red Velvet cake is just chocolate cake with red food coloring... I was completely WRONG!


Red Velvet Cake is very special buttermilk cake with southern roots and I have found this recipe to be one of my personal favorites. You can use this recipe to make a basic sheet cake, a three layer tiered cake, cupcakes or as the base for cake pops. The recipe will make either 3, 9-inch cakes for layering or approximately 24 cupcakes or 60-80 cake pops depending on the size of the pops you make. 

INGREDIENTS:


FOR THE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:
Three 8-ounce packages of cream cheese softened to room temperature
5 cups confectioners sugar 
1 1/2 cups UNSALTED butter, softened to room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract


FOR CAKE:
2 Tablespoons UNSWEETENED cocoa powder
5 cups cake flour - make sure this is not self-rising cake flour
2 teaspoons KOSHER salt
3 cups sugar
3 cups canola oil
4 large eggs
4 Tablespoons red food coloring or one 2-ounce bottle - use food coloring to your color preference
5 teaspoons distilled white vinegar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 cups SHAKEN buttermilk
1 Tablespoon baking soda

How to Make your RED VELVET CAKE:


1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Determine what types of pans you want to use and spray all pans with non-stick spray to prep pans. I personally think they turn out better if you spread Crisco in all pans and dust cocoa powder, taping out the excess cocoa
3. In one bowl, whisk together: salt, cocoa and flour.
4. In a separate bowl: mix sugar and oil at a medium speed with an electric mixer with a paddle attachment until it is all combined and smooth. Add eggs, one at a time and well mix after adding each one. Mix in the vanilla and the food coloring to your own personal color preference.
5. Add the flour mixture from #3 in 3 separate batches, alternative adding buttermilk between each addition of the flour mixture and mix/beat well after each addition scraping down the side of the bowl as needed. 
6. Stir together baking soda and vinegar in a separate small NONREACTIVE bowl. Add the baking soda mixture to the batter, mix at medium speed for 10-30 seconds.
7. Divide the batter equally among the pans you decided to use. Tap the pans after cake batter is added to remove bubbles.
8. Bake Cake until tester, such as toothpick, inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. Typically the baking process is 32-40 minutes. 
9. Cool pans on a rack for at least 5 minutes before transferring anywhere. I personally like to cool cakes completely before frosting and sometimes if I have the time I will cover with tin foil and refrigerate for about 24 hours before frosting. 
10. To make the frosting - in a standing mixture with the same paddle attachment or handheld electric mixer in a large bowl, mix the cream cheese and butter at a low speed until it is mixed. Add the sugar and vanilla, increase speed to high and mix until frosting is light and fluffy. I like mixing for about 6-8 minutes. Place frosting in the refrigerator prior to frosting cake or cupcakes for at least 15 minutes and up to 24 hours. It is important not to freeze this frosting prior to putting onto the cakes because the texture will change. 
11. Add frosting and decorate - let your creative juices flow here and I am sure this will be a hit to your family  as much as it has been to mine. 

close up

Cupcake Tree used for a baby shower

No two cupcakes are alike - get creative!

I HOPE YOU ALL LOVE THIS SPECIAL SOUTHERN TREAT!

Cake POP Center

"FALL in LOVE" Pumpkin Cheesecake

"FALL in LOVE" Pumpkin Cheesecake

This Recipe combines two of my favorite desserts: New York Style Cheesecake & Pumpkin pie!

INGREDIENTS:
Crust: 
1 & 1/2 cup gram crackers
1/2 cup ginger cookies
2-3 tablespoons of white granulated sugar (use sugar to taste)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter (melted)
3 tablespoons regular butter (melted)

Cheesecake:
2/3 cup light brown sugar
1 pound cream cheese
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 & 1/4 cup pumpkin puree (canned or homemade are fine)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt

Topping:
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup granulated white sugar

Whip cream:
Heavy cream (COLD)
powder sugar to taste - usually I use 2-3 tablespoons
pinch of cinnamon
pinch of nutmeg

PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE: Preheat oven to 350 degrees and place 1 oven rack in the middle and place another one on the bottom of the oven. Prepare the spring form pan with either butter or non-stick spray. 

For Crust: use a cuisanart or food chopper and combine graham crackers, ground ginger snap cookies, sugar and melted butter. Place crust mixture in the bottom of the spring form pan and smash down so it is firm. Place spring form pan with crust in refrigerator and cover with foil while you make the cheesecake. You want to make sure the crust is nice and cold when you put the cheesecake mixture into it.

For Cheesecake: in a seperate small bowl combine sugar, cinnamon, cloves, ginger and salt.

In a bowl that can be used with an electric mixer or inside your kitchen aid mixer, beat cream cheese on low speed until it is completely smooth, gradually add the sugar mixture and beat until smooth, add eggs one at a time and beat for one minute each or until creamy, beat in vanilla and pumpkin puree and scrape down the sides with a spatula to make sure all ingredients are being mixed together smoothly.  I personally like to mix a little longer so the cheesecake is a little lighter and creamier.

Pour the cheesecake filling over the chilled crust. Place a cake pan 1/2 full of water on the bottom shelf of the oven. This is to keep moisture in the oven but you do not need to bake this cheesecake in the water bath.
Once you put the cake pan of water on the bottom shelf, place the cheesecake on the middle shelf of the oven. Bake for 30 minutes and then reduce the heat to 325 degrees and bake for another 15-20 minutes. You want to make sure that the etges of the cheesecake are puffed but the center jiggles when you shake the pan.

While the cheesecake is baking, mix together sour cream, vanilla and sugar. Pour the sour cream mixture over the top of the baked cheesecake. Return the cheesecake to the oven for 10 minutes to set the topping.

Remove the cheesecake from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Loosen the cake from the pan by running a sharp kitchen knife around the inside edge of the pan - this will prevent the cheesecake from cracking. Place a piece of tin foil over the cheesecake pan so the cheesecake will cool slowly. When the cheesecake is completely cooled, cover and refrigerate for 8-12 hours. I prefer the cheesecake to be refrigerated for at least 24 hours before serving.

Before serving make whip cream and cover the cheesecake with a layer of whip cream toping and refrigerate for another hour before serving. Do NOT use cool whip or make the wrip cream too sweet because then it will over power the cheesecake.

This cheesecake serves 10-12 people and some prefer to serve with extra whip cream or vanilla ice cream. 
Taste and enjoy this special dessert!

Falling in Love? Ready to?

Falling in Love?

Want to?

Are you ready to? Don't dive in until you are ready.

Fall BLISS Cookies – Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Icing

I hope you love them! 

A recipe to inspire you to get into FALL… These cookies are super easy and bound to inspire you to get ready for Halloween and Thanksgiving.

When I smell pumpkin spice latte’s at starbuck’s I start to feel warm inside and think Fall is coming. Bring on tall boots and cooler weather. These cookies are great for any fall event or to just get you in the mood for the change of seasons.

This recipe will make about 3 dozen cookies and it is very easy to double. The cookies are very moist and I hope you enjoy them.

COOKIE INGREDIENTS:
1 cup butter room temperature
1 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 cup or 1/2 can pumpkin
2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin spice
1 and 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cloves

ICING INGREDIENTS: 
4 ounces (1/2 package cream cheese) do not use light or generic the texture will change
1/4 unsalted butter at room temperature
2 cups sifted powdered sugar
vanilla extract (TO TASTE) – I like 2-3 teaspoons of vanilla

How to make Cookies
PRE-HEAT OVEN TO 350 degrees

You will need two bowls: one for tossing together dry ingredients and one to use either in a srand up mixer or in a bowl you can use with a handheld mixer.

DRY INGREDIENTS: mix all dry ingredients together – flour, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, pumpkin spice, baking powder, baking soda & kosher salt in a seperate bowl.
OTHER INGREDIENTS/ PUMPKIN MIXTURE: Brown sugar, butter, egg and pumpkin – mix together in stand up tabletop mixer or in a bowl with a hand held mixer.

Stir in DRY INGREDIENTS to PUMPKIN MIXTURE: add dry ingredients to pumpkin mixture and beat well.

Using a small round cookie scoop, drop cookie dough onto ungreased baking sheets – bake 10-14 minutes at 350 degrees.

ICING:
In the bowl of the tabletop mixer change beater to flat paddle head beater.
Cream together unsalted butter and cream cheese, scraping down the sides until mixture is light and fluffy.

Add sifted powdered sugar a little at a time and mix on low. Once all powdered sugar is in the bowl, increase the speed of the mixer scraping down the sides.

Once the icing is smooth and spreadable, blend in vanilla to taste. I prefer 2-3 teaspoons of vanilla but start with one and see how you like it. If icing is too thick you can always add a tiny bit of milk to thin it out.

You can use as much icing as you like but make sure not to ice the cookies unless they are fully cooled. They are not meant to be refrigerated so keep in tupperware or plated at room temperature.