Red Velvet Cake

CONGRATS, DEREK AND NYSSA!

My co-worker Derek proposed to his girlfriend on the 9th, and she said yes!

He actually asked me to take anniversary pictures and engagement pictures for them (He asked her the day of their 5.5 year anniversary) and requested that I also make her favorite dessert -- Red velvet cake -- as a bonus. Typically, I'd whine about how much stress I'd be under to do it all, but this was a big day, you know?
So I took a page out of the "Semi-homemade" book, and bought a boxed cake mix but made the frosting myself.

Since I've really started focusing on baking, I've had a hard time eating those jarred frostings you buy at the store. Now, if I'm in the right mood I can gobble down the chocolate frosting with no problem. But the canned cream cheese frosting.... ugh. Just ugh.
The frosting I made was AMAZING. I almost kept the cake for myself, but that wouldn't be right.. I like my cream cheese frosting much more cream-cheesy, and less sugary-sweet. Apparently it's the same recipe my mom uses, except she uses a few cups more of powdered sugar.

This was also my first time decorating a cake!! I don't make them often (ever) so it was fun! I'm surprised at how pretty it came out. Very regal, or at least I'll convince myself that it is.
Red Velvet Cake Recipe

• One box red velvet cake mix
• 3 large eggs
• 1 1/4 c water
• 1/3 c vegetable oil

Preparation

• Prepare cake according to box directions.
• Let cool completely. If needed, cut off the rounded tops (for 2 - 9in cakes) before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

• Note: I mixed the recipe to have 1.5 the amount it originally called for, in order to have enough to pipe the decor on. If you don't plan on this, remove a third of the recipe from your measurements.
• 3 (8oz) packages of cream cheese, softened
• 3/4 c butter (1 1/2 sticks), softened
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla

Preparation

• In large bowl (medium if using 2/3 of the recipe) cream together the cream cheese and butter.
• Mix in vanilla.
• Slowly add in powdered sugar, stirring the edges constantly to make sure it's evenly distributed.

Note: You should store this cake in the fridge because of the frosting. Enjoy!

Chocolate-dipped Orange Cookies

What a busy week this has been! I was offered the opportunity to make treats for a WEDDING! Now granted, they're being served at the tail-end of the reception, after the cake has been served, but still! The woman (whose son is getting married) said she'd take pictures of the treats on display at the wedding and send them to me, so hopefully I'll get those and be able to post them here, too!

I decided to make three different treats. I made my Cinnamon Pinwheels, Cookies au Creme, and a new recipe: Cake mix cookies! Specifically, chocolate-dipped orange cookies.
I got the recipe from a friend of mine, Nikki (who is amazing in the kitchen). The recipe is reaaally simple. I did an orange cookie, half-dipped in chocolate. I wanted something with a little extra sass, that was also unusual, for people to "ooh" and "ahh" at at the wedding. I think I succeeded with these!

Everybody that I fed these to as samples LOVED them. Not one person thought they were less than amazing!

The great thing about the recipe is that you can use ANY boxed cake mix. Because I couldn't find an actual box of orange cake mix, I used white cake mix and added 4tsp of orange extract. Yummm!

I also used a box of strawberry (See below!) but it had that artificial-strawberry flavor. I've come to the conclusion that strawberry cookies should not exist.

Now, the first time I made these I used my KitchenAid. I also rolled out the dough and cut it into shapes, which probably had to do with why I didn't add any extra flour to the dough itself.

The second time (when I made a batch for work) I used a hand held mixer, and I had to add a LOT of flour to get it to be a good texture. When I scooped them, I used a 1/2 tablespoon measuring spoon to get them the same size.

Cake Mix Cookie Recipe:

• One box cake mix (any flavor)
• Two eggs
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• Flour (Not sure how much-- it varies)
• 4tsp orange extract (if you go for the orange cookies)
• One bag chocolate chips, melted (you pick what sort!)

Preparation

• Preheat oven to 300
• Beat together the cake mix, eggs, and vegetable oil.
• If needed, add enough flour to get it to a cookie dough-like consistency.
• Either roll out and cut cookies into shapes, or drop onto cookie sheet.
• If dropping onto cookie sheet, press down so they're about 1/4" thick. They don't seem to spread at all, or VERY little.
• Bake for 9-12 minutes, or until just firm to the touch.
• Leave to cool on the cookie sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
• Serve plain, or dip in melted chocolate-- or drizzle with melted chocolate.

Note: I used milk chocolate for the orange cookies, and dark chocolate for the strawberry. Try mixing it up!

(Virgin) Strawberry Margarita Cupcakes

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CINDY!

Well, not yet. Her birthday is on the 15th but we're celebrating tonight instead.
She's turning 21, but her (other) best friend is still only 20 so we can't go out to celebrate.
To compromise I took on the responsibility of baking her cake. Or rather, cakes. What better way to celebrate a non-alcoholic 21st birthday than with alcoholic imitations?
So for her birthday I'm making her strawberry margarita cupcakes! They're super adorable, and delicious! You can make regular margarita cupcakes with key limes, but she doesn't like limes and LOVES the color pink and anything strawberry. And so here we are!

Strawberries tossed with sugar, for the frosting.

Strawberry Margarita Cupcake Recipe
Note: Start on the frosting first because the strawberries have to sit for 2 hours beforehand.

• One box of strawberry cake mix
• 1 cup water
• 1/3 cups vegetable oil
• 3 large eggs
  
• 1 pint (or 1 pound/1 package-- same thing) of strawberries
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 4 tbsp softened butter
• 3-4 cups powdered sugar
• 
  
• A package of neon bendy straws
• Coarse sugar crystals

Preparation

• Line 2 cupcake pans with cupcake liners (makes sense, right?) I suggest either pink or white.
• Mix and bake the mix according to directions on the back of the box.
• Leave to let cool.

Frosting Preparation

• Wash 1/2 of the strawberries (Since these will be blended, I chose the less pretty ones), then 'hull' them (aka cut off the leafy tops).
• Slice the berries and put in a bowl.
• Pour the granulated sugar over the strawberries and mix well.
• Chill for two hours.
• In another bowl, beat the butter until it's fluffy.
• Drain the extra juice from the strawberries, then mash them up and add them to the butter. Add in half of the powdered sugar.
• Blend until it's all mixed in, then slowly add in more powdered sugar until you get the consistency you want for spreading the frosting.

Decoration

• After frosting your cupcakes, sprinkle the edges with coarse sugar crystals. Note: Sprinkle as you go, because once the frosting sets it begins to reject having any sugar sprinkled on)
• Wash/hull the rest of your strawberries, and slice in half (longway) and place one half on the edge of each cupcake.
• Cut a bendy straw until it's about 4" long, then stick in the cupcake.

Because the frosting is made from fresh strawberries, the recipe suggests keeping your cupcakes refrigerated.

Personally, I think this would dry out the cupcakes way too fast and make them soggy, so I just waited until the last possible moment then frosted the cupcakes, so they could sit out.

Because of the freshness involved, I suggest making these the day of the event and consuming them the day of. I mean, you know how strawberries get...

Strawberry frosting recipe found here:
http://southernfood.about.com/od/icingrecipes/r/r70225c.htm