Red Velvet Cake

Erin requested a red velvet cake for her birthday. I had never made one before, but I decided it would be fun to try. I found this recipe for “Southern Red Velvet Cake” on FoodNetwork.com. It is from the show Sarah’s Secrets and the recipe is presented by Cakeman Raven. It was fun to make and turned out really well. I am posting the cream cheese frosting recipe separately because it was excellent and would also be delicious for use on a carrot cake or cinnamon rolls.

Video from Sara’s Secrets on Food Network:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans (3 may be used, but I only have two—and two worked just fine).

Mix the following dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside:

• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. cocoa powder

In stand mixer bowl, combine the following on low speed:

• 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
• 1 cup buttermilk (preferably room temp.)
• 2 large eggs (preferably room temp.)
• 2 tablespoons red food coloring (1 ounce—this ended up being the entire bottle)
• 1 tsp. white distilled vinegar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the liquid ingredients and beat on medium to medium-high speed until well combined.

Pour batter into prepared pans and bake in oven for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few crumbs on it. Allow cakes to cool and then remove from pans. (At this point you can either proceed to frosting or store in the refrigerator until later. Cakes stored in refrigerator are much easier to frost.)

When ready to assemble cake, prepare Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe. Frost generously and then garnish with chopped pecans.

  

Happy Birthday, Erin!

Kentucky Butter Cake

This is a delicious and easy cake recipe. Erin's parents discovered it and, after hearing several times how incredibly delicious it was, Erin and I thought we better give it a try. You'll note the use of the word "Butter" in the title. This cake is very rich--which is all the better because it's fun to share with lots of people (spread the calories!). We have now made it several times--it's always good and everyone who tries it seems to agree.

I can't resist making a comment about Kentucky: I visited several times when my brother was attending school there. It's a beautiful state. And if this recipe really originated in Kentucky, then boy-howdy do they know how to eat down there! The other classic Kentucky dish that I am thinking of is called a Hot Brown. When I ordered it at a restaurant is came out so smothered in melted cheese that you couldn't even see anything that was under the cheese. It just looked like a plate of melted cheese! I've never tried making a Hot Brown at home--eating it may have been a once-in-a-lifetime experience--but if you're planning a Kentucky Derby party you could sit down to a Hot Brown and some Kentucky Butter Cake. Your mouth will like it, but I take no responsibility for the cardiovascular consequences!

• 3 cups flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup butter
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease and flour bundt pan.

Mix the dry ingredients (flour salt, baking powder, soda) together in a bowl and set aside. In a large mixing bowl blend the sugar and butter. Add eggs one at a time and mix well. Gradually add dry ingredients, buttermilk, and vanilla. Beat at medium speed for ~3 minutes. Pour batter into greased bundt pan and bake for ~60 minutes.

Butter Sauce:

5 minutes before the cake is ready to come out of the oven, melt the following ingredients together in a saucepan:

• 1/3 cup butter
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3 T water
• 2 tsp vanilla

Cook over medium heat until fully melted. Remove from heat just before it comes to a boil.

When cake is done--a toothpick inserted into the cake should come out with just a few small cake crumbs clinging to it--remove from oven and, while still hot, poke lots of holes in the cake. I've found that chopsticks work well. After holes are poked, pour the Butter Sauce over the top of the cake so that it seeps down through the holes into the center of the cake. Allow cake to cool and then turn over to remove from bundt pan. Slice and enjoy!

Triple Chocolate Torte

I've been in a cake mood lately and was excited to try this recipe that Erin got from her parents. Erin made it mostly on her own (while I helped with some mixing and, of course, sampled the batter and frosting at various times just to make sure it wasn't poisoned). We took it to a dinner party at my parents' house. Served with Breyer's vanilla ice cream, it was a hit.

• 2 eggs, separated
• 1 1/2 cup sugar, divided
• 1 1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 cup cocoa
• 3/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup buttermilk (or sour milk)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 9" round baking pans. In a small bowl, beat egg whites until foamy. Gradually add 1/2 cup sugar. Beat until stiff peaks form. In a large mixer bowl, stir together remaining 1 cup of sugar. Flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt. Add oil, buttermilk, and egg yolks and beat until smooth. Gently fold egg whites into batter. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake 25-30 minutes or until the cake springs back when touched in the center. Cool for 5 minutes. Remove from pans and place on wire racks. Cool completely.

Filling:

• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup cocoa
• 1 1/2 cup cold whipping cream
• 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

In a small mixing bowl, combine sugar and cocoa. Add whipping cream and vanilla. Beat on low until blended, then beat on medium until stiff. Once made, keep the filling chilled.

With long serrated knife, cut each cake layer horizontally in half (to make a total of 4 layers). Spread one layer with 1/3 of the filling. Top with second layer of cake and repeat, ending with a plain layer of cake on top. Prepare chocolate glaze.

Glaze:

• 3 T. butter or margarine
• 3 T. light corn syrup
• 1 T. water
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

In a small saucepan, combine butter, corn syrup, and water. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture begins to boil. Remove from heat. Add chocolate chips, stirring until melted. Cool to room temperature.

Spread glaze over cake and be as creative as you like with additional decorating (Erin and I drizzled with white chocolate). As the base of the filling is whipped cream, it is best to keep refrigerated when not serving.

Buttermilk Pie

Here's another buttermilk recipe! I couldn't end my streak of buttermilk recipes without including a pie recipe (in honor of my pie-loving wife). This is another recipe from Nan. It turns out as sort of a custard-like pie. The flavor is subtle and it lends itself well to any topping that you may be in the mood for. It is good with just some whip cream or vanilla ice cream, or you could go with some chocolate, or fruit (I made a rasberry sauce to go over it and thought it was excellent). I found that the recipe here is enough to fill 2 of the pre-made frozen pie crusts that you can buy at the store.

• 7 eggs, beaten
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 3 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup flour
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup melted butter (or margarine)
• 2 (9 in.) unbaked pie shells

Beat eggs and buttermilk together. Mix flour, sugar, and salt together; add to egg and buttermilk mixture. Blend in vanilla and butter. Mix well. Pour into pie shell. Bake at 325 degrees for at least 1 hour (I have found about 80 minutes to be right for me) until center is set.

Buttermilk Syrup

This is a delicious syrup recipe that my mother-in-law shared with me. We had it at their home on Christmas morning served with German pancakes (though I think it goes great with any kind of pancake, french toast, waffle, etc.). I have also found that it stores well in the refrigerator and still tastes great when re-heated in the microwave. For those of you who have been to Magleby's Fresh restaurant in Utah, it reminds me of the buttermilk syrup that is served there.

• 1 cube of butter
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp. light corn syrup

Place the preceding ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil for 1 minute and then remove from heat and add:

• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda

Syrup will foam up when the baking soda is added. Stir until it is mixed thoroughly. Serve immediately or syrup will lose its foamy consistency.

Buttermilk Pancakes

This recipe was given to Erin and I as part of a wedding gift from the Stevens family. We tried it and think it's very tasty. (We found that it also makes tasty waffles.)

• 1 egg
• 1 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 3 T. oil
• 1 1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 T. sugar

Beat egg, buttermilk and oil in a bowl. Mix dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Combine wet and dry ingredients for 30 seconds. The batter will look lumpy. Do not overmix. Let it sit for 5 minutes. The batter should rise and look yeasty. Be careful ladling the batter (Preserve that matrix!).

Cook batter on a hot skillet.

Old-Fashioned Buttermilk Fudge Brownies

I found this recipe in the BYU Magazine. It was contributed by Erin Renouf Mylroie. I made it for a potluck dessert party and was very pleased with the results. If you like chocolate, you'll love these!

• 3/4 cup butter
• 4 oz. good quality unsweetened chocolate (I use Baker's in the orange box)
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 T. vanilla
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 1/2 cups flour, plus 2 T. flour, divided
• 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 2 T. powdered sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large microwaveable bowl, combine butter and chocolate. Melt butter and chocolate in microwave at 50% power in 1-minute intervals, stirring in between. Do not let mixture sizzle. When mixture is completely melted and smooth, immediately stir in sugar; continue stirring until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time. Stir in vanilla and buttermilk. Add 1 1/2 cups flour.
3. Toss chocolate chips with remaining 2 tablespoons flour in a small bowl; add to batter.
4. Pour into greased 9-by-13-inch baking dish and bake for 28 to 33 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center has just a few fudgy crumbs. Let cool for 30 minutes. Dust with powdered sugar.