Red Velvet

I've been skeptical about Red Velvet. It is so trendy to 'like' Red Velvet. Seriously, what's the big deal? Maybe it's because I haven't had any that knocked my socks off. And as I've mentioned before I ate a ton of it from various bakeries in Chicago a couple of weeks ago. None of which blew me away.

There are a few birthdays coming up that I'm going to be baking for and I've offered Red Velvet as a flavor choice. This afternoon was my first attempt and what a MESS! A "hot mess" if you will...

Lessons learned:

1) Maybe wear gloves while making red velvet? The red gets everywhere and it dyes your hands.
2) Mini cupcakes are a mess to scoop. I need to find the right sized scoop for these smaller cups.

3) Everyone likes a mini cupcake. They are 'cute' and you don't feel as guilty eating them.
4) I like the idea of a mini cupcake. It's like a dessert amouse-bouche (a single bite sized appetizer type thing. oh yeah, whipping out my french culinary terms).
I also tried out a new cream cheese frosting recipe. I knew I was wanting a thicker one, since I found this a.m. that the previous attempt was more of a glaze not a frosting. I wish I took a picture of this whipping up because it was perfect. Serious cream cheese frosting perfection. It piped out so well on the mini cupcakes and spread perfectly on the big ones too.



Huge smile on my face as I decorated these. I was calling and texting anyone in the vicinity- "come quick, just frosted some red velvets and they look good!"
#1 ate one and per usual, he bit the top off and gave me the muffin 'stump'. oh dear...


And after all were picked up/delivered I got this glorious text message:
"OMG sandy- sooooo good!!! I luv having a baker bff!!! :)"

I'm going to bed happy....

Morning Baking

We got pummeled with snow the last night! Roads were too scary to make the drive in to work so I'm working from home today. And since I was up at my normal pre-dawn time, I decided a sweet morning treat was in order.... Cinnamon Rolls from scratch w/ some cream cheese icing (I had to use up that left over cream cheese frosting/icing from the spice cupcakes anyhow).
I've never had much of an inclination to bake bread. I think I got a bread maker as a gag gift once (a la Old School), and it has since been re-gifted... The whole yeast thing and waiting for it to rise and proof and OMG that's just way too much waiting and seeing.
I set to work with the packet of yeast, flour, (and HOT water) etc etc and began kneading. My arms have been getting a workout lately- the beating, kneading, rolling, frosting- seriously, baking is a workout...


OK, so I had the dough in a ball... then had to let it 'rest'... and I got breakfast going for #1 and started doing work email (oh the juggling working mom's must do!) which got me thinking, maybe I LIKE making bread, it allows you to do OTHER things and not babysit the ingredients!!

The timer went off and I proceed to roll it out, and add a TON of butter, sugar and cinnamon before I rolled up the dough and cut into slices... To let it rest again in a warm place... Warm place, warm place...hm... OH! the first floor bathroom! there is a heating vent under the sink that dumps hot air on my feet every a.m. when I'm getting ready for work. It serves zero purpose besides to warm my feet up because the rest of the bathroom is freezing. It now has a second purpose. Anyhow, the dough rested, I read #1 a book, talked to my boss and then popped them in the oven.

I forgot to take a picture of them before I iced them- I got too excited. They actually looked pretty, smelled good and they ROSE. holy cow I can make dough rise and not have an I Love Lucy moment where the dough comes spewing out of the oven!

The icing melted so nicely- I now know that this specific icing is PERFECT for cinnamon rolls, not so much to frost a cake or cupcake. ****LESSON LEARNED!****

They were too good not to share, so they found their way to various work places today. Although, they tasted best steaming hot right out of the oven with the icing melting into the buttery sugary cinnamon goodness. Don't think about it now if you ate one yesterday, but I added some extra butter, sugar and cinnamon on top before I popped them in the oven ;)

ooops! Two More

Here is the cake, I forgot to add it to the last post.
And, a better picture of the cupcakes...
















YUM!

Adventures in Cream Cheese

In Chicago I tried a bunch of different cream cheese frostings... I don't like a frosting that's too cheese-y. So, I compared a few different recipes I found and came up with my own. Unfortunately, it didn't whip up as nicely as I had hoped- it was runnier than I like my frosting.
Any ideas? Tips? What can I do to make the frosting thicker without adding too much cream cheese?
Well, these came into work with me today. I'm thankful I have some willing taste-testers here- and seemingly everyone has fallen off the new years resolution diet bandwagon. They were gone in minutes

Marathon Baking....

Marathon baking session tonight! Literally the oven was running for hours and the house smelled amazing. In preparation for this weeks birthdays I had to get going quick. Double chocolate fudge, yellow, spice and 'funfetti' cakes were on the menu. Personally I thought the spice cupcakes turned out the best. Those are just a means to an end though- I want to try my hand at cream cheese frosting... We'll see how that goes tomorrow. I'm exhausted but I love going to bed smelling like I was in a bakery all day- the sweet warm scent of cake just sticks to you! wonderful side effect...

My little seed

Chocolate Chip Cookies.....

Hands down, my favorite thing to make. Mostly because I think they are delicious and it took me forever to come up with the recipe... with my 'secret' ingredient.

Last year, I think I made them at least every other week... I fell in love with them more because I knew other people were enjoying them immensely. Or so they said! :)

These chocolate chip cookies are ultimately the seed of my dream. Maybe that could be the next tattoo... speaking of which I haven't heard back from J.D.....

little lovely

Isn't she pretty? Bundt cakes are always gorgeous to me and I glazed this one in chocolate frosting. I wish I could say it was something special and fancy- but I don't do special or fancy... YET! Seriously, cake from a mix and I melted chocolate store frosting in the microwave until it got liquidy and then poured over the mini-cake.

HOLY....

Mountain, Sandy. Sandy, Mountain....

I had NO idea how labor intensive this was going to get. Let's just say I put the cart in front of the hourse on this one. Lessons learned:

1) bake ALL cakes well in advance of actually using them to decorate

2) make your OWN buttercream and make MORE than you anticipate using

3) red is nearly unattainable without actual red food dye.

4) food coloring/dye is a mess

5) gumpaste and fondant should NOT be used interchangeably

6) a cake turntable is essential in cake decorating.

7) mise en place is HUGE. ... HUGE.

and number 8...

8) I need a TON of practice. a TON.

thankfully, I signed up for some practice in a few weeks at an old college haunt.

in the mean time, my hands are all shades of green, blue and red. My back is seriously aching, my kitchen is a MESS and I'm sure I have powdered sugar all over my face and hair. I'm refusing to look in the mirror.

But I know I would see this- a GIANT smile on my face. Today was awesome....

Inspiration

I had the pleasure of eating my way through Chicago's cupcake shops... I only hit up four of them, and seriouly each was better than the one prior. So I won't say which order I went in- but the red velvet was from The Cupcake Counter, The "Happy" ones are from Swirlz and the chocolate lovelies are from Molly's. I also took a picture of their sign out front because it was perfect, as is their website: www.mollyscupcakes.com

Now to bake some of my own goodness

BLISS

Where to begin! I made my visits this week/weekend.
You know how you can walk in somewhere and feel home immediately? I had that happen this weekend.
I went to Chicago to check out the last stop. Perhaps I saved it for last because I knew in my heart I would love it and didn't want to be biased. I don't want to call it out yet... I don't want to jinx myself and anyhow, there are about 12 things I need to do and have to make work in order for this next part of my dream to become a reality.

Either way, I walked in and felt like a recruited athlete. They rolled out the red carpet for me and I was in awe, humbled and so inspired. Surrounded by people who were just as excited about flour, butter and sugar as me- it was a sugar high for sure.

AND! and... I FINALLY had dinner at Frontera Grill. yup! it lived up to my every expectation and then some. had some fiiiiine tequila as well. was a good, good night.

lots and lots to think about and discuss. ahhhhh! seriously, I'm so giddy and inspired.
Which is good timing because I have to start PRACTICING for #1's upcoming b-day cake.
Can anyone say "Yoooooooooooooooooooo Gabba Gabba!!!"
I'll post my results later