Red Velvet Cake

Red Velvet Cake

CAKE

1/2 c butter, at room temperature

3 T cocoa powder, divided

1 1/2 c sugar

2 eggs

2 t vanilla

2 T red food coloring

1 t salt

1 t baking soda

2 1/2 c flour, sifted

1 c buttermilk*

1 T vinegar 

ERMINE FROSTING

5 T flour

1 c whole milk

1 t vanilla

pinch of salt

1 c butter, softened

1 c sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350*; grease three 9" round pans and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon cocoa powder, tapping to coat.

2. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar; whip in eggs one at a time; mix in vanilla.

3. In a separate bowl, make a paste of the remaining 2 tablespoons of cocoa and the food coloring; stir into butter mixture.

4. In a third bowl, sift together salt, baking soda, and flour.

5. Stir half of the dry mixture into the butter mixture, stir in half of the buttermilk, and stir in the remaining dry mixture. Add the vinegar to your buttermilk and then stir that into the rest of the ingredients.

6. Divide batter evenly amongst the three pans and bake for 20-25 minutes; cool completely on cooling rack.

7. Make frosting: in a small pot, whisk flour & milk and heat over medium heat until it simmers, stirring frequently until it thickens, almost like a pudding consistency.

8. Remove from heat and whisk in vanilla and salt; pour into a bowl, place a layer of plastic wrap in the surface to prevent a skin, and let cool completely.

9. Using a mixer, cream butter and sugar until fluffy, about 5 minutes; gently mix in the cooled flour mixture, adding a little bit at a time. Continue to beat until it becomes light and fluffy, like whipped cream.

Chocolate Fudge Frosting

Chocolate Fudge Frosting
1/2 c butter, cubed
1/4 c chocolate chips
3 3/4 c powdered sugar
1/2 c milk
2 t vanilla

1. In a small pan, melt butter and chocolate together over low heat; remove from heat and let cool for about 5 minutes.
2. In a large bowl, mix powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla together until smooth; gradually add chocolate mixture and whip until light and fluffy.

Whoopie Pies

Whoopie Pies
5 T butter, melted
2/3 c sugar
1/3 c brown sugar
1 c sour cream
1 t vanilla
3/4 c flour
1/4 t salt
1/4 t baking soda
7 T unsweetened cocoa

1. Preheat oven to 350* and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, combine butter and sugars; stir in sour cream and vanilla.
3. In a small bowl, combine flour, salt, baking soda, and cocoa; stir in to wet mixture.
4. Spoon batter on to cookie sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes, until tops are slightly cracked.

Filling:
4 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 c butter, softened
1/2 t vanilla
1 1/4 c powdered sugar

1. In a small bowl, whip cream cheese, butter, and vanilla together; beat in powdered sugar. Be generous on cookies to make sandwiches.

Makes 8-9 sandwiched cookies.

Cinnamon Pumpkin Spice Cake

Cinnamon Pumpkin Spice Cake
1 box French vanilla cake mix (or white or yellow)
1 T cinnamon
2 c buttercream frosting
1/2 c pumpkin puree
2 t pumpkin pie spice

1. Prepare cake mix per box instructions and add cinnamon. Bake as instructed and let cool.
2. Combine buttercream frosting, pumpkin, and pumpkin pie spice; spread evenly on cake.

Black and White Cupcakes

Black and White Cupcakes
1 1/2 c flour
1 c sugar
1 c + 2 T cocoa
1 1/2 t baking soda
1 t salt
1/2 c sour cream
3 eggs
3/4 c chocolate pudding (or about 3 Snack Packs)
1/2 c butter, melted
1 c chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350* and line two muffin tins with cupcake liners.
2. In a large bowl, mix all of the dry ingredients together until well combined; add the wet ingredients and mix well, being sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Fold in the chocolate chips.
3. Fill each cupcake liner about 3/4 full and bake for 15-18 minutes, until they pass the toothpick test.
Let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting.

White Chocolate Frosting
8 oz [light] cream cheese, softened
1/4 c butter, softened
1 t vanilla
1 c white chocolate chips, melted
2 1/3 c powdered sugar

1. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter together; add vanilla and melted chocolate; stir well.
2. Gradually add powdered sugar and whip until light and fluffy.

Buttermilk Cookies

Buttermilk Cookies
1/2 c butter, softened
1 c sugar
1 egg
1 t vanilla
2 1/2 c flour
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1/2 c buttermilk
Frosting:
3 T butter, softened
3 1/2 c powdered sugar
1/4 c milk
1 t vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 375* and grease a cookie sheet.
2. In a large bowl, combine butter and sugar; beat in egg and vanilla.
3. In a small bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, and salt; alternate adding dry mixture and buttermilk into wet mixture.
4. Drop dough on to cookie sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes.
5. To make the frosting, whip together butter, sugar, milk, and vanilla.

Texas Brownies

Texas Brownies
1 c chopped pecans
1 c butter
1/2 c chocolate chips
2 c sugar
1 1/2 c flour
1/2 c cocoa
4 eggs
1 t vanilla
3/4 t salt
1- 10.5 oz bag marshmallows

1. Preheat oven to 350*; place pecans on a cookie sheet and bake for 9 minutes. Keep the oven on.
2. In a large microwave-safe bowl, microwave butter and chocolate chips together stirring every 30 seconds until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.
3. Whisk in sugar, flour, cocoa, eggs, vanilla, and salt; pour batter in to a greased 10x15 jelly roll pan.
4. Bake for 20 minutes; top with marshmallows and bake for another 9 minutes, until marshmallows are golden brown. Meanwhile make the frosting recipe that follows.
5. Drizzle frosting over marshmallows and sprinkle with pecans.

Frosting
1/2 c butter
1/3 c cocoa
1/3 c milk
2 c powdered sugar, sifted
1 t vanilla

1. In a medium pan, heat butter, cocoa, and milk over medium heat until butter is melted; stir constantly for another 2 minutes until it starts to thicken up.
2. Remove from heat and whisk in powdered sugar and vanilla.

Carrot Cake

Carrot Cake
2 c flour
2 c sugar
2 t baking soda
1 T cinnamon
1/2 t allspice
1/2 t ginger
1 t salt
4 eggs
1 c vegetable oil
1/2 c milk
3 c grated carrots (about 6-8 carrots)
1 1/2 c chopped pecans (opt)
Frosting:
2- 8 oz pkgs [light] cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 c butter, room temperature
4 c powdered sugar
2 t vanilla
1/2 c chopped pecans (opt)

1. Preheat oven to 350*; grease and flour 3- 9" round pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, ginger, and salt; add eggs, oil, and milk.
3. Use a hand mixer to blend everything well; fold in carrots and pecans.
4. Pour into pans and bake for 40 minutes; let cool for 5 minutes, remove from pans, and place on waxed paper to cool completely.

5. For the frosting, add everything except the nuts into a medium bowl and beat with a hand mixer until fluffy; fold in pecans.

6. Layer the cakes with frosting in between each and then cover the outside with frosting as well.

Buttercream Frosting

Buttercream Frosting
1 c butter, softened
3 c powdered sugar
1 t vanilla
up to 4 T whipping cream

1. In a medium bowl with beaters or Kitchenaid mixer, cream together butter and sugar; with the mixer running, add vanilla and enough cream for desired consistency.

Witches' Hats

Witches' Hats
2 pkg Keebler Fudge Stripe cookies
1 pkg Hershey's Kisses
orange frosting

1. Place cookies upside down; pipe frosting around the hole in the middle of each cookie.
2. Center kisses in the middle of the cookie; let sit to firm up frosting before serving.

I used Hershey's Hugs for these hats.

Gingerbread Cookies

Gingerbread Cookies
6 T butter, softened
3/4 c packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 c molasses
2 t vanilla
3 c flour
1 T ground ginger
3/4 t baking soda
1 1/2 t baking powder
2 t cinnamon
1/4 t salt
1/4 t allspice

Icing (opt):
1 c powdered sugar, sifted
1-2 T milk
food coloring, opt

1. Cream butter, sugar, and egg with an electric mixer on low; add molasses and vanilla and mix until combined.

2. Sift together flour, ginger, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and allspice. Fold dry ingredients in to butter mixture and mix on low until just combined.

3. Remove the dough from the bowl, halve it, and wrap it in plastic wrap; place in fridge for an hour.

4. Preheat oven to 350*; line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
5. Let the dough sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes until pliable. At this point you can either roll out the dough and cut it out with cookie cutters or roll in to balls, roll those in sugar, and press down with a fork (like peanut butter cookies) before baking.
6. Bake for 10 minutes, until edges just begin to brown; transfer to wire racks to cool.
7. To make the icing, combine the powdered sugar and milk. Divide the mixture into different bowls and dye as desired.

Coconut Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Coconut Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

1 1/2 c (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

2 c sugar

5 eggs at room temperature

1 1/2 t vanilla extract

1 1/2 t almond extract

3 c flour

1 t baking powder

1/2 t baking soda

1/2 t salt

1 c buttermilk*

1- 14 oz bag sweetened, shredded coconut, separated

*You can substitute 1 Tablespoon vinegar in 1 cup milk

1. Preheat oven to 325*.

2. Cream butter and sugar with a mixer on high until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes, scraping down the sides every once in a while.

3. With the mixer on low, add the eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each one; add extracts and mix well.

4. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

5. Alternate adding 1/3 of the dry ingredients and 1/2 of the buttermilk to the batter until both are incorporated; mix until just combined and then fold in about 3/4 of the coconut.

6. Line a muffin pan with paper liners; fill each liner about 2/3 full with batter.

7. Bake for 25-35 minutes until the tops are brown and they pass the toothpick test; allow to cool for 15 minutes before transferring to a baking rack to cool completely.
Makes about 3 1/2 dozen cupcakes.

Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz [reduced-fat] cream cheese, softened

1/2 c sugar

1 t vanilla extract

1/2 t almond extract

2 c heavy whipping cream

1. Cream the cream cheese, sugar, and extracts in a large mixing bowl with mixer on medium speed until smooth.

2. While the mixture is still mixing, slowly pour in the heavy whipping cream; make sure that you get it all incorporated by scraping down the bowl every so often.

3. Continue whipping until the frosting can hold a stiff peak.

4. Frost cupcakes and sprinkle with remaining coconut.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Cream Cheese Frosting
1 block cream cheese, softened
1 stick butter, softened
2 c powdered sugar
1 t vanilla

1. Cream together cream cheese and butter, slowly add powdered sugar, and then stir in vanilla.

This will make enough frosting for a 9x13 cake or about 18 cupcakes.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Cream Cheese Frosting

16 oz cream cheese

3/4 c butter

1 3/4 c powdered sugar

2 t vanilla

1. Blend all ingredients. Done.