Red Velvet Pancakes

The prettiest pancake you’ve ever seen…right? Yes, sarcasm. 

From the first time he heard the words, my boyfriend Andrew was obsessed with trying Red Velvet Pancakes. Anytime we went out to brunch he’d search the menu for the elusive flapjacks. When it wasn’t on the menu, he’d make it a point to ask the server, in an act of total desperation, if the restaurant had them anyway. Usually his question was met with an overall confused glare or that squinty-eyed face people make when they’re trying to understand what you’re saying.

I don’t know. The idea was just not that appealing to me. I love red velvets…but before lunch!?

Well, I gave in and agreed to test them out. We used a recipe from  allrecipes.com because it seemed like the easiest one…and I wasn’t feeling that enthused to begin with…and it was too early to think too hard.

The pancakes were certainly good-looking but they didn’t do anything for me just as I expected. And no, I didn’t put any of the crazy cream cheese icing on top because this is BREAKFAST, people and I just can’t do that! The picture would have turned out a lot better had I put a dollop or so on, though.

Everyone else I know loves them so the cheese might stand alone here. What else is new?

Red Velvet Cupcakes

One thing I can actually make reasonably well is a good red velvet cupcake. The recipe I use is from America’s favorite diabetic, Paula Deen. These treats always turn out perfectly moist and just sweet enough for my taste. While I’m aware there’s tons of Paula haters out there, her red velvet recipe is well worth a shot…ya’ll (sorry too much? I can’t seem to resist a good ‘ya’ll’ when speaking of the great butter goddess…) Happy baking!

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
• 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 tablespoons red food coloring
• 1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line muffin pans with 24 cupcake liners. In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking soda, salt and cocoa powder. In a stand mixer, beat together the wet ingredients: oil, buttermilk, and vanilla. Add the eggs 1 at a time and then the red food dye. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until it is smooth and combined.

Divide the batter evenly and fill the liners about 2/3 of the way. Bake in the oven for 20-22 minutes and turn the pans around half way through baking. Use a toothpick to check for doneness. Let cool completely and then add the frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 1 pound cream cheese, softened
• 2 sticks butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar

In a stand mixer, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla together until smooth. Add the sugar while beating at low speed until it is incorporated. Increase the speed and mix until light and fluffy.

Cake Pops

With my first post, I think this is as good a place to start as any. My name is Lauren, and I am a wannabe chef/baker and as you will learn, growing into the cook I want to be has been challenging. If the first step in this process is admitting my talents are limited, then look no further than the picture posted here: the cake pop cemetery. I recently made a second batch of cake pops and they turned out a thousand times better but of course, I chose not to document my masterpieces and photograph only my horrific failure

With this first attempt, I did EVERYTHING wrong.

1. The cake did not bake properly. I’m blaming that one on the oven. And maybe the cake mix. I used Duncan Hines red velvet cake mix. I know, I knowwww.

2. I put way too much cream cheese icing in the mix. So much so that I couldn’t even form the cake into balls!

3. I should have never used chocolate. I used candy melt the second time around and found it worked way better. (It’s also harder to over-cook the candy melt like I did the chocolate bark.)

You can find the recipe for cake pops all over the internet. I kinda just did my own thing and hoped it would work out. Obviously it did not. I am planning on taking a crack at this for a third time soon and will attempt some pretty designs or something. I will definitely document this one so let’s hope they are not a complete embarrassment.