This year we’re taking you for the first time on a Recipe Bundle for St. Valentine’s. The whole February will be a 02 / 2020! We have picked 5 Recipes from the web: including a Classic Red Velvet Cake, to Jar Cakes, Mini-Cakes and more. . .
We’re starting by the Most Classical Red Velvet Cake of all, posted on the New York Times years ago. We’ll get you into a Red Velvet Cheesecake, Red Velvet Pots that can’t be missing on the list; Red Velvet Cakes in a Jar! and Red Velvet Mini-Cakes
Get ready for the red and more red if is not mentioned already 1000 times here, let’s bring up that Valentine’s spirit!
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Classic Red Velvet Cake
Ingredients
½ cup/115 grams butter, at room temperature, plus 2 tablespoons to prepare pans
3 tablespoons/20 grams cocoa powder, divided
1 ½ cups/300 grams granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons/10 milliliters vanilla extract
2 tablespoons/30 milliliters red food coloring
1 teaspoon/6 grams salt
1 teaspoon/5 grams baking soda
2 ½ cups/320 grams flour, sifted
1 cup/240 milliliters whole buttermilk
1 tablespoon/15 milliliters vinegar
For the Icing:
5 tablespoons/40 grams flour
1 cup/235 milliliters whole milk
1 teaspoon/5 milliliters vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
1 cup/ 230 grams unsalted butter, softened
1 cup/200 grams granulated sugar
Procedure
-Heat oven to 350 degrees.
-Prepare three 9-inch cake pans by buttering lightly and sprinkling with 1 tablespoon sifted cocoa powder, tapping pans to coat and discarding extra cocoa. (This recipe can also be made in 2 9-inch cake pans.)
-Cream butter and sugar together. Add eggs one at a time and beat vigorously until each is incorporated. Mix in vanilla.
-In a separate bowl, make a paste of the remaining 2 tablespoons cocoa and the food coloring. Blend into butter mixture.
-Sift together remaining dry ingredients. Alternating in 2 batches each, add dry ingredients and buttermilk to the butter mixture. In the last batch of buttermilk, mix in the vinegar before adding to the batter. Mix until blended.
-Divide batter among 3 pans and bake for about 20 to 25 minutes. Cool on a rack completely.
-To assemble, remove 1 cake from its pan and place flat side down on a serving platter. Drop about 1 cup of icing onto cake and, using a flat spatula, spread evenly over top. Remove the second cake from its pan. Place flat side down on top of first layer. Use remaining frosting to cover top and sides of cake.
Let’s take on #2
Red Velvet Cheesecake
Ingredients
1 pound milk chocolate, chopped
½ cup butter
1 9 ounce package chocolate wafer cookies (40 to 45 cookies)
1 cup semisweet chocolate pieces
1 cup slivered almonds
½ cup packed brown sugar
½ cup butter, melted
4 8 ounces packages cream cheese, softened
1 8 ounce carton dairy sour cream
⅓ cup granulated sugar
⅓ cup buttermilk
1 1 ounce bottle red food coloring (2 Tbsp.)
4 eggs
2 egg yolks
Chocolate leaves (optional)
Powdered sugar (optional)
Unsweetened cocoa powder (optional)
Fresh raspberries and/or small whole strawberries (optional)
Procedure
-In a medium saucepan, melt chocolate and 1/2 cup butter over low heat; transfer to a bowl and cool completely
-Place wafer cookies, chocolate pieces, almonds and brown sugar in a large food processor. Cover and process until finely ground
-Add the 1/2 cup melted butter; cover and process until well combined
-Transfer crumbs to a 10×3-inch springform pan with a removable bottom
-Press crumbs onto bottom and up the sides of the pan, leaving a 1/2-inch space at the top of the pan. Set aside.
-In a very large mixing bowl, beat the cooled chocolate mixture, cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, buttermilk and red food coloring with an electric mixer on medium to high speed until combined
-Add 4 eggs and 2 egg yolks all at once. Beat on low speed just until combined
Pour filling into crumb-crust lined springform pan. Place springform pan in a shallow baking pan on the oven rack. Bake in a 350 degree F oven about 1 hour, or until 2 inches of outside edge appear set when shaken gently
Remove springform pan from baking pan. Cool cheesecake in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Use a small metal spatula to loosen cheesecake from sides of pan. Cool 30 minutes more.
Remove sides of pan. Cool for 1 hour; cover and chill at least 4 hours
To serve, use a paper doily to decoratively sift powdered sugar and cocoa powder on the top, if you like.
Garnish the center with chocolate leaves and fresh raspberries, if you like.
*Clean knife between each cut.
#3
Red Velvet Pots
Ingredients
¼ cup low-fat milk
½ teaspoon white vinegar
6 tablespoons flour
¼ cup sugar
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
¼ teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ teaspoon red natural food coloring
Powdered sugar, for serving
Procedure
In a small cup, combine milk and white vinegar; set aside
In a small bowl, combine flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt
In a separate small bowl combine the vegetable oil, egg, vanilla, and food coloring. Add the oil mixture and the milk mixture to the flour mixture. Stir until well-combined
Divide batter into two mugs, being sure to keep from filling either past the half-way mark
Microwave each mug individually for 1 1/2 minutes. When done, the cake should be firm and springy, not doughy. If it isn’t done, microwave in 15-second intervals up to 2 1/2 minutes total, checking after each 15-second interval
Allow to cool for 3 minutes while you make a heart stencil
To make the stencil: Cut a circle of parchment paper that will fit inside the rim of the mug and cover the surface of the cake.
Cut a heart out of the center of the circle. Place stencil on the cake and shake on a powdered sugar heart.
#4
Red Velvet Cake in a Jar
Ingredients
For the Cake
1 1/4 Cups all-purpose flour
3/4 Cups granulated sugar (3/4 cup)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 Cup vegetable oil
3/4 Cup buttermilk
1 egg
1 tbsp red gel food coloring
1/2 tsp white vinegar
1 tsp vanilla extract
For the Strawberry Rose Cream
1 1/2 cups freeze-dried strawberries
24 oz full fat cream cheese at room temperature
4 oz unsalted butter at room temperature
1 Cup powdered sugar
1 tsp rose water (optional)
Pinch salt
Procedure
Preheat the oven to 350 F.
Line an 11×17-inch rimmed baking sheet with foil, extending up and over the sides of the sheet. Spray the foil with nonstick cooking spray
In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder
In the bowl of a large stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the vegetable oil, buttermilk, egg, red gel food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla extract. Mix on medium-low speed until well-combined
Add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until combined. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the pan with a spatula, then mix on medium speed until the cake batter is smooth and all the lumps of flour have disappeared
Pour the cake batter into the sheet pan and spread it into an even layer. (It will be a very thin layer of cake.)
Bake the cake at 350 F for 10 minutes, until it pulls away from the sides and springs back when lightly pressed with your fingertips.
Cool completely before using. The cake can be baked several days in advance. If making in advance, wrap the cooled cake in cling wrap and freeze until ready to use.
Don’t need to defrost the cake before assembling the jars
The Frosting
Place the freeze-dried strawberries in the bowl of a food processor and process until they are ground into a powder
Combine the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat them together on medium speed until light and fluffy and free of lumps
Add the powdered sugar, strawberry powder, rose water, and salt to the bowl, and beat on low speed until combined. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl, then beat on medium speed until light and fluffy.
Taste the frosting, and add additional sugar to taste. If the frosting seems too stiff, add a spoonful of milk or cream until it reaches your desired texture
The frosting can be made in advance and kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. When you’re ready to use it, let it sit at room temperature for at least 20 minutes before piping it into the jars. You can also re-whip it in the mixer to loosen it up a bit if it is too stiff to pipe after being refrigerated
Assemble the Jars
Fit a piping bag with a large star tip, and fill the bag with some cream cheese frosting. Use a circle cookie cutter the same size as your jars, and cut circles out of the cake
Place a circle of cake in the bottom of a jar, and top it with a swirl of frosting. Keep layering cake and frosting until you reach the top of the jar
Once you put the lid on the jar, you can decorate them with ribbons, stickers, gift tags, or anything else you can dream up! Continue until all of the jars are assembled.
*Red Velvet Cake in a Jar can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week, and for the best taste and texture, can be brought to room temperature for about 20 minutes before serving.
#5
Mini Red Velvets
Ingredients
4 eggs
3/4 cup superfine sugar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 tablespoons buttermilk
1 teaspoon vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons red food coloring
3/4 cup cake flour, sifted
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Procedure
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a jelly roll pan with shortening. Line the pan with parchment paper and grease the paper also
Place the eggs in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and with a timer set, beat for 5 minutes
Slowly add the sugar and oil. Beat well. Add the buttermilk, vinegar, vanilla, and red food coloring. Switch to the paddle attachment
Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt, and slowly add to the liquid ingredients. Beat for 2 minutes, until well combined. The batter will be very thin
Pour the batter into the prepared jelly roll pan and bake for 12 to 15 minutes. When done, the cake should spring back when touched in the center
Allow cake to cool in the pan. Use a 3” round cookie cutter or pastry ring to cut 12 circles from the red velvet sponge
For the Filling
2 cups heavy whipping cream
4 oz. cream cheese softened
1/3 cup granulated sugar
Place cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and whip until fluffy.
Pour in heavy whipping cream and beat on medium high speed. Gradually add sugar with the mixture running, until stiff peaks are formed.
Scrape down bowl with a rubber spatula and mix again, making sure mixture is completely incorporated
To assembly
6 gold chocolate buttons or other metallic dragees
6 squares of quality chocolate such as Godiva, Vosages or Lindor/Lindt
Piping bag fitted with large star decorator tip, or a zip-top bag with the corner snipped
6 pastry rings (optional)
Place pastry rings on a large baking sheet, if using. Place one round of cake at the bottom of the rings and spoon in 1/4 cup whipped filling. Top with second cake round
Alternatively you may use a piping bag and decorator tip to pipe about 1/4 cup of filling on one cake round, and then sandwich with a second. Cover cakes and refrigerate for 2 hours
Transfer remaining filling into a piping bag fitted with star tip
Gently press the cakes out of the mold. Pipe a decorative swirl on the top cake and garnish with gold button or dragee and chocolate square.
Enjoy!
Whatever option you pick, wish you a Happy St Valentine’s Baking
*images taken from NYT Cooking; Sugarhero, Midwest Living and Unsplash
