Red Velvet Cake And Cinnamon Swirl Bread

After watching Throwdown with Bobby Flay and his win against Cakeman Raven's intense scarily red red velvet cake, I decided to make my own, since it is a cake that I have never made before. I had never even pondered to make red velvet cake, probably since the amount of food coloring used is slightly scary (although I don't seem to have a problem using it in rainbow cupcakes). I went to foodnetwork.com and used Cakeman's cake recipe and Bobby's icing recipe. My cake was not at all as red as the Cakeman's...probably because I choose to add more cocoa and less red dye. Bobby's icing recipe may have been okay, but I had to use ingredients that I had on hand EX: sour cream instead of whipping cream. Everyone in my family did not overly enjoy the cake, and at first I was disappointed, but it appeared to age nicely since a week later I did enjoy it. Over all I will most likely not be making again, unless it is with different recipe.

Also that same week I made Cinnamon Swirl Bread, which was farrrr more successful and was gone within two days. Using my stand by recipe from the Pillsbury Baking book, I rolled cinnamon sugar into the center. So yummy.

Black Magic Cake with Orange Flavor and Blueberry-Strawberry Glaze

I found this recipe on mybakingaddiction.com and the picture was so inviting and the name so intriguing I chose to bake this delicious cake this morning. Once the cake was in the oven and half way baked, I remembered that I had forgotten the oil. Oops. But amazingly it turned out amazing. And I suppose healthier. So I will write what recipe I used, but one can go to mybakingaddiction.com for a recipe that includes oil.

Black Magic Cake

1 1/2 c sugar
1 3/4 c flour
3/4 c cocoa
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
1 c sour milk (1 tbs vinegar in a measuring cup, then fill the rest to a cup with milk and let stand 5 minutes)
1 c black coffee
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp orange extract
1/2 tsp orange zest

Pre heat oven to 350. Mix all dry ingredients together. Add in wet ones. Blend, mix will be very runny. Bake for 20-30 minutes.
Cake is thin...dense...chewy....dark....all things I enjoy in a cake. I'm not sure what the missing oil will produce. I chose to use a glaze as oppose to a frosting since a) I am out of icing sugar and b)trying to be healthy by incorporating some fruit into the cake.

Blueberry-Strawberry Glaze
1 c sugar
1 c water
2 tbs cornstarch
1 1/2 c frozen blueberries
1/2 c frozen strawberries
1/2 tsp vanilla

blend all together over stovetop for 10 min on med high until bubbly and thickening. Cool and pour onto cooled cake, if sheet cake and if a two-layer cake, place some in between layers and the rest on top so it oozes down the sides. I think that one could find a much better recipe fo glaze but this is what I found and what I used.

Day One

To get to know one another before furthering this friendship, allow me to allow you to browse some of my finer works involving the oven. This will be a messy and unorganized blog with many spelling errors and technical difficulties but I thought that it was time to share my love of baking and decorating with those who might appreciate it as I appreciate others baking blogs. The begining of an everlasting love affair started with a Woman's Day issue, back in June 2007 with a poolside themed cake featured on the cover. It was magnificant and I had never know such a wonder could be created. Since then I have been inventing my own cake themes and further stealing them from Woman's Day, Family Circle, Canadian Living and other various magazines. Another turning point in my baking life happend to be a book titled "Hello Cupcake!' which I first purchased in early 2008. It has also been a huge inspiration and I am in awe of its creators.

I hope that my blog will inspire you as those family magazies and cupcake decorating books have and that you will create your own artworks and masterpieces.

Cakes from top to bottom: cookie monster cupcakes, halloween 2009 cupcakes, watermelon cookies, raspberry citrus cheesecake, and night club night life cake.