RED CUPCAKES, WHITE FROSTING, & BLUE RIBBON MEMORIES

It's a southern tradition, no matter which part of the South you are from.  Red Velvet cake is a staple at family reunions, dinner-on-the-grounds, and in true southern restaurants.  Most anyone you ask has a fond memory of "the best piece of Red Velvet cake I ever ate...".

In my cupcake adventures, Red Velvet cupcakes have come up again and again as the favorite flavor of many people.  Knowing my need for a good recipe, my friend Pam offered to get the recipe from another friend of hers that makes "the best" Red Velvet cake.  She came through!  (Thanks, Pammy.)

My first attempt at the recipe was for a very busy weekend.  The weekend after the 4th of July was one filled with many parties and celebrations.  I needed to make enough cupcakes for two events on the same day: April and Robin's Going Away and the Tally Hills 4th of July Celebration.

On Thursday evening, I made three batches of the recipe, or six dozen, and mixed up the frosting and finished them on Friday.  It was a fun recipe to make.  In addition to the thrill of trying something new, it allowed me to immerse myself in my favorite color (red, of course) and practice chemistry.  (The buttermilk and baking soda part is just cool!)

The recipe calls for a FULL bottle of red food coloring.  It makes a beautiful red cake!  Perfect, perfect color.


Fresh out of the oven without the milk mixture.

 While the cupcakes baked, I cooked up the milk mixture.  The milk mixture is a simple glaze, but it makes a big difference in the flavor and moistness.

 
When adding the milk mixture, be patient.  Leave the cupcakes in the pan, poke LOTS of little holes in the top and start filling.  Using a teaspoon, I added about one to two spoonfuls at a time.  In all, I added 1 - 2 tablespoons per cupcake.  There was extra milk mixture left over.


The cupcakes AFTER adding the milk mixture.

Baking the cupcakes was the easy part.  Making it through the weekend and all the festivities would be the tiring part.

 

Saying Goodbye

As I've said before, I enjoy baking cupcakes for special events.  Even for not so happy occasions.  Cupcakes seem to make everything better.  April and Robin were moving to Texas and a party was planned to celebrate their new adventure.  Tina was the hostess and our house was the venue. 

Friends and co-workers showed up at Noon.  Pops made some awesome pork, Steve and Pops grilled burgers, April brought her famous potato salad (Yum!!!), and we feasted and enjoyed each others company.  If there is anything this group is good at, it's party planning and execution.  There is never a shortage of food and fun.  I think we could make a good time out of a bag of chips and a can of peanuts.  It's about being together.

The cupcakes were lovely.  April really enjoyed them, which was my primary goal.  They are her favorite.  I sent many home with her and others.  I hope they also take happy memories with them.  April and Robin only came into our lives a few years ago, but they have already found a permanent place in our hearts.  We all will miss them.

Celebration of Freedom

Later that same afternoon, we packed up our picnic gear and headed just a few miles down the road to Tally Hills.  The annual Tally Hills 4th of July Celebration is a gathering of the residents of the subdivision and their family and friends.  We've been going since Kennedy was just a few days old.

The annual event has changed over the years.  It started as a small gathering next to the lake and has evolved into a real festival!  The lawn mower race and the lawn mower parade have been augmented over the years with horseback rides, over-the-top fireworks, and a tastiest treat contest.  I entered the contest last year with a homemade pie, but was thwarted by Larry and his awesome apple pie goodness. 

This year, I entered with my Red Velvet Cupcakes.  They were pretty, patriotic, and pretty tasty.  Perhaps I had a chance...

Competition was fierce.  There was baklava, Tina's chocolate pie (oh so good and cupcake-mimic worthy), and chocolate dipped, red white and blue strawberries.  The judges deliberated and tasted the many entries and came back with the verdict.  My cupcakes WON!  My first cupcake prize!  I'm was so excited! 

I am the custodian of the awesome hand-crafted award for the next year.  It is proudly displayed in my kitchen and serves as inspiration to create more tasty treats.

 
The cupcakes were enjoyed by adults and kids alike...

All forms of creatures had a great time!  Thanks to the hosts and families of Tally Hill for allowing friends and strangers to gather and celebrate our many blessings in this beautiful country of ours.

No matter what may be around the next bend in the road on your life's journey, make room in your suitcase to carry the memories of those you've encountered along the way.  We may be far apart physically, but emotional connections know no bounds.

Angie

Now for the recipe...

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Ingredients:

For the cupcake batter:

·         2 c. all purpose flour

·         1 tsp. baking powder

·         1 tsp. salt

·         1 tsp. cocoa powder

·         3/4 c. vegetable oil

·         1 & 1/2 c. sugar

·         2 eggs

·         1 c. buttermilk

·         1 tsp. baking soda

·         1 oz. red food coloring

·         1 tsp. distilled white vinegar

·         1 tsp. vanilla extract

Milk mixture to pour over the cupcakes:

·         1/2 c. milk

·         1/4 c. sugar

Directions:

For the cupcake batter:

·         Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 

·         Line two cupcake pans with paper liners (24 total).

·         Sift together flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt in large bowl.

·         In the large mixing bowl of a stand mixer, cream oil and sugar.  Add eggs one at a time until incorporated.

·         In a small bowl or cup, mix buttermilk and baking soda together with a fork.  Mixture will rise.

·         Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk mixture to the creamed sugar.

·         Add food coloring, vinegar and vanilla to the mixture

·         Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full with the cupcake batter.

·         Bake for 20-25 mins. or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean.

·        Remove cupcakes from the oven.  Leave cupcakes in the pan and poke hols in the tops with a wooden toothpick or skewer.  Immediately spook 1 - 2 tbsp. of milk mixture over each cupcake.  (I recommend SLOWLY adding 1 - 2 tsp. at a time to each and repeat.  I had extra milk mixture left.)

·        Let cupcakes cool in pans.  (The milk mixture makes the cupcakes wet on the bottom.)

·        Top with Cream Cheese Frosting (see Let the Adventure Begin post).

Milk mixture to pour over the cupcakes:

·         Mix milk and sugar in saucepan.

·         Boil until frothy.

Makes 24 cupcakes.

FAMILY TRADITIONS

Nothing goes better with a summer cookout than a good cupcake! The Robertson Pool Party ("RPP" as Mickey coined it) was held on the last Saturday of our trip to Maryland this year. Like last year, there were many of Phillip's family that came from all around the State of Maryland, but this year there were a few new faces including a couple of Phillip's old high school buddies, David and Ryan. There was a great turn out despite the freak storm the night before that knocked down so many trees and knocked out so much power in the Northeast. The trip was a bit longer for some, having to take alternate routes, but no one had to cancel and everyone was able to enjoy the sun, the food, the drinks, and of course the crabs. It wouldn't be a Maryland party without the crabs!

From the time we started planning our trip to Maryland, we knew there would be another RPP and that I would make cupcakes. The struggle was what kind. I quickly decided on the Turtle Cupcakes, in honor of the Maryland Terrapins. I had made a Turtle Cupcake for the FSU vs. Maryland game last Fall. It was amazing. Chocolate on chocolate with chocolate on top. Oh and caramel and nuts, too. Decadent goodness. The Maryland family would love them.

But I wasn't settled on just one flavor. I knew I wanted a second flavor, but the other took longer to come to me.

The closer it got to trip time, the more summer-like the weather became, and the more talk there was of the 4th of July. Apple pie and the 4th of July go hand-in-hand, so of course an Apple Pie Cupcake would be EVEN better.

I searched and searched for the right recipe. To me, apple pie is quintessentially cinnamon and apples. There must be an apple filling, that was a given. Nice tender chunks of spiced apples, CHECK!

I searched and found a recipe for a cinnamon cupcake that looked like it would be a wonderful base for the apple filling. Cinnamon, CHECK!

The last piece of the pie (no pun intended) was missing. What would go on top? I found some with crumb toppings and some with whipped cream as the topping. Nothing was getting my attention. Until I saw one topped with caramel! That was it. The rich sweet flavor would be a perfect complement to the cinnamon and apples. I decided to go with a Caramel Buttercream Frosting with caramel drizzled on top.

I packed up my iPad (with the recipies) and my new travel cupcake kit (loaded with piping bags, tips, papers, untensils, and apron) and was ready for the trip to Maryland.

On Friday before the RPP, we all spent most of the day cleaning, preparing food, and grocery shopping for the next day. I baked the cupcakes that afternoon, but decided to frost them the next morning. Mickey's fridge just would not hold that many cupcakes.

Good thing I did, because the power went out during the night due to the storm. The frosting sitting out in that heat would have been melted by party time.

Saturday morning was a bit hurried, though. Sleep was stilted with the storm and power issues, so I was not out of bed as early as I wanted. I managed to finish the cupcakes while everyone else was picking up debris and removing most evidence of the storm before the guests arrived.

More about each cupcake...

Turtle Cupcakes

I used a boxed Turtle brownie mix for the bottom. Always go for the one with the Box Top! I even have Mickey collecting them. I mixed it up and filled the bottoms of the cupcake papers. You cannot be generous with this exercise. The boxed brownie mix does not make much. (It's actually best if you make two boxes. I found that these cupcakes did not fill as full as my first try during football season.)

I tried a new chocolate cake recipe. It calls for boiling water to make the cake extra moist. Instead of the normal scooper I use to fill the cakes, for these I had to use a measuring cup with a spout. Very liquidy.

What makes the cupcake extra special is the surprise in the center. I have historically put the Turtle brand candy in the center, but the Safeway we went to did not have them. So we improvised with a Dove Caramel. About 6 minutes into baking, I inserted one of the candies into the center of the baking cupcake.

The finished product was beautiful.

Apple Pie Cupcakes

This cupcake recpie is not a "dump and mix" kind of recipe. It takes patience to get the ribboning of the egg and sugar mixture, but it's well worth it. They tasted like a cinnamon coffee cake. Dense and moist. I'll make these again for another cupcake. It's a good base for a lot of combinations of fillings and frostings.

As the cupcakes were baking, I chopped and cooked the apples. The three medium sized apples were a perfect amount. The tartness of the Granny Smith, the sweetness of the sugar, and the spice of the cinnamon were a perfect combination. Just like a pie filling.

On Saturday morning, the cold filling and the cooled cupcakes came together. The tool I use made the perfect circle in the center about 3/4 to 1 inch deep. Just enough for the little cakes.

With their caramel frosting and caramel drizzle they were ready for the party.

We had a great time at the party! The Robertson clan is a great bunch of people. They work hard and they play hard. I'm so blessed to be a part of the family. I don't know if I will ever adopt the crab eating thing though. :)

Thanks Mickey and Lloyd for having us for the week. Thanks Allison and Aaron for letting Mack come and spend time in Mount Airy. Thanks to all who took time out of their recovery efforts and of their weekend to spend some time enjoying each other's company.

Angie

Now for the recipes...

Turtle Cupcakes

Ingredients:

For brownie bottoms:

· 1 box brownie mix

· Other ingredients as indicated on the mix

For chocolate cake:

· 2 c. sugar

· 1 & 3/4 c. all purpose flour

· 1 & 1/2 tsp. baking powder

· 1 tsp. salt

· 1 c. milk

· 2 tsp. vanilla extract

· 3/4 c. cocoa powder

· 1 & 1/2 tsp. baking soda

· 2 eggs

· 1/2 c. vegetable oil

· 1 c. boiling water

Directions:

· Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

· Line two cupcake pans with paper liners (24 total).

For the brownie bottoms:

· Mix brownie batter in accordance with direction on mix.

· Fill the prepared cupcake liners 1/3 full. Batter does not go far, so do not be too generous in filling the cups.

For the chocolate cake:

· In a large mixing bowl, sift together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in large bowl.

· Add eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.

· Stir in boiling water. Batter will be thin.

· Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full with the cupcake batter. (You may have extra batter.)

· Bake for 5 - 6 minutes and insert Turtle candy (or other similar caramel candy).
· Continue to bake for 10-12 mins. or until a toothpick inserted comes out partially clean.  (Cupcake will not be firm due to the brownie bottom.)

· Let cupcakes cool in pans for a few minutes then remove and cool completely on wire racks.

   · Top with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting, drizzle with caramel, and walnuts.

Makes 24 cupcakes.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients:

· 1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

· 3 & 1/2 c. powdered sugar, sifted

· 1/2 c. cocoa powder, sifted

· 1/2 tsp. table salt

· 2 tsp. vanilla extract

· 4 tbsp. milk or heavy cream

Directions:

· In a large mixing bowl, using a paddle attachment, beat butter for a few minutes on medium speed until creamy.

· With mixer on low speed, add 1 c. of sugar or cocoa powder at a time. Blend until incorporated.

· Add salt, milk / cream, and vanilla. Blend until mixed.

· Mix additional sugar or milk / cream, as needed, to achieve desired consistency.

Frosts 24 Cupcakes.

Apple Pie Cupcakes

Ingredients:

For the apple filling:

· 4 tbsp. unsalted

· 3 medium sized Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and diced into 1/4-inch cubes

· 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

· 1/8 tsp. salt

· 2 tbsp. brown sugar

· 1 & 1/2 tbsp. lemon juice

For the cupcakes:

· 1 c. milk

· 1/2 c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

· 2 c. all purpose flour

· 1 & 1/2 c. tsp. baking powder

· 2 tsp. ground cinnamon

· 1/4 tsp. salt

· 4 large eggs

· 1 & 3/4 c. sugar

· 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

To make the apple filling:

· In a medium-sized skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat.

· Add apples and cook for about 5 minutes stirring occasionally until softened.

· Sprinkle brown sugar, cinnamon and salt.

· Cook 5 minutes longer or until tender.

· Stir in lemon juice.

· Prior to use, cool apple mixture to room temperature or store in air tight container in the fridge overnight.

To make the cupcakes:

· Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

· Line two cupcake pans with paper liners (24 total).

· Heat milk and butter in small saucepan over medium heat until butter melts. Remove from heat.

· In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.

· Using a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, beat eggs and sugar until thick ribbons form (about 5 minutes).

· Add flour mixture and beat on low just until incorporated.

· Add milk mixture and vanilla and beat until blended.

· Fill the prepared cupcake liners 2/3 full with the cupcake batter. (These cupcakes don’t rise much.)

· Bake for 16-18 mins, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

· Let cupcaakes cool in pans for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

· Core out the center of the cupcakes and fill with Apple Filling.

· Top with Caramel Buttercream Frosting and drizzle with caramel.

Makes 24 Cupcakes

Caramel Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients:

· 1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

· 4 c. powdered sugar, sifted

· 1/4 tsp. salt

· 1 tsp. vanilla extract

· 4 tbsp. milk or heavy cream

· 1 c. caramel sauce

Directions:

· In a large mixing bowl, using a paddle attachment, beat butter for a few minutes on medium speed until creamy.

· With mixer on low speed, add 1 c. of sugar at a time. Blend until incorporated.

· Add salt and milk / cream. Blend until mixed.

· Add vanilla and caramel sauce. Blend until mixed.

· Mix additional sugar or milk / cream, as needed, to achieve desired consistency.

Frosts 24 Cupcakes