Red Velvet Cake

Red Velvet Cake

Adapted from Paula Deen

2 cups sugar
1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
2 eggs
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 ounces red food coloring
2 1/2 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon vinegar

Icing:
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese
1 stick butter, softened
1 cup melted marshmallows
1 (1-pound) box confectioners' sugar
1 cup shredded coconut
1 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a mixing bowl, cream the sugar and butter, beat until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time and mix well after each addition. Mix cocoa and food coloring together and then add to sugar mixture; mix well. Sift together flour and salt. Add flour mixture to the creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk. Blend in vanilla. In a small bowl, combine baking soda and vinegar and add to mixture. Pour batter into 3 (8-inch) round greased and floured pans. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from heat and cool completely before frosting

Icing:
Blend cream cheese and butter together in a mixing bowl. Add marshmallows and sugar and blend. Fold in coconut and nuts. Spread between layers and on top and sides of cooled cake.

Iced Lemon Cookies

Iced Lemon Cookies

Adapted from Rachel Ray

1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, chilled

1¼ cups sugar

Grated peel of 2 lemons

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 large egg

1½ cups flour

¼ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 350°. Line 3 large cookie sheets with parchment paper; set aside. Using an electric mixer, combine the butter, 1 cup sugar, the lemon peel and juice until fluffy. Mix in the egg. Add the flour, baking soda and salt and combine.

Place the remaining ¼ cup sugar in a small bowl. Roll heaping teaspoons of dough into balls, then roll in the sugar. Place on the prepared cookie sheets a few inches apart. Bake until golden around the edges, about 15 minutes. Transfer the cookie sheets to racks to cool completely.

Lemon Icing:
1 pound (2 cups) confectioners' sugar
6 tablespoons lemon juice

In a medium bowl, whisk sugar and lemon juice together until smooth. Spoon onto cooled cookies, and spread evenly with the back of a spoon. Let stand on a cooling rack until the glaze is set, about 1 hour.

Yield: enough for 3 dozen cookies

Ginger Snaps

Ginger Snaps
Adapted from former co-worker (thanks Jill)

2/3 cup oil
1 cup sugar
1 egg
½ cup molasses
2 cup flour
2 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger

Combine all ingredients. Roll dough into small balls and roll in granulated sugar. Bake at 350ºF for 12-15 minutes. DO NOT OVERCOOK.

Chocolate Stout Cake

Chocolate Stout Cake

Adapted from Cookiemadness

1 cup Guinness Stout

1 cup butter
3/4 cup Dutch process unsweetened cocoa powder or Hershey’s Dark
2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoons salt
2 large eggs
2/3 cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray two 8-inch round cake pans with flour-added cooking spray.

Place butter in a saucepan and turn heat to medium. When butter is almost completely melted, add stout and cook over medium until mixture starts to simmer. Reduce heat slightly, add cocoa powder and stir or whisk until smooth. Remove from heat.

In a mixing bowl, thoroughly whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda and salt.

In a second bowl, using an electric mixer, beat eggs until thick and lemon colored – beat for a full five minutes. Add the sour cream and beat until combined. Add the stout mixture to the egg mixture and stir just until mixed. Add the flour mixture and stir until well mixed.

Divide the batter equally among the two pans. Bake for 28-32 minutes or until cakes test done (toothpick inserted comes out clean). Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then flip and let cool on a cooling rack.

Chocolate Frosting

2/3 cups unsweetened natural cocoa – sifted
8 oz butter, unsalted, softened
pinch of salt
2 1/2 to 3 cups confectioner’s sugar, measured and sifted
2 tablespoons Guinness Stout
1 teaspoon vanilla

Stir together softened butter, cocoa and 2 cups of the sugar. Add Guinness and vanilla and stir again. Using high speed of electrix mixer, beat icing for a minute. Add the rest of the sugar, adding just until you think it’s the right consistency. Beat for a good 3-5 minutes, scraping side of bowl often, until light and fluffy. Ice the cake.