Sunday Baked: Boston Cream Pie Cake

Let's just clear this up right now.... This is no more a pie than I'm a size 2 beauty queen. There is no pie crust or pie dish to speak of. Nope. This is cake through and through. I imagine when the first versions of this dessert appeared in Colonial America, cake pans were not commonplace. So, the Colonial bakers of yore grabbed whatever they had available, which happened to be pie tins.

Sunday Baked: Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cake

Yeah, yeah... I know, it's not Sunday, and my "Sunday Baked" title doesn't technically apply anymore. But, I promise you, I really did baked this over the weekend! Really, I did. I am just now getting around to writing them up. Does time fly these days, or what?

This cake was another winner from the boys at Baked NYC and their cookbook Baked Explorations.  A quick, easy recipe that produced a perfect after school snack.  The cake was moist and sweet, not too dissimilar from an oatmeal cookie... just in cake form!  The recipe as written calls for a cream cheese frosting layer (recipe below), but I thought the addition would put an already sweet dessert over the top... and, I like sweet. Instead, I opted for a light dusting of powdered sugar, which suited my tastes perfectly. 

Sunday Baked: Caramel Apple Cake

... Cue the music

Yup. That about sums it up for me this week. Pure heaven. Matt & Renato's little dandy of a  cake represents everything I love about this time of year. The perfect blend of spice and sweet and all the flavors of the season. With a single bite, I wanted to throw on my favorite sweater, watch football and go rake some leaves. It is the perfect dessert to usher in the fall and an instant all-time favorite. Yes, it is that good!

Strawberry Shortcake (Icing Smiles)

Have you ever shared a moment with someone you have never met before, and through that moment you become friends. I experienced this recently, and I will be forever grateful.

I was blessed with the opportunity to make this cake for two beautiful, brave little girls, sisters in fact. They were all smiles and giggles when I met them, and yet you would have never guessed that one of these girls is living with brain cancer (Medulloblastoma) and the other is trying to find her own way in spite of the hospital stays, the heartache and the unknown. These two little girls share an incredible courage and friendship. It was amazing to see.

I received an email from Kelly and Molly's mom a few weeks back. She recapped Kelly's diagnosis and prognosis in such a manner that made me tear up instantly. She talked about her family and what they have endured over the last 5 years with grace and unwavering love. I was blown away by her strength. All I could think to do was hug my kids and make the best damn birthday cake I could. There could not be a more deserving family, and it was something, even if little in the grand scheme of things, that I could do to help. These little girls needed to celebrate life!

I was introduced to this amazing family through a wonderful and generous organization called Icing Smiles. Icing Smiles provides critically ill children and their siblings with birthday cakes made by volunteer bakers. Their goal is to provide smiles and joy, even if only temporary, to the kids and their families.

Making this cake was an experience that will stay with me forever. It was a true honor. Kelly, Molly and their family were such an amazingly warm, strong and supportive bunch. God has given them a challenge of a lifetime, and yet I think they will make it through. They have that much love. I will keep them in my thoughts and prayers, and I ask that you do as well.

CALLING ALL BAKERS! 

I beg you to join my fellow Icing Smiles volunteers and put your skills and time towards a truly AWESOME cause. You do not have to be a professional decorator to participate. In fact, there are many ways you can help. Find out for yourself here. It is so worth it! I am not sure you can receive a better reward than a giggle of excitement and a big 'ole hug from these kids (and their families). My hugs were two of the best I have ever received :)

Have a blessed day!

Jaime @ The Great Cake Company

Sunday Baked: Olive Oil Orange Bundt

We are having a party for my Mom's birthday today, and coincidentally I am scheduled to make Mom's Olive Oil Orange Bundt for my Sunday Morning Baked challenge. How fantastic is that!? I secretly think my family is getting sick of me bringing buttercream-style cakes to ALL our family events, so this cake will be the perfect break in pattern for me. I can't wait to surprise her. Happy Birthday Mom, and thanks for all you do for your crew :)

I always get so excited when I discover fun and interesting little shops offering unique goods and wares. Such was the case with a little place I happened upon in my own town called Twisted Olive. This little gem of a shop specializes in gourmet olive oils and balsamic vinegars, as well as a variety of other goodies for the foodie in you. What is really great about this shop is that you are able to sample all of their offerings before you purchase. It's set up as sort of a wine bar but with large vats of olive oil to siphon from.... who doesn't love free samples especially when you don't have to worry about driving yourself home (as the case with our local wine tasting shop).

After much sampling, I decided on their Meyer Lemon Extra Virgin Olive Oil based on Matt & Renato's recommendation to use a high-quality olive oil with a citrus undertone. What I didn't plan on with my purchase was that 3/4 cups is a lot when using fancy-schmancy olive oil. My $12 olive oil purchase was not quite enough to cover what I needed, and I ended up using olive oil I had on hand to make up the difference.... Whoa, this was turning into one expensive cake!

I quickly got over my olive oil shock as I started zesting the oranges. Their sweet perfume lifted my spirits as it wafted up into the kitchen.... such a rejuvenating smell. In all honesty, I needed that little pick-me-up 'cause I was a feeling bit crankish.

This batter was a bit of a challenge to work with (think thick) until you folded in the whipped egg whites. For me, this is always a test of patience to make sure I don't fold to frantically. Believe me, I have ruined many a cake by folding to hastily. So, take your time, and I always have the best luck folding with the biggest balloon whisk I have! Mine is fairly obnoxious looking, but it does the trick every time (sorry I didn't get a picture of it for you.)

This cake looked beautiful baked! I love seeing vanilla bean seed in my baked goods, and the smell was delightful. It was a perfect way to break in my NEW bundt pan... I know, I can't believe it took me so long to purchase one either.

When all was said and done, this cake was quite tasty. It had a mild citrus taste, but I would have liked a bit more of an 'orange' flavor. Perhaps, I just need to add more orange zest to meet my needs, or maybe the lemon olive oil I selected overpowered the orange flavor of the zest. It also had an interesting 'chewiness' while eating that I can't decide if I liked or not.

Due to the out of pocket expense for this cake (because of the high-quality olive oil), I am not sure I will make this again. However, I still recommend you give it a try. It is a unique cake with good citrus flavor. Oh, and I definitely recommend the citrus glaze :)

Hmmm.... I am very curious to check out how my fellow Baked Sunday Morning bakers fared with this recipe. 

Have a Sweet Sunday!

Jaime @ The Great Cake Company

Daring Bakers: Fresh Fruit Fraisiers

You know those weeks when you just can't seem to get it together? You simply can't catch a break. I know you all do. We all have had them. For me there were no life altering events, just lots of stuff. We're talking sick kids, crazy summer camp schedules and sweltering heat... not to mention pending cake orders and an upcoming road trip to prepare and pack for. I couldn't catch my breath or 10 minutes to myself. I know, complain complain, but seriously, enough already I need to bake!

I had been looking forward to this Daring Bakers challenge with great anticipation all month long. Jana of Cherry Tea Cakes was our July Daring Bakers’ host and she challenged us to make Fresh Fraisiers inspired by recipes written by Elisabeth M. Prueitt and Chad Robertson in the beautiful cookbook Tartine. Fraisiers are one of those desserts I have always admired in the windows of pastry shops, but never dreamed of attempting at home. I was eager for the challenge, and for the notch in my pastry belt.

A fraisier is traditionally made with strawberries, however, we were given the option to experiment with our fruit selections. Since the recipe called for an almond paste layer, the most obvious fruit selection to me were peaches, glorious peaches! I love the flavor pairing of peach and almond, and if you add a few blueberries for color, you have yourself a delicious and beautiful fraisier.

Chiffon is such a wonderful, light cake. If you whip up your egg whites properly and fold them in with great care, you are in for a real treat. As a cake decorator, I find chiffon cakes to be an excellent medium to work with. They absorb a simple syrup with ease and compliment a wide variety of fillings and frosting. Another big plus is that they can be served right out of the refrigerator. Since they are made using oil and not butter, there is no need to allow them to come to room temperature since the oil does not firm up in the fridge.

It is essential to have a rock solid pastry cream recipe in your baking repertoire. It is a pastry staple that can be used in anything from banana cream pie, to cake filling to eclairs. This particular recipe calls for fewer eggs than most resulting in a less rich pastry cream. For me, the flavor is wonderful in this cake. It is a delicious compliment to the fresh fruit and lighter than air chiffon cake. It is a keeper in my book, and one that will be used often.

I love almonds in almost every form. However, I recognize that not everyone shares my love of this nut (yes, I know they are not technically nuts). If you are making this for a gathering and you are not sure if you have any almond haters in the bunch, I would suggest omitting the almond paste altogether. Instead, you could spread a layer of fruit preserve or puree, and it would be equally as delicious.

Plain and simple, this was my kind of dessert. I am only moderately ashamed to admit that I could eat this cake in its entirety and for days on end. It is that good. It is light and the flavors work so well together. The best part about this cake though is its versatility. Just about any fruit would work in this recipe. You could also get a little crazy and use a flavored simple syrup or an alternative chiffon cake flavor. The options are plentiful, and I plan to try them all :)

Thanks to Jana of Cherry Tea Cakes and my fellow Daring Bakers for a wonderful challenge.

Happy Baking!

Jaime @ The Great Cake Company

 

FRESH FRUIT FRAISIER  

Recipe adapted from Tartine by Elisabeth M Prueitt and Chad Robertson

FOR THE CAKE 

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons  (5½ oz or155 gm) all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 cups sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt, preferably kosher

1/4 cup vegetable oil

3 large egg yolks

1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon water

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3/4 teaspoon lemon zest, grated

5 large egg whites, room temperature

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Preheat the oven to moderate 325°F (160°C/gas mark 3). Line the bottom of an 8-inch (20 cm) spring form pan with parchment paper. Do not grease the sides of the pan.

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour and baking powder. Add in all but 3 tablespoons (45 ml.) of sugar, and all of the salt. Stir to combine.

In a small bowl combine the oil, egg yolks, water, vanilla and lemon zest. Whisk thoroughly. Combine with the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly for about one minute, or until very smooth.

In a separate bowl, whip your egg whites on medium speed until frothy. Add cream of tartar and continue beating on a medium speed until the whites hold soft peaks. Slowly add the remaining sugar and beat on a medium-high speed until the whites hold firm and form shiny peaks.

Using a grease free rubber spatula, scoop about ⅓ of the whites into the yolk mixture and fold in gently. Gently fold in the remaining whites just until combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven and allow to cool in the pan on a wire rack.

To unmold, run a knife around the sides to loosen the cake from the pan and remove the spring form sides. Invert the cake and peel off the parchment paper. Refrigerate for up to four days in an air tight container. 

FOR THE PASTRY CREAM FILLING
1 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt, preferably kosher
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 teaspoon (4 gm) gelatin
1/2 tablespoon water
1 cup heavy cream

Pour the milk, vanilla, and salt into a heavy sauce pan. Place over medium-high heat and scald, bringing it to a near boiling point. Stir occasionally.

Meanwhile, in a stand mixer add the cornstarch and sugar. Whisk to combine. Add the eggs to the sugar and cornstarch and whisk until smooth.

When the milk is ready, gently and slowly while the stand mixer is whisking, pour the heated milk down the side of the bowl into the egg mixture.Pour the mixture back into the warm pot and continue to cook over a medium heat until the custard is thick, just about to boil and coats the back of a spoon

Remove from heat and pass through a fine mesh sieve into a large mixing bowl. Allow to cool for ten minutes stirring occasionally. Cut the butter into four pieces and whisk into the pastry cream a piece at a time until smooth

Cover the cream with plastic wrap, pressing the plastic wrap onto the top of the cream to prevent a skin from forming. Chill in the refrigerator for up to five days

In a small dish, sprinkle the gelatin over the water and let stand for a few minutes to soften

Put two inches (55 mm) of water into a small sauce pan and bring to a simmer over a medium heat.
Measure 1/4 cup (2 oz/60 ml) of the chilled pastry cream into a small stainless steel bowl that will sit across the sauce pan with the simmering water, without touching the water.

Heat the cream until it is 120 F (48.8 C). Add the gelatin and whisk until smooth. Remove from the water bath, and whisk the remaining cold pastry cream in to incorporate in two batches.

In a stand mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the cream until it holds medium-stiff peaks. Immediately fold the whipped cream into the pastry cream with a rubber spatula.

FOR THE SIMPLE SYRUP

1/3 cup of sugar, flavored or white
1/3 cup of water
*optional flavoring (flavored sugars, herbs or spices, 1-2 tsp extract, or up to 4 tablespoons of liqueur or fruit juice)

Combine the water and sugar in a medium saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Remove the syrup from the heat and cool slightly. Add any optional flavorings. Transfer syrup to a lidded container or jar that can be stored in the refrigerator. Simple syrup can be stored for up to one month.

ASSEMBLY OF THE FRAISIER 

Line the sides of a 8-inch (20 cm) spring form pan with plastic wrap. Do NOT line the bottom of the pan.

Cut the cake in half horizontally to form two layers. Fit the bottom layer into the prepared spring form pan. Moisten the layer evenly with the simple syrup. When the cake has absorbed enough syrup to resemble a squishy sponge, you have enough.

Wash and slice enough fresh fruit to arrange around the sides of the cake pan. Place the cut side of the fruit against the sides of the pan forming a ring. Pipe cream in between fruit and a thin layer across the top of the cake. Wash and slice your remaining fruit and place them in the middle of the cake. Cover entirely with all but about 1 tablespoon of the pastry cream. Place the second cake layer on top and moisten with the simple syrup.

Lightly dust a work surface with confectioners' sugar and roll out the almond paste to a 10-inch (25 cm) round 1/16 inch (1.5 mm) thick. Trim almond paste to fit top of cake (I used a 7" cake pan as my guide to cut clean circle). Spread the remaining 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of pastry cream on the top of the cake and cover with the round of almond paste. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours until set.

To serve release the sides of the spring form pan and peel away the plastic wrap. Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Sour Cherry Crumb Cake

I could kiss you right now Michael Sullivan. I really could. I could give you a big 'ole wet one for planting the beautiful cherry tree in the front yard of your home. The same home that would one day become ours.

I was totally unaware of the gift you left for us until it bore its beautiful red fruit, a most fantastic surprise. Now, for a few weeks each year we are blessed with a bountiful crop of sour cherries. And, what better to do with a bowl full of cherries than make sour cherry crumb cake.  Fooled you! You thought I was going to say pie.

Cherry pie along with a few other family favorites will probably be on the list of things to make this cherry season, but alas, the family demanded crumb cake. So, crumb cake it is.

 

I need to digress a bit here and apologize for all the cherry photos... I just couldn't resist. They are so darn photogenic. Any which way you position them, they look fantastic. Even my amateur level photography skills were able to get a few decent shots.... everyone should shoot cherries!

Alright, back to the crumb cake. This was top notch delicious! The flavor of the sour cherries is fresh, and not too tart. The cake portion is moist with the perfect texture to support the juicy cherries, and the brown sugar crumb is the cherry on top (pun intended folks)... the perfect sweetness for the tartness of the fruit. In my mind, this is a perfect summer breakfast treat. Heck, it is a perfect anytime treat. I can't wait to make this again. Wonderful!

I do have one note on this recipe. If you take a quick peak at the photo below you will notice that the cake portion is about an inch tall. This is where I kick myself for not taking the extra five minutes to wash my 9x13" pan that was coated with the remains of the previous night's lasagna. Curses! While it was still delicious out of my 8" square pan (with more cake per bite), it really is more suited to be made in a 9x13" pan. This way the cherry/crumb topping ratio is roughly equal to the cake portion. I actually found myself slicing my pieces in half lengthwise to get the perfect bite.

Happy Baking!
Jaime @ The Great Cake Company

SOUR CHERRY CRUMB CAKE

Recipe adapted (with modifications) from Perfect Cake by Nick Malgieri  

Servings: About 24 (2-inch squares)

FOR THE CAKE

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
3 tablespoons sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
3 cups fresh sour cherries, pitted (about 1 1/2 pounds)

FOR THE CRUMB TOPPING

1 cup all purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
1/2 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
pinch of kosher salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 350-degrees and position the rack in the center of the oven. Butter the sides and bottom of a glass 9x13-inch pan. You can use a metal pan, but the edges of the cake may turn brown and crispy.... this may be tasty option for some.

MAKE THE CRUMB TOPPING

Combine all the ingredients except for the melted butter in a medium sized bowl. Mix to combine. Stir in the melted butter and rub give it a quick stir to incorporate all the ingredients. Use your fingers to rub the sugar mixture together to make course crumbs. Set aside.

MAKE THE CAKE
Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Whisk to combine and set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating until smooth after each addition. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and beat for another 20 seconds, or until combined. Be sure to scrape down the sides as needed.

Decrease the mixer to its lowest setting and add half of the flour mixture. Mix until incorporated and then add the sour cream. Mix again until well incorporated. Scrape down sides of bowl as needed. Add the remaining flour mixture and mix until well combined.

Scrape batter in the prepared pan and  and level the top with a spatula. Evenly distribute the cherries on top of the batter, but do not press them in. Scatter the crumb topping over the cherries taking care to cover the entire surface evenly.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the cake is firm and the crumb topping is nicely browned. Remove from oven and cool on wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Store at room temperature in an airtight container.

Baby Girl Farm Cake

Wow, it has been a crazy week and a half full of holiday excitement and cake orders. Easter came and went rather quickly this year, but it was such a fun day. My three kids were finally of the ages (6, 4 and 1 1/2) where they all could participate and enjoy a good 'ole fashioned Easter Egg Hunt. I am not going to lie, there were a few elbows thrown and body checks given, but they still had a blast. The adults indulged in good food, company and stolen Easter candy. Oh, please... like you don't steal a handful or two of jelly beans from your kid's Easter baskets when they're not lookin'!

Since I was so swamped with cake orders this week, I was a bit sad that I wasn't able to participate in any of my baking clubs. However, I should be back to my normal schedule this week, and I had the opportunity to work on a few really cool cakes. I completed a carved wine bottle 50th birthday cake and a basic hat box cake, but this was my favorite. I was asked to create a farm-themed 1st birthday cake using "girlish" colors instead of the traditional primary colors. It was a challenge I was eager to take on.

We are short on little girls in my extended family (3 girls and 6 boys), and I am just starting to build my business with clients that are not in my circle of family and friends. Let's just say I have made A LOT of boy cakes in the past few years, and I am always excited when I get a cute themed 'girl' cake to work on.

This was such an adorable theme, and I enjoyed my time on it. I loved the way the colors came together and the animals had little personalities. I even developed a soft spot for my pony who ended up to look a little more like Eeyore than I had planned.

Here's a funny note on the barn topper. I originally had all the ducks staring straight ahead until my husband gently asked if I was trying the scare the bejesus out of the poor little girl. They did look a little like they were in strike formation. I agreed he had a point, and adjusted the ducks to a more friendly arrangement. I wish I snapped a picture of it... it was quite funny :)

I also want to note that I took inspiration for this cake from two very talented cake decorators: Beth at Cakespace and Melanie at Cakebox. Check out their cakes here and here.

Thanks everyone!

Sunday Baked: New York Crumb Cake

Happy Easter to everyone! I hope you enjoy your day with family and loved ones. I am going to keep it short and sweet this week, as my kids are pulling on me to open yet another chocolate bunny to devour.... is it even 9 o'clock yet??  

This week's selection for Baked Sunday Mornings was New York-Style Crumb Cake. A perfectly scrumptious addition to our Easter morning breakfast. It was a snap to prepare, and it baked up beautifully. The best part was the heavenly aroma of cinnamon that filled the house. Delicious! A telling sign for me on whether a recipe is a keeper is how quickly it disappears off the table, and lets just say this crumb cake disappeared faster than the Easter Bunny.

Another fun thing about this week's selection was the clarification on the difference between crumb cake and coffee cake. Pay attention here, as this is very important....

Crumb Cake ≠ Coffee Cake

Who knew? I didn't know, and I have a lot of experience with both. I mean a lot. While I was pregnant with my second child I devoured whole (store bought) coffee and crumb cakes in single sittings. I didn't care what the topping or filling was. I would slather butter all over them and whistle happy tunes while they went down the hatch. I think at least 15 coffee and crumb cakes died this way. It was fantastic in a totally awful sort of way.

So, I was a little surprised to learn that New Yorkers are so very protective of their "crumb cake" identity. According to Matt & Renato (a native New Yorker) of Baked Explorations, there are three cardinal rules every New York-Style Crumb Cake must abide by. They are as follows: (1) A New York-Style Crumb Cake must contain boulder-sized clumps of crumb topping almost as thick as the cake itself, (2) A New York-Style Crumb Cake can never contain nuts in any form or fashion, and (3) A New York-Style Crumb Cake cannot contain a swirl of any sort, ever! If you abide by these simple rules, you can bake yourself one heck of a crumb cake, New York-Style.

If you have a second, hop on over (pun intended) to Baked Explorations to see what my fellow members had to say about this recipe. 

Happy Easter!

Pirate Adventure!

Ahoy, me hearties! I be baking up a cake for me wee buccaneer Ben. A bit of pirate booty to brighten up his birthday. Yo-ho-ho! 

You gotta love a little pirate speak :) Well, my baby boy turned four last week, and all he wanted was a treasure chest cake. He is big into pirates these days, and he loves nothing more then to run around the house in his skivvies looking for treasure chests. Of course, his annunciation isn't the best, so it comes out more like "cheser chet." It took my husband and me a good couple of days to figure out what the heck he was asking us. The poor guy was so frustrated... all he wanted to do was find some bloody treasure. Instead, he got mom and dad staring blankly at each other (I can still hear the crickets chirping). I am a little surprised he didn't order us to walk the plank.

To get inspiration for cakes I have never created before, I usually hop on over to Flickr to see examples of what the uber-talented cake artists there have done. I try to never replicate designs from other artists because I like to create my own work, and I respect the creative rights of others. However, there have been instances where I am so blown away by a cake that it becomes hard to think past it and create my own design (if that makes sense). Such was the case for this cake. I came across a perfectly executed treasure chest cake from the fantastically talented Rouvelee's Creations out of Melbourne, Austrailia.  I knew it would be perfect for Ben's cake pretty much as it was. I changed a few minor details, and I tried my hardest to do her design justice. 

The cake didn't turn out as immaculately done as hers, but it was well received by the birthday boy and his guests. You can't really ask for anything more than that.

I should mention that all the elements on this cake are edible including the hand-strung sugar necklace and bracelet. The mock jewels are good old-fashioned rock candy and Ring Pops (one of my childhood favorites).

Unbeknownst to me, the biggest trill for the kids (after getting excited over the cake) were the chocolate coins. I really think Ben and the kids would have just been happy with a bag of coins for dessert, which by the way, I had to search all over town for. Who knew that St. Patrick's Day would completely deplete a town's supply of chocolate coins? I sure didn't.

Anyway, it was a good day of merriment. We ate a little gruel, drank a little grog and had some swashbucklin' fun! Ah, to be a pirate for a day :)

Sunday Baked: Red Velvet Whoopie Pies

Spring is in the air, my daffodils are blooming and Easter is just around the corner. What better way to get into the mood then with a little egg-shaped, red velvet, whoopie pie fun!

I am still making up for lost time in my Baked Sunday Morning baking club. As I was flipping through the recipes I have yet to complete, I came across Matt & Renato's Red Velvet Whoopie Pie recipe and thought "hey, these would be fun to make for Easter." So, get your aprons on, and let's get crackin' (no pun intended).

I feel as though I should confess that up until this point I was a total whoopie pie virgin. I had never eaten a whoopie pie let alone made one. However, I had on occasion imagined myself sitting at a quiet table in Two Fat Cats Bakery in Portland, Main sipping coffee, reading the paper and indulging in one of their famous whoopie pies. In that moment, I could imagine what a whoopie pie should taste like. Ahh.... (big sighs).

Aside from the fact that I had never consumed a whoopie pie, I feel as though I put a double whammy on this recipe before I even started. Why, you ask? Well, I am just not the biggest red velvet fan. It is sort of a confusing cake for me, and I am not talking about the whole cream cheese vs. Mary Kay frosting or pecans vs. walnuts debate. I am not even going to touch those. For me, it just sort of falls short. It's not quite chocolate, definitely not vanilla, and it has this subtle but unusual acidic kick to it. I know there are many devout fans out there with red velvet running through their veins, but for me, I am still not totally on board.

Now, I do offer red velvet cake at The Great Cake Company, and I think it is a pretty darn good recipe as far as red velvet goes. It has a little more cocoa powder than your traditional red velvet cakes, and I think using a really good quality cocoa powder can make or brake the recipe. I am fortunate to live about ten minutes from Penzys Spices, a wonderful shop full of some of the best herbs, spices and extracts available. They offer a cocoa powder that works perfectly in my recipe, and I think it worked well in Matt & Renato's too. If you don't have access to Penzys, which I am guessing most of you do not, then try Valrhona or even Ghirardelli.

In honor of Easter, I had wanted to make pink velvet whoopie pies, but of course I was almost out of pink food coloring. Instead, I used what electric pink gel paste I had left and fuchsia, which gave me an unappealing, purple-ish batter. Thankfully, it didn't matter in the end 'cause they still baked up red.

Matt & Renato instruct you to place tablespoon sized drops of batter onto a parchment lined cookie sheet. This method works perfectly well for traditionally shaped pies. However, to get these guys into an egg shape for Easter (and to make my life a little easier), I made a template to go under the parchment paper. It was simple. All you need to do is trace an oval shape (I used a cookie cutter) onto a piece of paper. My cookie sheet allowed for six evenly spaced ovals.

After the ovals are traced, place the parchment paper on top of the template. Fill a pastry bag or Ziploc bag with your batter, and fill the template. It is hard to tell from the photo, but I filled the batter a little thicker at the base of the egg then at the top. This way, if the batter spreads while baking, it will still maintain its egg shape. Make sure to refrigerate the cookie sheet for at least 10 minutes before baking to minimize spreading, and also be sure to remove your template from the cookie sheet before you stick it in the oven and burn the house down... :)

My pies baked up beautifully in 13 minutes. They were wonderfully moist, and I loved that they had an ever so slight crunch on the outside, but were soft and tender on the inside. They were perfectly executed, but freshly cooled, they seemed to fall into the usual red velvet trap for me. They tasted sort of bland...

Wait! Don't stone me yet!

 

For some reason, I wouldn't give up on these. I sampled the cake a few different times over the next hour, and each time I would mutter to myself, "What is it with red velvet cake? I just don't get it!" ... and then ten minutes later I was back again. By the 6th or 7th time I went back, I started to realize that maybe there was something to these puppies because I simply couldn't stop sampling them. They seemed to be tasting better and better as they sat and as I ate. Almost a quarter of the cakes were gone before I realized I hadn't even slathered any cream cheese on them yet. Hmmmm? What in the world was going on here? Out came some leftover cream cheese icing (my recipe is pretty darn close to theirs so it is not quite cheating), and whoopie was made...pies that is. 

Let's just conclude this rambling post with this... these were utterly delicious from top to bottom! The red velvet cakes were the perfect compliment (vessel) for the delectable cream cheese filling. I fell in like with red velvet cake today, but I fell in love with whoopie pies. They were a perfect combination and a wonderful Easter treat. I look forward to my next whoopie