Wednesday, June 17, 2015

Alpha Bakers -- Rose Red Velvet

I have a complicated relationship with Red Velvet cake. I don't get the hype, but I love gratuitous food coloring, and I never turn down cream cheese frosting (or whipped cream, which is this recipe's garnish of choice. Red Velvet and I have agreed to disagree, and I usually just enjoy the fact that I get to make such a recognizably pleasing cake that holds a special place in many other people's hearts. In this case, the Rose Red Velvet as written takes the concept of RED to a bigger, better place. 
First of all, bundt pans are amazing. Second, NordicWare makes some bundt pans that really impress, and usually all I have to do is pull a cake out of my Heritage bundt (or, in Rose's cake, their rose bundt) and people think I'm a baking genius. 

In this case, however, the baking genius bought some crappy off-brand baking spray at Pathmark and the results were...unimpressive. 
I don't do cake pops, so folks at work were forced to be unimpressed with a container full of scraps. They were dutifully underwhelmed. I did do another run, though, with some modifications (ran short on baking powder, glazed with the reduced syrup of Trader Joes' cherries), and the look was much finer.  The texture didn't suffer too much from the low baking powder addition (and can we talk about the fact that I ran through a container of baking powder in about two months), but I also ran low on food coloring so I couldn't get that glaring artificial red. Consider this the entirely artificial organic beet juice look. Next week's cake is called the 'Double Damage Oblivion.' I'm sure it's a spare little cupcake.

6 comments:

  1. VickiJune 17, 2015 at 5:18 AM

    Brilliant reducing the syrup of Trader Joe's cherries! You were diligent making this cake twice. The result was stunning. Yep, the Double Damage Oblivion is anything but a "spare little cupcake". I so wish it was. Just reading through the recipe yesterday made me tired and something that hasn't ever happened before; dreading so much chocolate. May crack out a jar of those Trader Joe's cherries.

    ReplyDelete
  2. KatyaJune 17, 2015 at 5:22 AM

    The Oblivion does look like it might be nice with some sour cherries in. Black forest style. And since I used most of the cherry juice I have to use up the cherries soon--they've lost their protective coating.

    ReplyDelete
  3. evil cake ladyJune 17, 2015 at 7:28 AM

    I think you two are on to something, adding cherries to the oblivion.

    "entirely artificial organic beet juice look," very clever! You are a trooper to bake this cake twice.

    ReplyDelete
  4. NancyBJune 17, 2015 at 11:00 AM

    I agree with the others--cherry was a great idea, though the raspberry sauce was really nice on the Red Velvet. I was thinking about brushing a layer of the raspberry sauce in the Oblivion...

    ReplyDelete
  5. faithyJune 17, 2015 at 5:13 PM

    Cherry is such a great idea! So sad the first one broke but you made 2nd one that looked great!

    ReplyDelete
  6. orins goodiesJune 17, 2015 at 7:32 PM

    how crazy just today my friend and I were talking about how next time i should use cherries sauce instead of the raspberries, brilliant and good job on making two cakes, it look yummy!

    ReplyDelete