Thursday, February 17, 2011

purple velvet

The resolution I'm doing best at is trying new things in the kitchen. I tend to go through phases with my creativity ... sometimes I scrapbook like crazy, other times I barely give my sewing machine a rest. Lately, it's all about culinary pursuits.

Knowing that I've been spending lots of time in the kitchen, lovely cousin C (who is currently away at med school) lent me her Michael Smith cookbooks and our grandmothers' stand mixer (isn't she thoughtful?!).

In honour of lovely friend A's birthday, I decided to foray into the world of layer cakes. Red velvet to be exact.


Yes, my red velvet looks a little more purple that it should. Last term, Husband borrowed my food colouring for a project he was doing with his students at school. When the kids put the colours away in the box, they didn't pay much attention and I quickly uncapped a bottle and squeezed it in to the batter before realizing that the blue dye didn't match the red cap.


Oh well, still tastes the same!

I used an 8 X 8 square pan to bake my layers. I eyeballed a third of the mixture each time and let the cakes cool.


I used Betty Crocker whipped cream cheese frosting. I happen to think the whipped stuff is just as tasty as homemade, with a whole lot less effort.

Isn't she purty? I will definitely be investing in cake pans and making layer cakes more often!

4 comments:

  1. I've made many a red velvet cake, and I can tell you that the gel colours that you get from Wilton make a better red than the liquid food colouring. (takes less colour too)

    But, purple velvet sounds like something that I could be all about!

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  2. Thanks for the tip! Even with that much food colouring, I didn't think the colour was vibrant enough. I'll pick up some gel colour and give that a whirl!

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  3. That looks delicious! I only have one layer-cake pan as well (a round one), and it's definitely annoying to have to bake each layer separately. I think buying more pans is a great idea.

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  4. It tasted just as good as it looks! if not better :)

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