Red Velvet "Mug" Cakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

I know. I finally went all pinterest with a mug cake.

Well, it had to happen eventually/

Spiral from putting the lid on. 

I was meeting up with someone just visiting for this weekend, so what is more travel-proof for the ride home than a mug cake?

(And it's delicious too!)

"I Think I See the Light" Cat Stevens

Adapted into mug cake from One Girl Cookies

Makes 4 mason jar mugs

Ingredients

2 cups plain whole-milk yogurt

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 teaspoons red food coloring

2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar

16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

3 cups sugar

4 large eggs

4 cups all-purpose flour

2⁄3 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon table salt

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 4 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1⁄8 teaspoon table salt
• 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cups (1/2 lb) confectioners’ sugar, plus more if needed

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare four mason jar mugs by greasing them with cooking spray

In a medium bowl, combine the yogurt, vanilla, food coloring, and vinegar. Stir well.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and sugar on medium speed until light yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time and mix for 1 minute.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer running on low speed, mix in a third of the flour mixture and half of the yogurt mixture. Add another third of the flour mixture and all the remaining yogurt mixture. Remove the bowl from the mixer, and fold in the remaining flour mixture until fully incorporated. Pour the batter into mugs, filling halfway.

Bake, rotating halfway through, for 40 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 20 minutes. Let cool completely over onto a wire rack.

Pipe cream cheese frosting over the top of the cake to fill the mason jar mug. Add sprinkles if desired.

Cream Cheese Frosting

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the cream cheese and butter on medium speed until soft and creamy, 5 minutes. Add the salt and vanilla, and mix for 30 seconds on low speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. With the mixer running on low speed, add the confectioners’ sugar. Scrape down the bowl, and then beat the mixture for 1 more minute. If the consistency is too soft for frosting the cake, add more confectioners’ sugar, a tablespoon at a time, until you reach the desired consistency.

Meyer Lemon Layer Cake

One Girl Cookies is the best dessert recipe I've ever read.

Every single recipe makes you want to get baking!

Especially, this Meyer Lemon Layer Cake! 

And I didn't even add the flaked coconut!

Even Herbie wanted to eat this cake!

Or rather he is so excited over his new/repurposed Build-A-Bear house :D

Mmmmm... Look at that lemon curd!

Frosting!

Sean Kelly- "Could It Be Another Change?"

Ingredients:

Cake:

• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 2 cups sugar
• 5 largge eggs
• Grated zest of 2 lemons
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup dried coconut flakes

Curd:

• 4 large egg yolks
• 1/2 cup sugar
• grated zest of 1 lemon
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 5 tbsp unsalted butter
• pinch of salt

Frosting:

•  8 tbsp. unsalted butter
• 6 cups confectioners' sugar
• 3 tbsp whole milk, plus more if needed
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp salt
• grated zest of 2 lemons

Directions:

Cake:

     Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare two 0 inch round cake pans by greasing them with cooking spray and then lining the botttoms with parchment paper.

     In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and sugar on medium speed until the mixture is light yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Reduce the speed to low and add the eggs one at a time. Then add the lemon zest. Mix for 2 to 3 minutes, until fully combined.

    

     In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, slat, and baking soda, In a separate bowl, mix the sour cream and the vanilla.

     With the mixer running on low speed, mix in a third of the flour mixture and half of the sour cream mixture and half of the sour cream mixture. Scrape down the bowl. Add another third of the flour mixture and all the remaining flour mixture until all of the ingredients are fully incorporated. Divide the batter between the prepared pans.

      Bake for 15 minutes. Rotate the pans and bake for 15 more minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove the cakes from the oven and let them cool in the pans for 20 minutes. Then turn each cake out onto a clean plate, remove the parchment paper, and then turn it back over onto a wire rack. et the cakes cool completely.

     To assemble, place a cake layer on a serving plate, and trim the top with a long serrated knife to make a level surface. Spread a thin layer of the lemon buttercream over the top. Using a pastry bag, pipe a ring of butter cream around the edge of the cake. THis makes a sort of bowl for the lemon curd so that it will not spill out. Fill the bowl with 1 cup of the lemon curd. Place the second cake layer on top, being careful not to disturb the lemon curd. Spread the remaining buttercream over the entire cake. Press the coconut flakes into the butter cream on the sides of the cake.

Curd:

    In a large metal bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice. In a medium saucepan, bring about 2 inches of water to a boil. Place the metal bowl on top of the saucepan, and whisk the egg mixture constantly until the mixture coats the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes. Do not let the mixture come to a boil. Remove the bowl from the heat. Stir in the butter and salt until the butter melts completely. Strain the curd through a fine-mesh strainer into a heat-resistant bowl. Press the plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the curd to prevent a skin from forming. Chill the curd in the refrigerator for about 1 hour, or until it has set. It can be stored in the fridge for about 5 days.

Frosting:

     In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and confectioners' sugar on medium speed until the mixture is light yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Reduce the mixer to low and add the milk, vanilla, salt , and lemon zest. Scrape down the bowl and the paddle. Mix on low for 2 minutes, until the buttercream is thoroughly combined. If the buttercream is too stiff to spread, add an additional 1 to2 teaspoons milk until you reach the desired consistency. Extra buttercream can be stored in an airtight container, with plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface of the buttercream, for up to 5 days in the fridge.

Chocolate Cake

 I'm not a stress-eater, but if I were, after AP chem this Friday, I would have made this cake and wallowed in my sorrow.

I completely forgot to this worksheet and resolved to do it at lunch.

I forgot at lunch.

Plus a reaction quiz equals stress-fest in chem.

But back to the comfort of cake

 The ideal chocolate cake. 

On the same level as the cake eaten by Bruce in Matilda.

 The original cake that this is based on is at Joanne Eats Well with Others, 

and you should totally check it out! 

(Including Nutella!)

"When I Grow Up" Matilda the Musical

Ingredients

• 3 eggs
• 2 cups cake flour
• 1/2 cup dark, unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
• 4 oz bittersweet chocolate chips, melted
• 1 1/2 cups almond milk or regular milk
• 1 cup raspberry preserves, warmed slightly
• 2/3 cup heavy whipping cream
• 8 oz bittersweet chocolate chips
• 3/4 cup finely chopped hazelnuts

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350.  Grease and flour 3 9-inch cake pans.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, using a mixer on high speed, beat egg whites (reserving the yolks) until stiff peaks form.  Set aside.
3. In a medium mixing bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt.  Set aside.
4. In a large mixing bowl, with the mixer on medium speed, cream together butter and sugar until fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Beat in egg yolks, vanilla, and melted chocolate until combined.  Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually mix in flour, alternating with  milk, until just combined, scraping down the bowl after each addition.  Fold in egg whites in three additions, until combined.
5. Divide batter into cake pans.  Bake for 30-35 minutes or until cake pulls away from the side of the pan and a toothpick inserted comes out with moist cake crumbs.  Cool for 12 minutes on wire racks in the pan.  Run a knife around the edge of the pan and invert onto wire rack to cool completely.
6. Split each cake in half.  Spread a layer of raspberry preserves on each cake layer, assembling the cake as you go.
7. To make the ganache, heat cream in a small saucepan over medium heat.  When it comes to a simmer, turn the heat off and whisk in the 8 oz chocolate chips until melted and smooth.  Cool until it’s a good consistency and then pour and spread over the cake.  Top with hazelnuts.

Pumpkin Roll

 

I can never get rolls to roll up properly (as you can probably tell from Muscadine Yule Log)

 

But this just rolled up like a charm! And the frosting and cake were delicious (moist and sweet).

 

"This Town" OAR

I love the song, but the music video is so perfect.

Ingredient

CAKE

• 1/4 cup powdered sugar (to sprinkle on towel)
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup pumpkin
• 1 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)

FILLING

• 1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
• 6 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Powdered sugar (optional for decoration)

Directions 

Cake:
Preheat oven to 375° F. Grease 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan; line with wax paper. Grease and flour paper. Sprinkle a thin, cotton kitchen towel with powdered sugar.

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt in small bowl. Beat eggs and granulated sugar in large mixer bowl until thick. Beat in pumpkin. Stir in flour mixture. Spread evenly into prepared pan. Sprinkle with nuts.

Bake for 13 to 15 minutes or until top of cake springs back when touched. (If using a dark-colored pan, begin checking for doneness at 11 minutes.) Immediately loosen and turn cake onto prepared towel. Carefully peel off paper. Roll up cake and towel together, starting with narrow end. Cool on wire rack.  

Filling:
Beat cream cheese, 1 cup powdered sugar, butter and vanilla extract in small mixer bowl until smooth. Carefully unroll cake. Spread cream cheese mixture over cake. Reroll cake. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least one hour. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving, if desired.

Peek-a-Boo Pumpkin Pound Cake

 

Alright, this is what it's supposed to look like:

 

This is what happened to me:

 It still tastes pretty good.

I added not shredded pumpkin but the full liquidy innards.

So for this, I'll simply provide links:

The Oringinal from She-Knows

Pumpkin Bread

Pound Cake

 

"Breakfast at Tiffany's" Deep Blue Something

Muscadine Yule Log

 Alright, this fancy cake was published in The New York Times a while back.

The Grand Marnier soaks into the cake and chocolate and makes it so good!

 "Five Minutes to Midnight"

Ingredients:

• 10 oz. bittersweet chocolate
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 tbsp finely chopped candied orange zest
• 5 tbsp sugar
• 3 tbsp Grand Marnier
• 4 large eggs, separated
• 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar, plus extra for sprinkling and dredging
• 1 tsp vanilla extract 
• 1/4 cup plus 3 tbsp cake flour
• Carmel Spikes, optional

Directions

To prepare chocolate ganache: Finely chop 6 oz. chocolate and place in a mixing bowl. In a small saucpepan, bring cream to a boil. Whisk hot cream into chocolate until smooth, then add orange zest and stir to mix well. Set aside to cool and thicken, or chill 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.

To prepare Grand Marnier syrup: In a msall saucepan, combine sugar with 1/4 cup water. Bring to a boil, then mremove from heat. Stir in Grand Marnier, then set aside to cool to room temperature.

Reheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 15 by 10 inch jelly roll pan with parchment paper, allowing paper to overlap slightly at ends.

Using a mixer, whisk egg whites until foamy. Gradually add 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar and beat until whites form firm, glossy peaks. In a large bowl, whisk egg yolks by hand with 1/4 cup confectioners sugar. Add vanilla and whisk to blend. Turn mixer to lowest speed and add yolk mixture to whites, mixing only to combine; do not overmix. Place flour in a sifter and sift over mixture. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in flour. Scrape mixture into jely roll pan and smooth top. Sprinkle cake lightly with 2 tbsp. confectioners' sugar. Let sit 5 minutes, then sprinkle with 2 more tablespoons confectioner's subar

Bake cake until lightly golden and springy to the tough, about 10 min. Slide it on parchment paper onto a rack and cool to room tmeperature. Place a piece of parchment paper on counter and invert cakeon paper. Peel away baking paper. Brush Grand Marnier syrup over surface of cake. Using an offset spatula, spread chocolate ganache evenly over syrup. Starting from one of shorter ends of cake, using paper for assistance, roll up cake. Cover with plastic wrap and refigerate for 1 hour.

Just before serving, spread a generous amount of confectioners' sugar on a baking sheet. Chop and melt 4 ounces of chocolate. Unwrap cold cake and brush it with a coating of melted chocolate, then roll it in confectioners' sugar. Return cake to refrigerator for 5 minutes to set chocolate, then transfer to a serving platter. If desired, decorate with caramel spikes.

Red, White, and Blue Layer Cake

 This cake was so good. Every part. Even though we left it to dry out for two days before eating!

 So this is a pretty amazing (not to mention delicious!)

 "I'm Leaving On a Jet Plane" (I wish!)

Ingredients

2 1/2 cup(s) cake flour

1 1/4 teaspoon(s) baking powder

3/4 teaspoon(s) salt

1/2 teaspoon(s) baking soda

3/4 cup(s) butter, softened

1 1/2 cup(s) sugar

2 tablespoon(s) sugar

1 cup(s) strawberry preserves

4 eggs

3/4 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract

Directions 

Bake the cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two 9-inch cake pans with parchment paper. Lightly coat the pan with butter, dust with flour, and tap out excess. Set aside. Sift the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda together and set aside. Cream the butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar until light and fluffy in a large bowl using a mixer set at medium-high speed. Add the eggs one at a time. Separate the batter, putting half into another bowl. Add 3/4 cup preserves. Scrape down sides of bowl and beat in vanilla extract and the food coloring. Reduce mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture by thirds, alternating with the buttermilk and ending with a final addition of the dry ingredients. Divide the batter equally between the pans and spread evenly. Bake on the middle rack of oven until a tester inserted in the center of each cake layer comes out clean -- about 20 to 30 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.  Slice both cakes in half. Alternate spreading extra preserves and frosting on cake. Frost cake.

Ingredients

2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons butter or 2 tablespoons margarine, softened
2 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

Combine until fluffy. 

 

 

Zebra Cake

Okay, this is from itsralphablueberry on YouTube. The cake was pretty good but I ruined it with a terrible cream cheese frosting.

Escape (The Pina Colada Song) preformed by Rupert Holmes

 

Here's the video for the recipe:

 

Combine eggs and sugar. Beat until the mixture is creamy and light

Add milk and oil. Gradually add the flour and baking powder to the wet ingredients and beat just until the batter is smooth (DO NOT OVERBEAT)

 

Divide the mixture into 2 equal portions. Add vanilla flavouring to one. Add cocoa powder into another and mix well.

 

Preheat the oven to 350F (180C). Scoop 3 tablespoons of plain batter into the middle of the baking pan. Then scoop 3 tablespoons of cocoa batter and pour it in the center on top of the plain batter. Repeat.

 

Bake in the oven for about 40 minutes. Do not open the oven door at least the first 20 minutes. 

 

INGREDIENTS
4 eggs
1 cup (8 oz / 250 g) granulated sugar
1 cup (8 fl oz / 250 ml) milk
1 cup (8 fl oz / 250 ml) oil
2 cups (10 oz / 300 g) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons dark cocoa powder
black food colouring (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Combine eggs and sugar. Beat until the mixture is creamy and light
2. Add milk and oil
3. Gradually add the flour and baking powder to the wet ingredients and beat just until the batter is smooth (DO NOT OVERBEAT)
4. Divide the mixture into 2 equal portions. Add vanilla flavouring to one. Add cocoa powder into another and mix well.
5. Preheat the oven to 350F (180C)
6. Grease pan
7. Scoop 3 tablespoons of plain batter into the middle of the baking pan. Then scoop 3 tablespoons of cocoa batter and pour it in the center on top of the plain batter. Repeat.
8. Bake in the oven for about 40 minutes. Do not open the oven door at least the first 20 minutes.