Red Velvet Elvis! :)

Well, by request, I crafted red velvet batter this morning! I was able to mix, bake and cool all while Magnus took his morning nap! It was nice to bake when it was quiet and it all happens much faster when I can focus! Why red velvet? It has occurred to me that the world has an obsession with this flavor! Could it be the bleeding armadillo from Steel Magnolias?! Everyone who bakes it is convinced that theirs is the best red velvet on the planet! It is often the best seller or a sell out flavor! Ok! If we are going to have a cupcakery then we must carry this customer magnet! After much study into the flavor, it occurred to me the attraction must come from the fact that the ingredients are far different from other batters. Red velvet includes butter milk, this isn't terribly different. Then you add distilled vinegar. Now we are in new territory! On top of the sour flavors brought to the party by said butter milk and vinegar, I find it interesting that butter makes no appearance at all! When it comes to baking, creaming the butter and sugar until fluffy is religion! This action alone can make or break any batter! I'm not going to tell you I wasn't nervous about the looseness of the ingredients as I watched them spin around in the kitchen aid! Note to self... this batter is not for the faint of heart, the red food coloring must be added cautiously! My counter top will never forget this day, no matter how hard I try to scrub the experience off of it! So I filled the cups 2/3 full, as is standard and safe (to avoid run-off of course!). I peeked in on them periodically during the 20 minutes I lovely refer to as the moments of truth! Low and behold, they rose fantastically! The proof is in the pictures! Ok they look fabulous! The color is rich and they glisten in the florescent kitchen light!! Now how did they taste!? What I like about red velvet is that it isn't vanilla and it isn't chocolate! It does not have a richness or heaviness! It is perfect! It balances the weight of the cream cheese icing nicely! Success!! I am going to join the crowd and say my red velvet is the best on the planet! ;)


Other developments/achievements for Thursday:
I am usually the master of the piping bag! I'm gonna decorate and Jill is gonna bake! Although these roles work currently, that would mean that neither one of us could take a sick day! Not gonna work! We have been embarking on personal missions to become well-rounded! So I bake, make icing and decorate! So does my mommy dearest! Let me just tell you! She had quite the triumph today with decorating! She went for a fourth of July theme and she nailed it! I will post some pictures asap!
I can officially say Thursday has been a success! What will the weekend bring? Probably more baking and icing! Life is Sweet!!