After deciding I'd rather bake than study for my final on thursday, I used the excuse that I HAD to make a cake for my friend's birthday as well as a treat for my class today. So, I searched for a ridiculously long time trying to find the perfect recipe. After remembering the tons of hours I had spent watching several of Bobby Flay's shows on Food Network, I realized that he had a pretty awesome looking red velvet cake. I instantly knew that would be absolutely perfect. Of course, this has to be covered with cream cheese frosting (duh!). After trying little bites of it throughout the baking process, and after, I must say it was DELICIOUS. Definitely worth the time.
For my second treat, I searched for whatever looked the best to me at the time. I tend to judge a book by it's cover. So, if I'm looking for a new cookbook and it has no or few pictures, I just can't bring myself to buy it. With that said, I spend lots of time looking at pictures of food. After seeing a picture of these Caramel Apple Oatmeal Bars, I couldn't get them out of my mind. Therefore I had to make them. After giving them to my class this morning I was glad to find that one of my students had devoured 3 within 5 minutes, proof that they are delicious.
Red Velvet Cake (from Food Network's Bobby Flay)
3 3/4 cups AP Flour
3 tablespoons Dutch processed cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 1/4 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cups vegetable oil
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon red food coloring
1 1/2 cups buttermilk, at room temperature
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour 2 (9-inch) cake pans and line each pan with a round of parchment paper (I used square pans instead).
Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in a small bowl.
Cream the butter, sugar and oil with an electric mixer (preferable a stand mixer) until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl and beat until incorporated. Beat in the vanilla, vinegar and food coloring.
Cream the butter, sugar and oil with an electric mixer (preferable a stand mixer) until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl and beat until incorporated. Beat in the vanilla, vinegar and food coloring.
Add the flour mixture to the batter in 3 batches alternating with the buttermilk, mixing well after each addition. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool on a baking rack for 15 minutes before removing the cake from the pans. Let cool completely before frosting. Slice each cake into 2 layers and frost (I just had two very big layers and it worked perfectly).
Cream Cheese Frosting (courtesy of allrecipes)
1/2 cup butter, softened
8 ounces cream cheese
4 cups confectioner's sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup butter, softened
8 ounces cream cheese
4 cups confectioner's sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
Cream together the butter and cream cheese until well blended. Then mix in the powdered sugar a couple cups at a time and mix in vanilla. Should be fluffy!
Caramel Apple Oatmeal Bars
(recipe from Good Eats Sweets n Treats)
For the apples:
1.5 tbsp butter (salted or unsalted)
2-2.5 cups diced Fuji apples (about 2 medium to large apples)
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp brown sugar
For the bars:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened and at room temperature
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tbsp vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
2-1/2 cups oats (quick or old fashioned)
1 cup toffee bits or caramel pieces
Preheat the oven to 350F.
-Melt 1.5 tablespoons of butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. When the foam subsides, toss the diced apples in and cook, turning once, until they are golden brown, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle the apples with 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and 1 tablespoon of brown sugar and cook them, turning, just until coated, another minute or so. Transfer the apples to a small bowl and let cool while you make the cookie dough.
-In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, and salt.
-In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugars until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well between each addition. Add the vanilla.
-Turn the mixer down to low and add the dry ingredients, mixing just until they are incorporated.
-Stir in the oats, caramel bits, and apples. Mix well.
-Pour the dough into an ungreased 13 x 9-inch metal baking pan and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. (If making cookies, bake for 10-12 minutes until golden brown.) I baked them for 26 minutes and they were perfect.
1.5 tbsp butter (salted or unsalted)
2-2.5 cups diced Fuji apples (about 2 medium to large apples)
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp brown sugar
For the bars:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened and at room temperature
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tbsp vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
2-1/2 cups oats (quick or old fashioned)
1 cup toffee bits or caramel pieces
Preheat the oven to 350F.
-Melt 1.5 tablespoons of butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. When the foam subsides, toss the diced apples in and cook, turning once, until they are golden brown, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle the apples with 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and 1 tablespoon of brown sugar and cook them, turning, just until coated, another minute or so. Transfer the apples to a small bowl and let cool while you make the cookie dough.
-In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, and salt.
-In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugars until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well between each addition. Add the vanilla.
-Turn the mixer down to low and add the dry ingredients, mixing just until they are incorporated.
-Stir in the oats, caramel bits, and apples. Mix well.
-Pour the dough into an ungreased 13 x 9-inch metal baking pan and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. (If making cookies, bake for 10-12 minutes until golden brown.) I baked them for 26 minutes and they were perfect.
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