Four-Layer Red Velvet Chocolate Cake with Mascarpone Frosting

In honor of the return of the most bizarrely lovable mass-murderer, i.e. Dexter, I naturally decided to bake an aptly colored cake. Enter The Red Velvet Chocolate Cake, a vibrantly colored classic delight. Great for the holiday's, celebrations, or as a stunning after-dinner centerpiece to sweetly finish-off any dinner party. 

You will need two 9 inch round cake pans lined with wax or parchment paper and lightly greased with butter. Wire Cooling racks and tin foil or plastic wrap are also needed. 

Red Velvet Chocolate Cake

• 2 1/2 cups Cake Flour, Sifted
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 3 Tbsp Cocoa Powder
• 1/2 cup Unsalted Butter, room temperature
• 1 1/2 cup Sugar
• 2 Large Eggs
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1 cup Milk + 1 Tbsp Distilled White Wine Vinegar (pre-mix and let sit)
• 2 Tbsp Red Food Coloring
• 1 tsp Distilled White Wine Vinegar
• 1 tsp Baking Soda

*Begin by preparing your cake pans and preheating your oven to 350 degrees.                  

*In a medium bowl, combine the sifted flour, the salt, and the cocoa powder. Set aside. 

*Using a hand-held mixer or a KitchenAid, beat the butter until soft. Add the sugar and continue mixing until fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, along with the vanilla. Be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl to ensure everything is being equally combined. 

*In a separate bowl, whisk the pre-mix of milk and vinegar with the food coloring. Return to your butter mixture and slowly add the flour mix and the red mix, alternating between the two, and beginning with the flour. Whisk on low until well combined. 

*In a small cup, add the baking powder and vinegar and allow to fizz. Mix into your batter and immediately transfer to baking pans. Divide the batter equally among the pans and smooth the top with a baking spatula or wooden spoon. 

*Place in the oven and bake 25-30 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool on wire racks for 30 minutes. After approximately 15 minutes remove the cakes from the pans and continue to cool on the racks. When entirely cooled, wrap in tin foil or plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least one hour but preferably overnight. 

Mascarpone Frosting

• 8 oz Cream Cheese, room temperature
• 8 oz Mascarpone 
• 2 tsp Vanilla
• 1/2 cup Powdered Sugar
• 1 1/2 cups Heavy Whipping Cream
• 2 Tbsp Shredded Coconut 

*Using a hand-held mixer or KitchenAid, beat the cream cheese and mascarpone until soft. Add in the vanilla and powdered sugar, mixing well. Fold in the whip cream and then whisk lightly until frosting is thick and creamy. 

To Serve: Using a serrated knife, slice the cakes horizontally to create four layers. Place one layer, bottom up on a serving platter and frost the top. Stack the next layer on top, pressing the frosting between the two pieces, and frost the top of that layer. Sprinkle 1 tbsp of shredded coconut between the second and third layers. Repeat until all four layers have been stacked and frosted. Now frost the sides, spinning the plate to create a smooth, polished finish. Top with the remaining tbsp of coconut and decorate however your heart desires! 

Press crushed pecans into the sides of the cake, top with fresh raspberries or strawberries, speckle with sprinkles, spell out your lover's name with decorative icing, or even make a particularly disturbing design for a television show premiere; the finishing touches are up to you!

Enjoy :]

<3Marea



 *This post is linked to Mangoes and Chutney's for Fat Camp Friday
   

Apple Pie with Fresh-Picked Gravenstein Apples & Cloves

First of all: My apologies for the two day absence. I was caught unexpectedly by food poisoning (*NOT* from anything I made!! The one night we decide to eat out and that is what happens!!). And when you are sick, thinking about food- let alone writing about it!- is not the best medicine. So I took a small hiatus but I'm back! And what better way to return than with a classic toothsome treat: Homemade Apple Pie!

It is apple season here in Wine Country, and since my parent's property is rich with Gravenstein Trees I've taken it upon myself to put this abundance of deliciously sweet fruit to good use! Keeping with my theme of "Seasonal Sundays" I felt today was the perfect day for an apple recipe. Now, I know the internet is overflowing with recipes for "Mom's Apple Pie" and the likes, but after much experimentation I've finally found my own secret special ingredient: Cloves! This aromatic spice is typically used in Indian cuisine and as a key ingredient in Garam Masala, but when used in the correct quantities it provides quite a fabulous flavor to a homemade apple pie!

Apple Pie with Fresh-Picked Gravenstein Apples & Cloves

To Make the Crust: 

• 2 cups All-Purpose Flour, sifted
• 1 cup Shortening or 2 Sticks of Unsalted Butter
• 4 Tbsp Milk, very cold (add more if needed)
• 1 tsp. Salt
• 1 tsp. Sugar

*In a large bowl dice the butter or shortening in to small parts, using two butter knives. "Slice" in the sifted flour, making a very "crumbly" dough. Add milk, slowly, 1 Tbsp. at a time, mixing so that the dough remains coarse. You can also complete this step using your food processor on "pulse". 

*Knead into two equal-sized balls, sprinkle with flour and wrap in plastic-wrap to chill for approximately 1 hour. Small chunks of butter should still be visible. This will allow for a flaky crust. 

*After the dough has chilled, roll out, using a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface, into two thin crusts. Place the bottom dough into a buttered, floured 9 inch glass pie dish. Pinch the dough into the dish so that it fully lines the entirety of the glass.

*Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.

*To Save Time*: If dough-making doesn't come easy, grab a frozen pre-made crust from the grocery store. Just don't skip out on the fresh apples! The filling is what makes this recipe unique. 

To Make the Filling:

• 8-10 Gravenstein apples (depending on size)- peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
• 1 Cup Brown Sugar
• 1 Cup Granulated Sugar
• ½ tsp ground cloves
• ½ tsp cinnamon (plus more to taste)
• ½ tsp Apple Pie Spice (optional!)
• 3 TBSP All-Purpose Flour

*Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, adding the flour last. Mix until the apples are well-coated in a gooey, sugary glaze. Pour the apple mixture into your crust and cover with the top crust, pinching the top and  bottom crusts together, and fluting the edges. Cut small slits across the center. Sprinkle Cinnamon or the Apple Pie Spice across the top crust and cover with aluminum foil.

*Bake covered at 425 degrees for 15 minutes. Next, reduce the heat to 350 degrees and bake for one hour. Remove the foil and cook an additional 15 minutes uncovered. Remove from the oven and re-cover with the foil and a large bowl. Let cool for 10 minutes. 

Serve with a Rich Vanilla Ice Cream or a thick slice of Sharp Cheddar Cheese. Whichever way you decide to dig in, your taste buds will surely thank you!

<3 Marea 

Dark Chocolate and Raspberry Coconut Tarts

After experiencing quite a lovely dinner at a friend's house a few months ago, I became obsessed with cooking with Coconut- Coconut Oil, Coconut flakes, Coconut milk! She had used the oil to stir-fry vegetables and not only was the flavor amazing, the health benefits are incredible; coconut oil has been used for hair and skin care, weight loss, and as an alternative aid for stress, aging, digestion, liver and kidney disease, even cancer!

I was scanning through some cookbooks recently and came across a sweet and simple recipe for Coconut Tarts. Taking my inspiration from Donna Hay's New Food Fast, I decided to do my best with what I had in my baking cabinet and put my new souffle cups to good use. These treats are dangerously rich and deliciously sweet!

Dark Chocolate & Raspberry Coconut Tarts

• 2 eggs whites
• 1/2 cup of Cane Sugar
• 2 cups Shredded Coconut flakes
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract

*Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl combine the egg whites, sugar, vanilla, and coconut. Mix well. Using your finger tips press the coconut into the souffle cups (or you can use muffin tins that have been rubbed with butter or sprayed with vegetable oil). The mixture is very sticky so wetting your fingers will help make this process run much more smoothly. You want to press the coconut up against the sides and bottom of the dish (or tin!) making a crust for the chocolate. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the shells turn a light golden brown. 

• For the Filling:
• 1 1/4 cup of Dark Chocolate Chips (10 oz)
• 1 cup Fresh or Frozen Raspberries
• 1 1/4 cups Cream

*While the Coconut shells are cooking, heat the cream over medium-low in a saucepan. Heat until almost boiling and then turn off the burner. Stir in the chocolate until melted. Fill each shell about 1/3 full with the chocolate. Press 3-4 raspberries into each tart and then fill to the top with chocolate. Place the tarts into the freezer to set for 10 minutes. 

*Sprinkle some coconut shreds on top and serve with a scoop of fresh raspberries and Vanilla Bean ice cream. 

Quick, Simple and a sure fix to any sweet-tooth! You can even use desiccated coconut for a finer, crustier shell.

Enjoy :]

<3 Marea

Lemon Blueberry Pound Cake with a Fresh Strawberry Glaze

When Strawberry season rolled around my mother showed up at my doorstep with a box full of red juicy sweetness.

"Do something with these. Your dad went a bit overboard at the strawberry stand on the corner," my mother said, pressing the giant box into my open arms.

"Okay, but I am coming to raid your fridge," I replied.

One refrigerator scavenger hunt later, I set off back to my kitchen with an armful of ingredients and a mind set on making something sweet. Instantly Strawberry Shortcake sprung to mind, but with half a carton of blueberries, and 2 Meyer lemons, I had something more exciting on the brain.

What developed was a fun twist on the classic dessert.

Lemon Blueberry Pound Cake

• 3 large eggs
• 3 Tbsp Milk
• 1 1/2 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
• 1 1/2 cups sifted Flour
• 1 tsp Baking Powder
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 1 cup Granulated White Sugar
• 13 Tbsp Butter
• 1 cup fresh Blueberries
• Lemon zest from 2 Meyer Lemons
• 1- 9x5 inch loaf pan, lightly rubbed with butter or vegetable cooking spray. 

*Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl combine all of the "wet" ingredients using an electric mixer. In a separate bowl combine all of the "dry" ingredients. Slowly blend the two bowls into one, mixing on medium speed. 

*Using a cake spatula (or a wooden spoon) scrape the half of the batter into the loaf pan. Scatter the blueberries across the top of the batter and then sprinkle the grated lemon zest on top. Reserve a small amount of zest for garnish and set aside. Finish with the remaining batter, rounding and smoothing the top of the cake as your pour. Bake for approximately 60-65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool. 

*If you are not big on baking you can streamline this process by using a boxed pound cake mix, adding 1/4 cup of sugar, the blueberries, and the lemon zest. 

Fresh Strawberry Glaze and Whipped Cream

• 1 carton Fresh Strawberries, rinsed and sliced.
• 1/2 cup Cane Sugar

*Here's the easy part- Simply slice the strawberries into a bowl and sprinkle them with the cane sugar. Cover and store in the refrigerator while the Pound Cake is in the oven. The sugar combined with the cold will cause the strawberries to "sweat" and produce a divinely delicious glaze with minimal effort on your part! 

*You can now chose to use a can of pre-made whipped cream or mix up your own using:

• 1 cup Heavy Cream
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1 Tbsp. Confectioner's Sugar

*Combine the ingredients and beat with an electric mixer or whisk until soft peaks form.

To Serve: Slice the Pound Cake and top with a large spoonful of the strawberry mixture, and a generous dollop of whipped cream. As a finishing touch sprinkle with the lemon zest and place in front of a salivating audience. 

<3 Marea