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FOOD FOR THOUGHT By
Wanda A. Adams
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Red velvet cake, perhaps because of its beguiling name and attractive crimson color, is enjoying a renaissance, both in local bakeries and on restaurant menus.
Gearing up for Valentine's Day, I tried out a shortcut, miniaturized version of the recipe from "Cupcakes! From the Recipe Doctor," by Anne Byrn (Workman, 2005). While I enjoy making cakes from scratch, and find that they actually don't take more than a few minutes longer than working with mixes (provided you've got the ingredients on hand), I enjoy Byrn's recipes, too. All of hers start with a boxed mix. And since most people today are used to the flavor and texture of mix cakes, you usually get rave reviews.
There's something about cupcakes. They make me feel like a kid again — peeling away the pretty pastel liners, taking a big bite, licking the frosting off your lips (or your nose!). It all makes me smile.
Byrn's red velvet cupcakes made me smile, too. Her recipe combines cake mix with sour cream and mini chocolate chips. But I had to rejigger the recipe a bit — I hadn't been able to find mini chocolate chips, and I had underestimated the amount of sour cream in the fridge. So I used softened cream cheese in place of the sour cream and ran my regular-size chocolate chips through the food processor to chop them up.
It was alllll goooood.
RED VELVET CUPCAKES
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Line 24 cupcake cups with paper liners. In a large bowl, combine chocolate mix, instant pudding, sour cream, water, vegetable oil, food coloring and eggs.
Blend on low for 30 seconds, then increase speed to medium and beat 2 minutes, scraping down sides as needed. Mixture will be thick. Fold in chocolate chips. Spoon 1/3 cup batter into each lined cupcake cup, filling it to three-quarters full.
Bake 18 to 20 minutes, until a skewer or toothpick emerges clean from the center of the cupcake and the top springs back when lightly touched.
Makes about 20 cupcakes.
Send recipes and queries to Wanda A. Adams, Food Editor, Honolulu Advertiser, P.O. Box 3110, Honolulu, HI 96802. Fax: 525-8055. E-mail: wadams@honoluluadvertiser.com.
For more information about our 150th anniversary cookbook, call 535-8189 (message phone; your call will be returned). You can order the cookbook online.
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