CHRISTINA WHITLOCK DARNELL

Last weekend I was honored to be able to help host my dear friend Angela's baby shower. It was my first time hosting a baby shower, and it was a lot of fun! Since my wedding I've been mildly obsessed with dessert tables, and thought this would be a great opportunity to test my skills by creating a dessert table that incorporated our rustic, owl-inspired theme.

Since the colors were turquoise and lime green I initially struggled with what I should make for the desserts, but finally decided upon doing a variation of my red velvet cupcakes (with a different colored food dye, of course), mini key lime pies and some s'mores bars. I'd never made key lime pie before but was delighted to discover how easy it was to make. Its definitely something foolproof that you can whip up in just a few minutes (if you use pre-made crust) that also tastes wonderful.

For the decor I bought a bunch of burlap that I used to make a table runner, some fabric bunting and to line a frame that I used as a mock menu (I wrote with liquid chalk on the glass). I also found some wooden slabs at Michael's that I used to display the key lime pies on, and then used some of my miscellaneous cake stands and plates that I used for my wedding. All in all, I think it turned out pretty well although I would recommend some modifications to the recipes (see below). Happy Baking!

When I first decided to blog about red velvet, many people said I was crazy. "How on earth can you just blog about red velvet?" they asked. "Won't that get a little repetitive, and well, boring?"

Little did they know this lesser known cake that fell out of favor in the 1970's due to the Red No. 2 food dye scare, would come back with a vengeance -- making its way into our favorite recipes, and subsequently, into our hearts.

To all of the naysayers, I present to you a red velvet cocktail shot. Yes, the cake we both know and love has now made its way into liquid form, to be consumed and enjoyed in 1oz doses. I think its safe to say that once a drink has been named after something, that it is officially mainstream.

I'm not sure if a drink can possibly taste like red velvet, but its worth a shot (pun intended). You can find the recipe here.

• Vote for my fiance and I in Crate & Barrel's Ultimate Wedding Contest http://www.ultimateweddingcontest.com/entry/126647 (detailed instructions below),  then come back here and comment on this post which number vote you were (ie "Vote #525"). 
• If you’re on Twitter, receive an extra entry by tweeting the below (tell me you’ve tweeted, by leaving an extra blog comment): "Win an @Anthropologie apron from @velveteenbaker: http://bit.ly/gSK5Gc #giveaway"
• Get an extra entry if you post about this contest on your blog, or share it with your friends on Facebook asking them to vote for us. Must include this link http://bit.ly/hlTRaL (again, leave an extra blog comment here so I know you posted).

I can't think of a better time of year to make red velvet. If you're looking for some holiday baking inspiration, I've included links to some fun red velvet recipes. I haven't been able to try them all, but can certainly vouch for the sources: from Southern Living, Paula Deen and a few of my favorite baking bloggers. These recipes are sure to get you right into the holiday spirit:

At what point should I start worrying about my red velvet addiction? Truth be told, I actually considered buying two boxes of these.

But wait, these cake truffles, well...they look just like your cake balls?

I'm looking to my readers to see what I should bake next. There are so many red velvet variations on my list that I simply cannot choose. So far the contenders are:

• Red wine velvet cake - A classic red velvet with a red wine reduction in the batter.
• Red velvet cake donuts, frosted of course.
• Gluten-free red velvet cupcakes - for all of you cupcake (but not gluten) lovers out there.
• Red velvet cake with beets - A red velvet cake colored with beets instead of food dye.
• Red velvet whoopie pies - Cream cheese frosting sandwiched between two cookie-sized rounds of red velvet cake.

From bacon cake to bacon chocolate chip cookies, I've been seeing a lot of interesting meat-infused desserts lately, but this one takes the cake...and far too literally at that.

A San Francisco-based chef has invented red velvet fried chicken. Shocking, I know. And with cream cheese infused, garlic mashed potatoes nonetheless. Why I hesitate to understand this odd pairing is that you can't just make something red velvet.

See, red velvet is as much about texture as it is about flavor. Without its velvety, melt-in-your-mouth consistency, red velvet cake would simply be cake with an excessive amount of food dye. However you spin it - drenching and frying in red velvet - or tar and feathering in red velvet, does not a red velvet make.

Regardless of how jaded I may sound, I would like to commend American Cupcake with their creativity, and I am quite curious to hear any reviews of said red velvet fried chicken. If any of my ten whole visitors from the greater San Francisco area decide to check it out, please let me know. Heck, it may even be pretty good. But good, bad or indifferent, you can count on the Velveteen Baker for keeping the poultry out of her baked goods.

You have to imagine my surprise when I discovered this whole red velvet pancake phenomenon. I mean, how could I not see this one coming? They have so much in common that one day they were just destined to meet and hit it off, right?

Well, it sounds like a viable reason to bake again this weekend. Red velvet flapjacks anyone?

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. 
Cream together the shortening and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer until fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat one minute on medium speed.

3. Blend the cooca and red food coloring (the amount of coloring may be reduced but the cake will not have its traditional vivid red color) and make a paste. Add this and the salt to the creamed mixture. Blend the vanilla and buttermilk. Alternately add this and the flour to the creamed mixture, beating constantly. Blend the vinegar and soda and beat this in.

4. Meanwhile, butter and flour two nine-inch cake pans. Shake out the excess flour. Add the cake, batter to each pan and bake 25 to 30 minutes.

5. Remove the cake layers and let cool on a rack. Turn out.

1. Mix milk and flour in a saucepan; simmer over medium heat until thickened, stirring constantly.
2. Pour into a bowl. Chill until cool to the touch. 
3. Cream butter, sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy. 
4. Add in chilled milk mixture, and beat until smooth and fluffy.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place teaspoon of butter in each of 3 round 9-inch layer cake pans and place pans in oven for a few minutes until butter melts. Remove pans from oven, brush interior bottom and sides of each with butter and line bottoms with parchment.
2. Whisk cake flour, cocoa and salt in a bowl.
3. Place oil and sugar in bowl of an electric mixer and beat at medium speed until well-blended. Beat in eggs one at a time. With machine on low, very slowly add red food coloring. (Take care: it may splash.) Add vanilla. Add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk in two batches. Scrape down bowl and beat just long enough to combine.
4. Place baking soda in a small dish, stir in vinegar and add to batter with machine running. Beat for 10 seconds.
5. Divide batter among three 9" pans, place in oven and bake until a cake tester comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool in pans 20 minutes. Then remove from pans, flip layers over and peel off parchment. Cool completely before frosting.

1. Softly whip cream by hand, in electric mixer or in food processor. Cover in bowl and refrigerate.
2. Blend cream cheese and mascarpone in food processor or electric mixer until smooth. Add vanilla, pulse briefly, and add confectioners’ sugar. Blend well.
3. Transfer cream cheese mixture to bowl; fold in whipped cream. Refrigerate until needed.