Red Velvet....pumpkins???
Madison, my Princess Apprentice, informed me that she does not like frosting but she LOOOVES red velvet cake. Since I picked up a couple little cast iron baking pans at the on line auction, I wanted to use them and thought that two cakes, sandwiched together would make awesome little pumpkins with the addition of some orange glaze and piped vines with leaves.
The pans had been pretty neglected and rusty, but I got them cleaned up and seasoned relatively well:
I mixed up a batch of red velvet bundt cake batter, because it was a recipe I'd used before and liked, and it was fluffy enough to be a cupcake but dense enough to decorate. I leveled off the little cakes, removing the slight domes from baking, and sandwiched them with cream cheese frosting, then rolled them in the glaze. After the glaze dried, I piped on the leaves and vines. I was happy with them, my expectations sometimes exceeds results, but in this case the pumpkins I imagined actually materialized:
I made 6 little pumpkins, because that's how many the pans made, LOL, and the rest went into cupcake pans and were frosted with cream cheese frosting and topped with sugar turkeys.
The little girls were tickled with the pumpkins, and the big kids and adults left the remaining four so they could go home with Madi and Maci for today's snack. Makayla and Bud cupcakes (and pie), professing to want the extra frosting on the cupcakes.
So, we're all happy. I got to use my new pans, the smallest Princesses got their pumpkins and the bigger kids got extra frosting, how can that be bad? The adults mostly ate the raspberry cheesecake, and all the dessert leftovers were sent home with other people for today's enjoyment.
Annie
Comments (21)
7 years ago
7 years agoRelated Discussions
Are you hosting Thanksgiving?
Comments (52)Lizbeth-gardener, funny you should ask that question. Yes, it's different from the cream of mushroom soup version. I make it slightly differently every year because I have been trying to prove to one family member that scratch versions are better than canned versions. It's usually some version of this recipe: Green Bean and Chanterelle Casserole from Wild Mushrooms, in the Northwest Homegrown Cookbook Series, but doubled 1 1/2 pounds green beans, trimmed 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 leeks, white and pale green parts only, split, cleaned and sliced 1 pound chanterelles, brushed clean, trimmed and coarsely chopped 1/2 cup dry white wine 1/2 cup dried bread crumbs (from a boule or focaccia) White Sauce: 3 tablespoons unsalted butter 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 1/2 cups whole milk Pinch freshly grated or ground nutmeg Salt and freshly ground black pepper For the white sauce, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture foams up and begins to smell slightly nutty, 2 to 3 minutes (the flour should not brown). Slowly whisk in the milk and cook until the sauce thickens, whisking often to avoid any lumps or sticking, 6 to 8 minutes. Take the pan from the heat and whisk in the nutmeg with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Generously butter a 12-inch oval baking dish or other 2-quart baking dish. Bring a large pan of salted water to a boil, add the green beans, and cook until they are bright green and nearly tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain well. Melt the butter in a saute pan or large skillet over medium heat. Add the leeks and cook, stirring, until tender and aromatic, 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside about 1/2 cup of the chanterelles and add the rest to the skillet. Cook, stirring often, until the mushrooms are tender and any liquid they give off has evaporated, 5 to 7 minutes. Take the skillet from the heat and stir in the white sauce, white wine, and salt and pepper to taste. Add the beans and stir to evenly coat them in the sauce, then transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish. Pulse the bread crumbs and reserved chanterelles in a food processor to a fine crumbly texture. Scatter the mixture over the green beans and bake until bubbly-hot and the topping is nicely browned, 30 to 40 minutes. Spoon onto individual plates to serve. Makes 6 to 8 servings However, I have done the Emerilized version (only two guests liked it; too untraditional), the healthy version (almost one liked it), the version above, but with canned fried onions (they mostly liked it), another version with fontina cheese melted into it and heavy cream instead of milk (what's not to like?). For the past couple of years it has been difficult to find chanterelles in my neck of the woods (I go to Central Market in Austin), but I usually combine three types of mushrooms, e.g. shitake, cremini, and oyster. We do have wild mushrooms at my place, but I've never had the nerve to harvest them (some around here do, and have for generations). I happen to think this casserole is better made one day in advance and refrigerated, then reheated for Thanksgiving....See MoreStuff, stuff, stuff, stuff, stuff, stuff, stuff!
Comments (61)"Just wait until you have to pack up all that crap and move it." My SIL just bought a retirement home so they are decluttering their current house as a preparation for selling it--she keeps telling me she can't believe how much STUFF she's got to get rid of. When I go to their house I always admire how it looks nicely organized and without extraneous things all over. However, I also admire her tons of closets and storage space which she says leads to keeping, you guessed it, all that stuff LOL. I've decided I will play a mental game this summer and pretend we have to move; maybe that will be my motivation to get rid of much unnecessary and unused stuff in our house! I use the holidays and shopping for gifts to satisfy any yen I may have to be a retail hunter/gatherer. The past few years I increasingly feel as if I am gorging myself after staying on a careful and healthy diet; by the time January comes I feel so psychically bloated from all the shopping /buying that I need another year to rest up and recover! It's interesting to me to watch my young adult daughter who is setting up her first home. She loveslovesloves Home Goods, Marshalls, Pier 1 etc. And when I go with her I usually find stuff I could easily buy. I have a rule that I can't take anything from those places home the day I see it. That usually short circuits the purchase, I'm rarely motivated enough to fight the traffic and crowds to go back a second time!...See MoreHalloween vignette inspo needed
Comments (35)I love the velvet pumpkins! You found lots of colors. I didn’t realize it was a mirror until you pointed it out, I thought it was a pass thru!...See MoreIts not even pink!
Comments (53)I am not sure how i decide what gets named and what doesn't to be honest...... And while i love pink everything, I am also a huge sucker for fall and winter and the holidays in those seasons. My kitchen will be decorated with fall stuff and then Christmas themed things in their season. Then, back to all pink, all the time....See More- 7 years ago
- 7 years ago
- 7 years agolast modified: 7 years ago
7 years ago- 7 years ago
- 7 years ago
7 years ago- 7 years ago
- 7 years ago
- 7 years ago
- 7 years ago
Huh??? You would??? Really??? You'd mail me a piece of your homemade pumpkin pie?!! But of course it would do fine in the mail! Others have done it...
• food crafts DIY cake delivery pie thanksgiving letter videos sponge shipping t · More Info
• food crafts DIY cake delivery pie thanksgiving letter videos sponge shipping t · More InfoOh. Wait. That's not real pie. Nevermind.
• food crafts DIY cake delivery pie thanksgiving letter videos sponge shipping t · More Info
Sorry Annie, saw this the other day and after your sweet comment I had to post these! But isn't it a cute idea : ) - 7 years ago
- 7 years ago
- 7 years ago
- 7 years ago
- 7 years ago
- 7 years ago
- 7 years ago
2ManyDiversions