It's A Red Red Wedding

Okay, I have been wanting to do a cookie like this for sometime but I didn't want to even attempt it until I had perfected my Red Velvet Sugar Cookie Recipe. Finally managed to pull that off recently so I felt ready to try this. I am over the moon happy with the results and am now offering it on Etsy. I think it is just too cute!!!!!

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Pumpkin Patch!

Can you tell I already have Halloween Fever? Yeah, don't expect this to let up anytime soon. We already have 4 large pumpkins perfect for carving sitting in my living room right now.

So what better way to keep it going than Pumpkin Cookies! Simple little design that was rather fun to do. Figured these will be perfect for the kids classmates this Halloween. Probably going to end up handing these out to Trick Or Treaters. ^_^

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One Black Night

Yeah, as you can tell I have Halloween on the Brain! These cookies re more for those that want minimal icing on their cookie. So instead of giving the cookies a base of royal icing I just dyed the dough. It came out as a beautifully rich black that when paired with the white icing came out so much better than I thought it would. If you like these you can pick them up at my Etsy Store.

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Available On Etsy

Okay, well I finally did it. I opened a shop on Etsy and let me say...I am nervous as all get out! Maybe I shouldn't be, maybe I should be. I don't know. I just know it took a lot of deep breathes this morning to click - Open.  ~is actually shaking slightly~ It is kind of scary. I have been doing this for a couple of years.

Making cakes and such for friends and family, even had some wonderful paying customers, lol. Yet it is different when you throw yourself and all your creations out on the wind and hope someone catches them. You open yourself up for a lot, both good and bad.

Thankfully I have had a lot of support from all around me. Friends I have known for decades pushing me to open, family asking when they can order and a hubby behind me the whole time going telling me, "You can do this, you have the talent, just go for it."

Okay, I am going to stop rambling now because I don't know what else to say. Well I do but too much is going through my head too fast to put it all down. So for now. I will leave you all with this - Thank you for all the support, I will do my very best to be worthy of all the faith you all have placed in me. (Damn I am blessed to have such kick tushy people backing me, cause lord knows I need a push every now and then.)

And here it is - Surreal Confections on Etsy -
(If you don't see what you want, let me know!)Use Promocode Grandopening when you check out before Sept 31st to get a 20% discount!

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Red Velvet Cake Recipe

Alright, I may have been born up north but I was raised in the south and there is no woman that can say she is a cook in the south and not be able to make a Red Velvet Cake, known as an RVC. It is just that simple. Like knowing how to make sweet tea or fried chicken, RVC is a must to know for any true Southern Woman. ^_~

Granted, not every woman in the wold knows how to make a RVC, which is sad. You should. So, I'm going to give you a personal recipe from my private stash. Now, before I begin I am going to send you somewhere. Go here - Red Velvet Love. This is a little post I made a while ago on what makes a RVC. Why? Because this cake is a love affair. Either you are going to love it or you will hate it. If you love it, you will fight for it, defend it and let people know exactly why it is the Queen Of Cakes, hehe. (I have a bit of passion for this if you couldn't tell.)

So, let us get started. This recipe is from my book - Surreal Fare (Shameless Plug here, you can pick it up by clicking on that link and get this recipe and so many more. :P Digital Download or Print, hehe.) Now, back to the cake! This is the recipe I pull out when we have company over. One that I am proud to say has caused many people to lean back in their chair, close their eyes and have a foodgasm when they eat it. (Any single girl wanting to catch a country boy, make this. ^_~)

Recipe:

2 2/3 Cup Cake Flour
1 Cup Granulated Sugar
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1 Teaspoon Salt
3 Tablespoon Cocoa Powder, level
1/2 Cup Light Brown Sugar, packed
1 Cup Butter Milk
2 Large Eggs
1 2/3 Cup Vegetable Oil, not shortening
2 Teaspoons Vanilla (or 1 Vanilla Bean Scrapped Out)
1 Ounce No Taste Red Food Coloring Gel
1 Teaspoon White Vinegar

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
2. Coat 3 or 4, 8 inch round cake pans with non stick baking spray.
3. In a large mixing bowl sift together the flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, salt and cocoa powder.
4. Mix in the brown sugar. Set aside.
5. In another bowl combine the buttermilk, eggs, vegetable oil and vanilla.
6. Mix until well combined.
7. Add in the food coloring to wet mix. Beat until the batter is a uniform color.
8. Slowly add in the dry ingredient mixture. Mix until well combined.
9. Add in the vinegar and mix until combined.
10. Pour equal amounts into each cake pan.
11. Place into the oven and cook 15-20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
12. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes.
13. Remove from cake pan and allow to cool fully, 1-2 hours before decorating.
14. Decorate, Serve and Enjoy!

Tips:
1. Make sure to get no taste red gel, you can find it in most super centers in the celebration area.
2. Thinner layers cook better with this recipe. If you don't have 3+ cake pans, lower temp to 325.
3. Keep the amount in each cake pan under 1/2 full if you can, it will bake more evenly.
4. Use a Cream Cheese Frosting, it is truly the best to compliment this cake.
5. Make sure to follow the steps as they are here. I am usually one for - oh forget it, I can just dump and go. This is not one of those times.

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