food
Recipe: Red, White, and Blue Velvet Summer Trifle
The 4th of July is a time for family gatherings and fun in the sun. Since I live a few steps away from the beach, friends and family seem to appear on these holidays. I am always looking for quick and unique ways to surprise them when they surprise me with a visit.This year, I created a lighter, summer version of the favorite Red Velvet Cake everyone loves.
Rebecca E. Parsons' Red {White and Blue} Velvet trifle
I say this is quick because I prepare the cake ahead of time and freeze it; this way I can pull it out of the freezer, cut it into small pieces, and assemble the trifle in individual trifle bowls with some fresh berries. I always have berries on hand in the summer. (In winter I use frozen berries.) It looks like a million-dollar-dessert and is a much lighter rendition, using whipped cream instead of the heavy boiled frosting in the original recipe.
Red Velvet cake has its roots deep from the soil of the Southern U.S. The red in our 'secret' family recipe, closely guarded for generations, is created with beets and beet juice! I think it was a 'secret' for so long because beets cause a variety of reactions (mostly unfavorable) when they appear on the supper table. My grandfather said it was called 'beet cake' when he was a boy.
Most of today’s recipes are made with red food coloring, which produces an unnatural red that my grandfather would scoff at and a bland flavor and texture that my family just doesn't much care for. So I am sharing my family version for you to try, I promise, even the most staunch beet haters will fall under it's spell! Go on now...try it, y'all!
Tannie's Red Velvet Beet Cake Recipe
Ingredients:
2 cups freshly cooked beets, drained (reserve liquid) and grated
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup good-quality unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 tsp. vinegar
1 tsp. beet juice
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Position an oven rack in the center. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans and set aside.
Cook 3-5 beets by boiling in water until soft when pierced with a fork (about 15-20 minutes). Drain and reserve juice. Set aside to cool. For a more intense beet flavor, roast them in the oven while preparing the cake batter.
In a mixing bowl, sift the dry ingredients—flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating 1 minute after each addition.
In another mixing bowl, combine wet ingredients—buttermilk, vinegar, beet juice and vanilla. Blend well with a fork or wisk. Grate the beets down to the skin on a cheese grater. Discard Skin. Fold grated beets into the buttermilk mixture.
Add 1/2 of the sifted dry ingredients to the buttermilk mixture, scraping down the sides of the bowl and mixing well. Add 1/2 of the buttermilk-beet mixture and stir well to incorporate. Add the remaining dry ingredients, scraping down the sides of the bowl as you mix. Add the remaining buttermilk-beet mixture to this and incorporate well.
Pour into prepared cake pans. Bake about 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely. Place cooled cakes on a parchment covered cookie sheet and put in freezer for 1 hour. Remove from freezer and place into plastic freezer bags and freeze until company comes.
Assembling Rebecca's Red {White & Blue} Velvet Summer Trifle
This is the fun part. You can arrange the layers as you wish, be creative or let everyone arrange their own! HINT: The cake cuts better when frozen and makes this sweet treat really cool on a hot summer day!!!
trifle ingredients (fresh is best)
Ingredients:
Frozen Red Velvet Cake cut into 1/2" squares
Freshly Whipped Heavy Cream
Blueberries
Prepared cut strawberries in sugar syrup (drain and reserve syrup)
Godiva Chocolate Liqueur or chocolate syrup for those who don't want alcohol
Directions:
Cut Red Velvet cake squares for trifle
Prepare cut strawberries by covering with a layer of sugar and placing in the fridge until it makes it own syrup (several hours or overnight). In small trifle cups, place enough cake cubes to cover bottom. Drizzle 1 tablespoon chocolate liqueur over cake. Spoon a heaping tablespoon of whipped cream over cake. Drop blueberries over cream. Spread a tablespoon of whipped cream over blueberries, without going to the edge. Place drained strawberries over this layer of cream. They will push the whipped cream toward the edge of bowl. Place a dollop of whipped cream in center of the strawberries. Arrange a square of the cake, a strawberry and a blueberry on top of cream. Drizzle strawberry syrup over top. Serve immediately while cake is still thawing. YUM!!!
What are your favorite sweet treats to prepare for summer get togethers?
Rebecca E. Parsons, a Renaissance gal with a designer's eye and the gift o' gab, is the Chief Creative Force behind Cre8tive Compass Magazine and Artistically Speaking Talk Show. A freelance writer/publisher/talk show host and Social Media Pioneer, Rebecca has been blogging since 1999. She explores the creative lifestyle daily by writing about DIY and craft projects, sharing delicious recipes, party ideas and so much more. Her mission is to inform, enlighten, encourage, delight and entertain you while giving you ideas to enjoy every minute of your creative life and lifestyle. She cares, she listens, and she encourages your dreams.
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