Red Velvet Cupcakes In A Jar

Image by Jamie Lothridge | My Baking Addiction

Valentine's Day is around the corner and we've been cooking up a storm to bring you a selection of light, fresh and easy recipe ideas (watch this space ;). I stumbled upon this recipe form My Baking Addiction and just loved the look of it! Below is the recipe as it appears on her blog, visit www.mybakingaddiction.com for more inspirational baking ideas and drool-worthy images.

Red Velvet Cupcakes In A Jar

INGREDIENTS:

For the Cupcakes
1 cup cake flour
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2/3 cup vegetable oil
3/4 granulated sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons red food coloring
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon white vinegar

For the Cream Cheese Frosting
8 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
3 tablespoons butter, softened to room temperature
1 pound confectioners’ sugar (about 3 ¾ cups), sifted
2 teaspoons clear vanilla extract*

DIRECTIONS:

For the Cupcakes

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 12 cupcake wells with paper liners or spray pan with spray with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Sift together cake flour, cocoa powder, and salt.

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine oil and sugar until well-blended. Add egg and mix until combined.

4. Turn your mixer down to the lowest speed and add vanilla, then slowly add in the food coloring. Note: If you are using liquid food coloring, it will take about 2 tablespoons of coloring to get a dark red shade. I used about 1 tablespoon of gel dye to achieve the shade in the photographs. Add the dye slowly and color according to your preference.

5. Add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk in two batches; scrape down the side of the bowl. Continue mixing until just combined, taking care not to over mix.

6. Place baking soda in a small dish, stir in vinegar and add to batter with the machine running. Beat for about 10 seconds.

7. Using a medium scoop (about 3 tablespoons), divide batter between the 12 wells, filling each well about 2/3 full of batter. Bake for 20-24 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Be careful not to over bake.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting

1. In a the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together cream cheese and butter until well combined.

2. With the mixer on low, gradually add the confectioners’ sugar until thoroughly incorporated and smooth. Add vanilla and mix to combine.

To Assemble in Jars

1. Slice cupcakes horizontally to create layers. Each cupcake will yield 2-3 layers depending on how thick you want your layers to be.

2. Place one cupcake layer into the bottom of your jar, pipe a layer of cream cheese frosting directly onto the cake layer. Repeat the layering process until you reach the top of your jar. If desired, garnish with festive sprinkles or red velvet cake crumbs.

Soft Boiled Egg with Sundried Tomato Soldiers & Bacon Crisps

With Valentine’s around the corner we’re getting all romantic and thinking about ways to spoil our loved ones (with food of course J). Try this delicious 5 ingredient breakfast as a treat for someone special.

Soft Boiled Egg with Sundried Tomato Soldiers & Bacon Crisps

Serves 2

               

You will need

2 slices bread (we used rye)

Sundried tomatoes

Parmesan, grated

6 – 8 rashers streaky bacon

2 large white eggs

How to make it

Slice the bread into fingers.

Smear each finger with some sundried tomatoes and top with Parmesan.

Place the bread soldiers and bacon rashers under a hot grill until the bacon is super crispy and the Parmesan is golden. (The bacon may take longer than the soldiers, so consider grilling it a few minutes before adding the bread.)

Meanwhile, cover the eggs with cold water and bring to the boil. Boil for 2 – 3 minutes for soft centers.

Cut off the tops of the eggs and serve everything together immediately.

Valentine's Gifts from LekkerBek

Spoil your loved one, family, boss, client,

staff members or co-workers with a

delicious treat this Valentine’s Day. 

Click here for our gift selection.

The best gift ever? Champagne that was made the year you were born of course!

I thought it would be appropriate to open the blog this year with a post about Champagne – the ultimate celebration drink. It’s no secret that I’m a big fan of bubbly, and although I think South African MCC is fantastic, there is something special about the delicate fizz and golden hue of real French Champagne.

A bottle of Veuve from 1982!!

Last year my brother gave me one of the most amazing foodie gifts ever – a bottle of 1982 Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin, my birth year. It’s beautiful, scuffed and too precious to drink, but as an ode I’ve decided to dedicate an entire blog post to it. A few years ago the husband and I (still fiancés at that stage) road tripped through the Champagne region in France, and one of the houses we visited was that of Madame Veuve Clicquot. I fell in love with everything about the brand and the bubbly, and it has become my official celebratory drink of choice.

Here is to many more happy years of celebrating with fabulous bubbles in hand.

Happy 2014!

PS: Read some more about Veuve Clicquot's interesting history

and it's champagne making process on their official website, here.

Sipping my favourite at Veuve Clicquot in Reims, Champagne

Inside the cellars at Veuve Clicquot in Reims, Champagne

At the show room at Veuve Clicquot in Reims, Champagne

My best friend popping a bottle of Veuve on my wedding day :)

Lay's Deli Kettle Cooked Chips

Anyone who knows me knows that I have a problem with crisps – not the 

‘can’t-stand-them’ kind of problem, but the ‘can’t-get-enough-of-them’ 

kind of problem. So imagine my delight when Lay’s sent me samples 

of their new Deli Kettle Cooked range to taste – yay! One thing I 

always look for in a crisp is flavour, and this range certainly packs 

a punch. There are four to choose from: Cream Cheese & Jalapeno, 

Sundried Tomato & Olive, Cheese Gratin & Caramalised Onion and 

Creamy Peppered Fillet – the solid favourite in our house.

The husband and I were lucky enough to attend the launch of the new 

offering from Lay’s at an event aptly titled “Bring Back the Mmm”. 

And Mmmm it certainly was! They were really smart in pairing the crisps 

flavours with the canapés they served: Mini Yorkshire puddings with 

beef fillet with the Creamy Peppered Fillet chips, jalapeno poppers 

with the Cream Cheese & Jalapeno chips, savory shortbread and 

sundried tomato with the Sundried Tomato & Olive chips and brie 

and fig spring rolls with the Cheese Gratin & Caramalised Onion crisps.

We were treated to oysters and bubbly, massages, Anele as MC and 

Nothende on stage. Great venue (Urban Tree), fab vibes and delicious food!

We’ll certainly be serving Lay’s Deli Kettle Cooked at our New Year’s 

party tonight ;)

 

Lay's Deli Kettle Cooked Chips stands everywhere! 

Me and the hubby enjoying some bubbles.

Massage room.

Anele on stage.

Some of the delicious food

Tomato Gazpacho Recipe

Tomorrow evening our entire family will be getting together for a big casual dinner 

to celebrate Christmas. This chilled tomato soup will make the perfect starter for 

our summer celebration – not only is it light and refreshing, it’s also a beautiful 

festive red J

Tomato Gazpacho

Serves 4 - 6

Ingredients

800 g ripe tomatoes
1 Red Pepper
1 Slice brown bread, toasted
1 tsp Garlic
1 Tbls Olive Oil
1 Tbls Balsamic Vinegar
1/2 Tbls Tabasco
1 tsp Sugar
Salt + Black Pepper to taste

How to make it

Make an X incision on the top and the bottom of the tomatoes. Pour boiling water 

over them and allow them to soak for 2 minutes. Remove from hot water and 

plunge into an ice bath. The skins should come off easily. Once peeled, you can 

remove the seeds if you wish, but it's not necessary. Roughly cut the tomatoes 

into quarters.
Remove the seeds and membrane from the red pepper, cut into chunky pieces.
Break the slice of toast into smaller pieces.
Place all the ingredients except the salt and pepper into a blender.
Don't liquidise the soup too much; it's supposed to be chunky.
Once you've reached a consistency that you like, season to taste with 

salt and pepper.
Chill and serve cold with crispy bread.

Tips

• You can make the soup a day ahead, the flavors develop really well over a couple of hours.
• Add another slice of bread if the soup is too runny.
• You can add a fresh chilli for some extra kick.

La Parada: Tapas in Cape Town

The husband and I were wondering around Cape Town last weekend and 

popped in for a light lunch at La Parada, a Tapas restaurant in the city bowl.

What a fabulous little discovery! The communal tables and rustic decor

adds to the chilled vibes as patrons sip on ice cold craft beers

and share small plates of well prepared tapas

(the chefs are from Spain!).

We ordered the Gazpacho, Prawn Croquettes, Oxtail Cannelloni,

Calamari with Salsa Verde, Chorizo with Chickpeas and Summer Fish.

Everything was delicious! And the small serving options 

were generous enough to share.

If you find yourself in the Mother City this holiday

do yourself a favour and enjoy a boozy tapas lunch at La Parada.

More info:

107 Bree Street, Cape Town

021 424 2235

https://www.facebook.com/LaParadaTapasCapeTown 

Cube Tasting Kitchen – Celebrating Wirie's 60th

September is celebration month in our house. Birthdays for me, my husband, my best friend, 

my gran and my mom.

This year Wirie turned 60 (hip hip hooray!) and we were treated to the most fabulous dinner 

at Cube Tasting Kitchen. I blogged about this special little restaurant two years ago (here), 

and am thrilled to report that they have kept up the quality and inspired food.

Admittedly my parents are difficult to please when it comes to dining out...

They both owned their own restaurants and they eat exceptionally well at home, so it’s 

not often one sees them impressed by restaurant food, but Cube certainly delighted them!

Spoil yourself, take a few hours and enjoy a 10 (or more!) course meal that you will never forget.

www.cubekitchen.co.za

The menu (Wirie's nick-name is 'Mie')

The birthday girl.

The family & Dario explaining the menu (and a 31 year old wine)

The food. 

South African Cucumber Sarmie

Serve these tasty South African inspired sandwiches at your next tea party or picnic 

– they are simple to make and super tasty.

South African Cucumber Sarmie

Serves 10 -12

You will need

1 loaf Albany Rooibos & Rye Brown Bread

1 large cucumber

1 tub sweet chilli cream cheese

Red chillies or red pepper for garnish, cubed

How to make it

Thinly slice the cucumber.

Smear one side of each bread slice with sweet chilli cream cheese.

Layer sliced cucumber on the cream cheese.

Top with another slice of cream cheese bread.

Slice the crusts off the bread (optional).

Slice the sandwiches into triangles.

Garnish with fresh red chillies or red pepper.

Christmas dishes from around the world

Christmas dinner is not just about stuffed turkey and roast potatoes. All around the world traditions have been shaped by weather, culture and local produce - take a look at these interesting dishes, I may try one for our feast this year ;) 

Read more about them and other traditional Christmas recipes on Saveur here. 

Coquito (Puerto Rican Eggnog)

Galletas con Chochitos (Mexican Butter Cookies with Sprinkles)

Speculaas (Molded Ginger Cookies) from the Netherlands and Belgium 

Krumkakes (Norwegian Wafer Cookies)

Lebkuchen (German Fruit and Spice Cookies)

Krusciki (Polish Bow-Tie Fritters)

Herring and Beet Salad from Sweden

Pernil Asado (Roast Pork Shoulder) from Puerto Rico

Soupe Crasse (Cheese and Bread Soup) from Northern Italy

Tourtière (Québécois Meat Pie) from Canada

Julskinka (Christmas Ham) from New York City

Vitello Tonnato (Veal with Tuna-Caper Sauce) from North West Italy 

Töltött káposzta (Hungarian stuffed cabbage)