Red Velvet Cheesecake Cake

When I heard about such an existence of a red velvet layered cheesecake cake, I knew that it was a special present sent from the baking angels of Heaven. Red velvet is one of the finest creations man has ever made, but then to smoosh a big creamy layer of cheesecake in the center too? Genius, pure genius.

I'm still having trouble with making layered cakes look pretty. This one was no exception - it was uneven and the frosting was so hard to keep pristine from the red velvet crumbs. I covered the outside of the cake with some crushed nuts to hide my messy frosting job, but despite all that, nothing could beat how this cake looked cut! Seriously people, perfection! Taste wise, I can say no less. How could it not be good?!!

Red Velvet Cheesecake Cake

Yields: 1 3-layer cake

Original recipe here.

For the cheesecake:

2 oz. white chocolate, chopped

16 oz. cream cheese, room temperature (2 packages)

1/2 cup + 2 tbsn. sugar

1 tbsn. flour

2 eggs, room temperature

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tbsn. heavy cream

For the cake:

2 1/2 cups cake flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tbsn. cocoa powder

1 tsp. salt

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups vegetable oil

1 cup buttermilk

2 tbsn./ 1 oz. red food coloring

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. white distilled vinegar

For the cream cheese frosting:
16 oz. cream cheese/ 2 blocks, room temperature
8 tbsn./ 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 - 3 cups powdered sugar
pinch of salt

Preheat the oven to 350 F. To make the cheesecake, melt the white chocolate, set aside to cool slightly. In a large bowl using an electronic mixer, mix the cream cheese on low speed until creamy. Add the sugar and mix slowly until smooth. On low speed, mix in the flour. Turn off the mixer and scrape down the bowl and beater with a rubber spatula. Add one egg at a time, mixing well after each addition, scraping the sides of the bowl. Mix in the vanilla and cream until the mixture is smooth. Using a large spoon, stir in the melted white chocolate until incorporated. Pour the batter into a parchment paper lined 9-inch spring form pan. Bake for about 30 minutes or until the center is set when you slightly shake the pan. Allow to cool before removing from the spring form pan. Allow to cool completely before assembling the cake.

For the cake, preheat the oven to 350 F. Sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, cocoa and salt into a medium bowl. Beat the eggs, oil, buttermilk, food coloring, vanilla and vinegar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until well combined. Add the dry ingredients and beat until smooth, about 2 minutes. Divide the batter evenly between 2 greased and floured 9-inch round cake pans and bake for 25 - 30 minutes, rotating halfway through, until an inserted toothpick in the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cakes cool for 10 minutes, then invert each onto a plate, then invert again onto a cooling rack and let them cool completely, then level.


To make the cream cheese frosting, cream together the cream cheese and butter in a stand mixer until creamy and smooth. Turn the mixer on low and add the vanilla and salt. Then add the powdered sugar slowly. Once mostly incorporated, turn back to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy. To assemble the cake, place your bottom layer of cake on the dish/ plate you will be serving it on with the leveled side facing up. Spread a thin layer of cream cheese frosting on top - it doesn't matter how messy it looks since it will be covered. Transfer the cheesecake to the top of the cake, then spread another thin layer of cream cheese frosting on top of the cheesecake. Top with the remaining layer of cake - leveled side down so that you have a clean surface. Use the rest of the cream cheese frosting to frost the entire cake. Enjoy!

Not the prettiest cake, but sure the tastiest!

Ahhhh sweet, layer-y goodness!

Tailored Tuesdays

1. Marc by Marc Jacbobs "Ukita leather bag"

2. Chinti & Parker "Elbow patch cashmere sweater"

3. Adam "Crinkle pleated silk skirt"

4. Monica Vinader "Mini marie 18-karat gold-plated necklace"

5. Belstaff "Barkmaster leather boots"

All images can be found at net-a-porter.com.

Lovers' Carvings

Is it fortuitous that a couple days ago I changed my ring tone to this song, then I see it glorified in the new Kindle Zest commercial? Heart when happy things like this happen!

Previous post here.

Bibio . Lovers' Carvings

Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes

I think about food a lot. Maybe too much? Is that possible? I cook food, I eat food, I read about food, I take pictures of food - I think it really consumes my life. Sometimes I come across people who think of food as sustenance only and I get so confused. Food is so central to my life that it seems strange that people see it as such a small thing.

I'm always dreaming about what I'm going to be making next. While dreaming, I stumbled upon The Cupcake Project and her pumpkin pie frosting. Mind you, not pumpkin pie flavored frosting, actual, honest-to-goodness pumpkin pie AS frosting. Did I lose you? Let me break it down... a baked pumpkin pie filled into a piping bag and used as frosting! Genius right?


I knew exactly what I wanted to make: pumpkin pie cupcakes. So that's what we have here: a crispy graham cracker crust, vanilla cake and the creamiest pumpkin pie frosting. I think the perfect Fall treat!

The anatomy of a pumpkin pie cupcake:

Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes

Yields: 15 cupcakes

Inspired by this; adapted from here and here.

For the cupcakes:

1 3/4 cups cake flour

1 cups sugar

1/2 tbsn. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 cup or 1 stick unsalted butter, diced, at room temperature

1/2 cup milk, divided

2 large eggs

1 large egg white

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. cinnamon

For the graham cracker crust:

3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs

2 tbsn. light brown sugar

3 tbsn. unsalted butter, melted

For the pumpkin pie frosting:

2 large eggs, beaten

1 can (16 oz.) pureed pumpkin

2 tbsn. molasses

3/4 cup brown sugar, packed

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1/4 tsp. ground cloves

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

1 tbsn. flour

1 can (12 oz.) evaporated milk

The "frosting" should be made first as it takes the longest to bake and needs to cool before using. Preheat the oven to 425 F. In a medium bowl, mix together all the filling ingredients until well combined. Pour the filling into a 9-inch round pan. Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce to 350 F and continue cooking for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the filling comes out clean. Let cool completely before using.

To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a cupcake pan with liners, set aside. Sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Add the butter and 1/4 cup of milk. Mix on medium speed until smooth, about 4 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. In another bowl, blend the eggs, egg white, remaining 1/4 cup milk and vanilla. Add to the batter in 3 additions, mixing for 2 minutes on medium speed after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl in between additions. Set aside.

To make the crust, combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and butter in a medium bowl and mix well. Add 1 tbsn. of the mixture into the bottom of each cupcake liner and bake for 5 minutes until the graham crackers are golden. Remove from the oven then fill about 1/2 full with the cake batter. Bake for 15 - 20 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely. To frost, scoop the pumpkin pie "frosting" into a piping bag and pipe onto the cupcakes.

Jasmine Green Tea Lemonade

There's something so thirst quenching about Arnold Palmers - just the perfect hint of sweetness from the lemonade with the subtle earthiness from the tea - I love it so! I think it's pretty swell to have a drink named after yourself - especially one as delicious as this. Hmmm... I wonder what kind of epic drink I could create? For some reason though, I don't think a drink with the name 'Michelle Huynh' would catch on as well!

Anyways, I adapted this recipe from Hannah. It's the perfect recipe with just the right amount of sugar and the right amount of tanginess. If it's a bit too strong or too sweet, the recipe is easily adaptable - just add water! I used jasmine green tea since it's my favorite but you could use whatever you'd like. Hannah told me that it's imperative to drink with stripe-y straws, so that I did! It was fantastic.

Jasmine Green Tea Lemonade

Yields: 6 - 8 servings

Adapted from here.

4 - 6 tea bags, depending on your preference of strength (I used jasmine green tea, but you can use any)

6 cups water

1 cup sugar

1 cup water (for the simple syrup)

1 cup lemon juice (from 4 - 6 lemons)

Bring the 6 cups of water to a boil, remove from heat, add the tea bags and allow to steep for 8 - 10 minutes. To make the simple syrup, heat the water and sugar in a small saucepan until the sugar is completely dissolved. Combine the lemon juice, simple syrup and steeped tea in a pitcher, stir and refrigerate until cold. Enjoy!

Crispy Kimchi Fried Rice

Short post - just a simple, delicious and incredibly satisfying meal. One of my favorite things to make when I want something quick!

Kimchi + Crispy Rice + Bacon + Perfectly Fried Egg = NOM.

Crispy Kimchi Fried Rice

Yields: 2 servings

1 tsp. sesame oil

1 tbsn. olive oil

1 tbsn. gochujang

2 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 green onions, sliced

2 tsp. soy sauce

3/4 cup chopped kimchi

3 cups leftover rice

1/2 cup frozen peas (optional)

2 large eggs, fried (optional)

In a medium bowl, combine the rice and gochujang. Mix until the rice is evenly covered in the sauce, set aside. In a large fry pan or wok, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and green onions until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the rice and mix everything together well. Use a spatula to flatten the rice against the pan, and keep still for about 3 - 5 minutes to let the rice get crispy. Repeat until the rice is evenly crispy. Next, add the soy sauce and sesame oil, adding more to taste, stir well. Mix in the crumbled bacon, chopped kimchi and frozen peas (if using). Continue stir frying until everything is well mixed and the peas have thawed. Portion evenly onto two plates, then top with the fried eggs and enjoy!

Ooey, gooey yolk all over my rice!

Instrumental Mixtape

Old & new - perfect for these foggy, gloomy mornings we've been having!

Sigur Ros . Samskeyti

Ratatat . Cherry

Four Tet . She Just Likes to Fight

Four Tet . Sing

Broken Social Scene . Guilty Cubicles

The Cinematic Orchestra . Arrival of the Birds

Cale Parks . Moccasin Bend

Aphex Twin . Corrugated Tubing

Amon Tobin . At the End of the Day

American Analog Set . We're Computerizing and We Just Don't Need You Anymore

Balanescu Quartet . Waltz

The Books . Tokyo

Nujabes . The Final View


White Hinterland . Icarus (Instrumental Version)

Please, if you do anything today, pour yourself a warm bath, light some candles and play these songs on repeat. I love good instrumentals, especially this Sigur Ros song... gorgeous.

Milk + Honey {Costa Mesa, CA}

It's been a couple of years now since the whole fro-yo craze boomed here in southern California. I'm still on the bandwagon. Icy treats to beat the heat? I'm there.  

There are plenty here to choose from: Yogurtland, Pinkberry, Cherry on Top... I could go on for ages. I think one that really stands apart though is Milk + Honey. They have more than just your typical frozen yogurt and shaved ice!

Above is their 'Chai shaved ice' which is decadently laced with cinnamon and milk, then filled with a cheesecake center and topped with all kinds of fresh fruit. I was pretty sad that they ran out of the cheesecake filling this day, which sounded awesome! But it was delicious all the same.

We also got their 'Fro-yo Parfait' which was really fun to eat and I loved the concept. Basically, it was layers of tart frozen yogurt, granola, and oodles of fresh fruit. It was perfect on this unbelievably hot day, no really it was in the high 90s, in the middle of our Californian winter!

My favorite part though was the atmosphere. It was super welcoming, the staff was nice and they have an adorable outside lounge area filled with plush couches and friendly sparrows!

All done!

Yelp

Spiced Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal

There's nothing quite like oatmeal. I know you've heard me wax on and off about the joys of oatmeal, so I'll stop and leave you here with another delicious version of my favorite.

Pumpkin + Spices + Pecans + Maple Syrup = match made in breakfast heaven!

This oatmeal is hearty, just barely sweetened with a bit of nice crunch from the pecans and warmth from the fall spices. In other words, perfect. Please enjoy!

Spiced Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal

Yields: about 6 - 8 servings

Slightly modified from original recipe, which can be found here.

2 1/2 cups regular rolled oats

1/2 cup steel cut oats

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1/4 tsp. ground ginger

1/4 tsp. ground cloves

1/4 cup packed brown sugar (or more to your taste)

2 cups milk

1 cup pumpkin puree

1/4 cup cooking oil (I used coconut oil)

1 cup pecans, lightly toasted (candied would be even better!)

Preheat oven to 400 F. Lightly grease a baking dish, set aside. In a large bowl combine the oats, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves and sugar. In another bowl, combine the milk, pumpkin puree and oil. Add the wet mixture to the dry and mix to combine. Place mixture into a baking dish and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and gently stir the mixture, fold in the 3/4 cup of the pecans, stir again. Bake for another 20 minutes or until top is lightly browned. Serve warm and top with remaining pecans. You can additionally add yogurt, cream, granola, fruit or whatever you'd like!

Give me a bowl of this any day!

Tailored Tuesdays

I heart stripes & neutrals!

1. Donna Karen "Oversized cashmere cardigan"

2. Chloe "Striped wool-jersey tank"

3. J Brand "Low-rise straight-leg jeans"

4. Aubin & Wills "Sandbanks leather satchel"

5. Michael Kors "Gold-plated and leather watch"

6. Lanvin "Patent-python ballerina flats"

All images can be found at net-a-porter.com.