Cake Ballin'

Come on admit it. At one time or another in your life you have found yourself faced with the prospect of eating a grocery store sheet cake and saying yes. Be it at an office party/kindergarten graduation/best friend's cousin's bat mitzvah reception, you saw it in the corner of the room awaiting it's pomp and circumstance and then quick demise. Your thighs say no, but your eyes say yes. Then finally the moment of truth. The songs have been sung, the cake has been cut, plates are being passed. You pass up the first plate ("oh no, that's way too big"), you even pass up the second. But then the third piece you're responsible for taking or passing, it's just perfect. Somehow against all odds, it seems that every single flower that was on that ginormous cake is now nestled on your plate. Fate has intervened. There is no way you can pass this little piece of perfection. You dig in.

For me, it's all about the frosting in this scenario. The cake is inevitably a disappointment so you've set the bar for that low, but the frosting, you always hope that it can carry the team. Heaven forbid that if your beloved frosting has that tell-tale taste of food coloring and playdough which so often mars a beautiful grocery store creation. There is only one way to salvage this situation. Throw the cake away? You are sadly mistake my friend. The obvious answer is to think back to what your 7 year-old self would do. She would take the back of her fork and squish the cake and frosting together until there was a disgusting looking paste and then enjoy the fruits of her labor. This my friends is not doubt the way that the cake ball was born.

Whip up a cake today and prove me wrong that this isn't the best way to eat a sheet cake. Kudos to Scho for introducing this concept to me via her friends at Bakerella.

Today I was in the mood for Red Velvet Cake Balls, but I have also made delicious cake balls using the Red Wine Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting recipe from the lovely ladies at We are Not Martha. The tartness of the red wine was a fantastic complement to the sweet duo of frosting and chocolate shell.

You're going to judge me, but I can take it. While I have made many a sheet cake from scratch, there are times (you can count them on one hand) where I have used a boxed cake mix. This my friends was one of those times. I like to think I make up for my transgression by making my own frosting.

Cake Balls!

Directions for the easiest recipe you have ever attempted. Seriously, cake + frosting = cake balls!

1) Using your favorite cake recipe (or least hated cake mix), bake a 13x9 sheet cake and let cool COMPLETELY. I made red velvet.

2) Whip up a batch of your favorite frosting (or buy a tub on aisle 7). The best pairing for red velvet is most certainly cream cheese frosting and lucky for you that is the easiest frosting to make from scratch. 

Cream Cheese Frosting
- 16 ounces cream cheese (obvi I use 1/3 less fat)
- 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter at room temperature
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 4 teaspoons vanilla your aunt smuggled back from Mexico (or whatever you find on aisle 7)

Cream together cream cheese and butter using an electric hand mixer (or a standing mixer if you have it). On medium speed mix in powdered sugar one cup at a time until thoroughly combined. Add vanilla one teaspoon at a time until thoroughly combined. When your frosting looks perfect (don't get lazy and leave any lumps, you will regret it), cover and put in fridge to chill until you are ready to start ballin'.

3)  When your cake is totally cool and not a moment sooner, get out a knife and rip that sucker up into a large mixing bowl. Seriously, you want it to look like this. 

4) Mix frosting into bowl of cake crumbs using a good spatula, combining well. 

5) Let mixture chill in fridge for at least 30 minutes-1 hour (or longer if need be). 

6) Using cookie dough scoop or melon baller to measure roll little your cake balls into semi-precious little lumps and drop onto wax covered cookie sheet. Repeat 75 times (yes this recipe makes 75 cake balls). 

7) Let cake balls chill in freezer until you are ready to dip in chocolate. 

8) To cover cake balls in chocolate, melt semi-sweet chocolate chips one cup a time in microwave for approximately 1-2 minutes depending on microwave, stir until completely melted.

9) Using two spoons roll cake ball around one at a time in the melted chocolate until it's completely covered in a thin layer of chocolate. Return cake ball to wax lined baking sheet. Repeat 75 times. Sprinkle with sprinkles if desired.

10) You can chill cake balls in the fridge or the freezer depending on your preference. The last time I made them my friends stashed them in the freezer early in the party and shared them as a treat with people they liked (secrets, secrets are no fun).

Serve chilled, frozen or at room temperature. 

Scho's beautiful Fourth of July cake balls from last year, my cake-spiration

Cornbread: A Little Bit Country, A Little Bit Rock and Roll

For reasons that are not entirely clear to me, I have always been obsessed with Donny and Marie's classic "Little Bit Country/Little Bit Rock and Roll."

Maybe it's that I identify with the duality of the song (after all I am a Gemini).  Having been raised a dual citizen of sorts, conveniently enough smack dab in the middle in Washington, DC, a city which itself often gets characterized as in a perpetual identity crisis. With one parent from Texas and the other a dyed in the wool Yankee (but luckily not a Yankee's fan) I have always had the best of both worlds. I got an appreciation for Bruce Springsteen and summers in the freezing Atlantic Ocean as well as a knack for knowing good Tex-Mex and a love of Governor Ann Richards. 

While my mother was horrified by my preference for sugar in my grits (instead of the requisite salt, pepper and even hot sauce) my father was, actually who am I kidding, apart from rooting for the Red Sox my father has pretended he's from Texas since 1976, but I digress. And then I digress further.

I have always found the North/South divide most interesting when it comes to corn bread. I don't like gritty corn bread. A black iron skillet? Only if you've got a little sugar and certainly some butter in there. If I'm being really honest with myself, I most adore the corn bread at Whole Foods. Sweet, moist and consistent. But I know it's not true to form. 

That why I love this recipe so much, it's got spice, real corn meal, CHEESE, and it's still a little bit sweet. I kicked Ina up a notch (double Food Network pun!) adding a can of creamed corn but you don't really need it I guess. If this cornbread can make me forget the cake they sell at Whole Foods, then it will make anyone a true believer. Also if you don't own this cookbook you should, it's awesome.

Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread
Adapted from Barefoot Contessa at Home

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons baking powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 cups milk
3 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted, plus extra to grease the pan
8 ounces aged extra-sharp Cheddar, grated, divided
1/3 cup chopped scallions, white and green parts, plus extra for garnish, 3 scallions
3 tablespoons seeded and minced fresh jalapeno peppers 

1 (14.75 ounce) can creamed corn

Directions

Combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the milk, eggs, and butter. With a wooden spoon, stir the wet ingredients into the dry until most of the lumps are dissolved. Don't overmix! Mix in 2 cups of the grated Cheddar, the scallions, jalapenos, and creamed corn and allow the mixture to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking pan.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and sprinkle with the remaining grated Cheddar and extra chopped scallions. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool and cut into large squares. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Ah-mazing.