Quite a Doozie

Doozie (also doozy): Something that is extraordinary. Often used in the context of troublesome, difficult or problematic, but can be used positively as well.

As a kid I always loved going to Great American Cookie Company and getting a Double Doozie cookie. Nothing was better than a generous helping of frosting sandwiched between two freshly baked cookies.

Now one could infer that Great American Cookie Company coined the name "Double Doozie" because it is in fact, wonderful and extraordinary, but I beg to disagree. I like to think that this cookie originated after someone was having a horrendous, albeit "doozie" of a day. One of those days when you feel like you just can't... possibly... make... one... more... decision.

Do I want a cookie? Yes. Do I want cake? Yes. Do I want an entire vat of icing? Yes. Indulgence kicks in and before you know it, you're sitting with an empty pint of ice cream, spoon-in-hand, wondering why you feel left unsatisfied. Yes, one of those kinds of days.

Well thankfully for the advent of the Double Doozie, you can have it all - cookie/cake/frosting - in one single serving. What's more, these red velvet sandwich cookies are super easy to make and only take 10 minutes in the oven.

For these cookies I started with Paula Deen's recipe but modified the cocoa and the frosting. While I liked the fluffy, cake texture of the cookies, next time I want to experiment and make them a bit more chewy, and perhaps add in some chocolate chips. If you're making these for a party or gathering I'd double the recipe - this one makes about 12 sandwich cookies. Happy Baking!


Ingredients:
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 tablespoons buttermilk
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon red food coloring
   
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
1-8 ounce block cream cheese, softened
1 stick butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 box (approx 4 1/2 cups sifted) powdered sugar
 
Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a small bowl, mix together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a larger separate bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time. Beat in the buttermilk, vinegar, vanilla and red food coloring. Once combined, add the dry ingredients to the wet. Mix until thoroughly combined.

Onto a parchment lined sheet tray, drop batter using a small ice cream scoop (or a heaping tablespoon). Bake for 10 minutes, until baked through. Cookies should be cake-like and light. Allow to cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely. (I just slide the parchment from my baking sheet onto the wire rack).

In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla together until smooth. Sift in the sugar and on low speed, beat until incorporated. Increase the speed to high and mix until very light and fluffy. Carefully spread the cream cheese frosting between 2 cooled cookies. Makes approximately 12 sandwich cookies.

A Quest for Perfection

This is my first documented attempt along a journey to create the perfect recipe for red velvet cake. I'm starting with what I know, but plan to venture way back to explore the history of this elusive cake including its boiled icing and beetroot ancestors.

My first recipe has been adapted from Paula Dean's, but I've modified the flour, cocoa and icing, as well as tweaked some of the directions. I received a lot of good feedback from my test subjects (ie work colleagues), and especially on the icing. The cake itself had a nice scarlet color and a good velvety texture, but was still light - a perfect complement to the sweetness of the icing. I find that these cupcakes are usually more moist the following day, so I'd bake them ahead of time and then ice them before you are ready to serve. Try it out and let me know what you think.


For the red velvet cupcakes:
2 1/2 c + 5T cake flour (sift before measuring)
1 1/2 c sugar
1t baking soda
1t salt
1T + 1t natural cocoa powder (not dutch-processed)
1 1/2 c vegetable oil
1 c buttermilk - the fattening kind (room temperature)
2 large eggs (room temperature)
2T red food coloring
1t white distilled vinegar
1t pure madagascar vanilla

For the cream cheese icing:
1lb box of confectioners sugar (a little under 4 1/2 c sifted)
1-8oz block of cream cheese - the fattening kind (softened)
1 stick unsalted butter (softened)
1t pure madagascar vanilla

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour (pre-measured and sifted), sugar, baking soda and salt. In a small bowl or ramekin, mix together the cocoa and food coloring to form a paste. In a large bowl, gently beat (speed 1 or 2 of a handheld mixer) the oil, buttermilk, eggs, vinegar, vanilla and red paste mixture until blended. Add in the dry ingredients slowly and beat (speed of 1 or 2) until smooth. Divide the batter evenly among lined cupcake tins (I use roughly less than 1/4 c in each).

Bake at 350 for 20 minutes, turning once half way through. Cool in tins for no more than 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely (about 40 minutes).

In a large bowl beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla until smooth. Slowly sift in the confectioners sugar and beat on a low speed until incorporated. Then increase the speed until fully blended. Piping cream cheese icing isn't the easiest, so I'd recommend frosting the cupcakes with a spatuala or butter knife.

Happy Baking!