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Ruby Red Velvet Pound Cake

Shani
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8
Ruby Red Velvet Pound Cake

[This post was updated on May 17, 2022]

Friends, Ms. Ruby is back. And when I say that she is better than ever?

Ms. Ruby caused a stir on the Begin with Butter page last fall. So much so that I raced to get her dressed and ready for the website. Well, she was ready. And she was gorgeous.

But we recently spent a lot of quality time together…and she’s now something else.

I am so proud of this cake that I could literally burst.

Ms. Ruby’s Beginnings

Family, I live in Maryland, which is arguably the epicenter of all red velvet cake activity. Even as I was learning how to bake, one of the most requested item from friends and family was red velvet. Cupcakes. Layer cake. Cheesecake (who knew this was a thing?!). Red velvet marble cake. Red velvet ice cream cake.

You get the point. People here are very serious about red velvet.

I’m an equal opportunity cake eater, so red velvet is among the cakes that I like-a-whole-lot. But I can definitely appreciate the way that people love their red velvet cake. They go way out of their way to find good red velvet. As a baker, I have nothing but respect for red velvet super fans.

When I was developing a red velvet recipe, I knew it had to be unbelievable in order to satisfy discerning red velvet cake fans. So I toiled over this recipe for a while until I was ready to share it with the world. And then I spent the last six months figuring out how to make it even better.

Red velvet lovers, this one is for you.

Do you love baking cookies? Ever wonder why your cookies are sometimes perfectly, and sometimes a crumbly mess? Click here to download my FREE guide, “Five Easy Tips for Chewy Cookies!”

Beginners Start Here

If you’re new to baking or you’d like some additional information to refresh your baking, feel free to take a look at these resources on the BwB site! While they’re not mandatory reading, they will be really helpful for you to be successful with this cake!

With just a little prep, you’ll be ready to tackle this recipe head-on. I can’t wait to see your amazing creations! Don’t forget to tag @beginwithbutter on Instagram so that I can shout out your successes!

A Surprising Note

When I’m developing a recipe, I’m always looking for ways to improve upon what I did before. Always. This…does not help my perfectionist tendencies.

I really wanted to punch up Ms. Ruby’s flavor without sacrificing the flavor or texture. So, during the re-test for Ms. Ruby, I decided to do a few things:

  • I added oil to the batter. That tiny bit of oil creates big, delicious moisture in this cake. And that small amount of oil doesn’t interfere with the process of creaming butter and sugar. Like at all. It was entirely worth it, as red velvet cakes can be dry, and I’m willing to go the extra mile to avoid that sad fate.
  • I cut the amount of cocoa powder in the recipe. Red velvet cake is, indeed, chocolate cake. However, it’s always a very delicate balance, since the cocoa powder can overwhelm the red food coloring and render it meaningless. So, after multiple re-iterations of this cake, I’m happy to report that I reduced the cocoa powder in this cake, but did not sacrifice the flavor at all. I’ve also been lucky enough to receive the most incredible baking chocolate of my life from Scharffen Berger Chocolate, and I 10/10 highly recommend it for this wonderful dessert.
  • This one surprised even me. I used a baking spray to coat my pan, and brushed it on with my trusty pastry brush. I tried both cocoa powder and flour to grease my pan, Family, and I was never satisfied. I risked it all and used baking spray this time, and the outside of this cake caramelized perfectly. I still say that it is totally a matter of personal preference, but I can finally say that my aversion to baking sprays is over. ???? So you’ll see them from time-to-time.

Oh! There’s Video!

Want to see Ms. Ruby’s “IG Official” re-introduction into society? Check this out!

Without further delay, let me re-introduce you to the updated recipe for my Ruby Red Velvet Pound Cake. Enjoy!

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Ruby Red Velvet Pound Cake

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This show-stopping ruby red cake is the perfect addition to any Sunday dinner or holiday table.  Prepare for oohs and aahs when you unbox it, then perfect silence as this beautifully balanced cake is enjoyed by your friends and family.

Ingredients

Units Scale

For the Cake Batter:

  • 320 g all purpose flour
  • 42 g natural cocoa powder
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 230 g butter, room temperature
  • 2 tbsp oil (I used avocado oil)
  • 500 g sugar
  • 6 eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 2 tbsp red food coloring
  • 1 tsp white vinegar
  • 250 g buttermilk

For the Vanilla Simple Syrup:

  • 67 g sugar
  • 84 g water
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp vanilla

For the Cream Cheese Glaze:

  • 77 g cream cheese, room temperature
  • 120 g confectioner’s sugar
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 2 tbsp whole milk
  • 1/8 tsp fine sea salt

Instructions

To Make the Batter With a Hand Mixer:

  1. Set your oven to 325°F and place the oven rack in the center of your oven.  It’s highly recommended to use an oven thermometer for this recipe, since proper oven temperature can impact the finished product.
  2. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, natural cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt (if using kosher salt, omit it from this step).
  3. Sift the flour/cocoa powder mixture into a large bowl.  If using kosher salt, add it at this step.
  4. Place the room temperature butter and oil in a large bowl.  Mix on low speed with a hand mixer until smooth. (1 minute)
  5. Add half the sugar and mix until sugar is incorporated. (30 seconds)
  6. Add second half of the sugar and mix on medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffy. (5-8 minutes)
  7. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing for at least a minute after each addition.  Scrape the bowl as needed (I usually scrape the bowl after the third and sixth egg).  Don’t skimp on this step! (7 minutes)
  8. Add vanilla, red food coloring, and vinegar and mix on lowest speed until fully combined.  The mixture might look a little curdled at this point and that is okay! (2 minutes)
  9. Add half of the flour/cocoa powder mixture and mix on low speed until combined. (~1 minute)
  10. Add all of the buttermilk and mix on lowest speed until combined. (~1 minute)
  11. Add the second half of the flour/cocoa powder mixture and mix on low speed until almost combined.  Stop mixing just before the mixture is fully together. (~1-2 minutes)
  12. Using a rubber spatula, fully scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix gently until the batter has a silky texture. (1-2 minutes)
  13. Grease a bundt pan and place the batter in a 10-12 cup bundt pan.

To Make the Batter With a Stand Mixer:

  1. Set your oven to 325°F.  It’s highly recommended to use an oven thermometer for this recipe, since proper oven temperature can impact the finished product.
  2. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, natural cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt (if using kosher salt, omit it from this step).
  3. Sift the flour/cocoa powder mixture into a large bowl.  If using kosher salt, add it at this step.
  4. Place the room temperature butter and oil in the bowl of your stand mixer.  Mix on lowest speed until smooth and combined. (30 seconds)
  5. Slowly add the sugar and mix on medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffy.  (5-7 minutes)
  6. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing for at least 45 seconds after each addition.  Scrape the bowl as needed (I usually scrape the bowl after the third and sixth egg).  Don’t skimp on this step! (7 minutes)
  7. Add vanilla, red food coloring, and vinegar and mix on lowest speed until fully combined, scraping the bowl as needed to make sure that the color is mixing uniformly.  The mixture might look curdled at this point and that is okay! (2 minutes)
  8. Add half of the flour/cocoa powder mixture and mix on low speed until combined. (30-45 seconds)
  9. Add all of the buttermilk and mix on low speed until combined. (30-45 seconds)
  10. Add the second half of the flour/cocoa powder mixture and mix on lowest speed until almost combined.  Stop mixing just before the mixture is fully together. (30-45 seconds)
  11. Using a rubber spatula, fully scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix gently until the batter has a silky texture. (1-2 minutes)
  12. Thoroughly grease a 10-12 cup bundt pan and place the batter in the pan.

To Bake the Cake:

  1. Bake the bundt cake at 325°F for 60-70 minutes, or until an instant read thermometer reads 210°F-215°F.  My preferred internal temperature is 212°F.  Alternately, the cake is done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few crumbs.
  2. Allow the cake to rest for ten minutes while you make the simple syrup.

To Make the Simple Syrup:

  1. Combine sugar, water, and salt in a small sauce pan.
  2. Warm the mixture over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture comes to a boil and the sugar is completely dissolved.
  3. Remove from the heat and add the vanilla extract.
  4. After allowing it to rest for ten minutes, invert the cake on a cooling rack and carefully remove the bundt pan.
  5. Using a pastry brush, brush the simple syrup over the entire cake.
  6. Allow the cake to cool completely (2-3 hours).

To Make the Final Glaze:

  1. Place room temperature cream cheese in a bowl.  Mix on lowest speed with a stand mixer (using the flat beater) or hand mixer until it the cream cheese is completely smooth.
  2. Add confectioner’s sugar, whole milk, salt, and vanilla to the mixing bowl.
  3. Mix on low speed until the glaze until completely smooth.  Scrape the bowl as necessary.
  4. Final glaze should have the consistency of thick honey.  Overmixing will cause the mixture to have air bubbles, so make sure to mix on the lowest speed if using a hand mixer.
  5. Using a spouted measuring cup, spoon, or squeeze bottle, drizzle final glaze over the cake.  Use a spoon to help the glaze fall over the sides of the cake.

To Store:

This cake can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week.  It needs to be refrigerated because of the cream cheese glaze.  If you omit the final glaze, this cake can be stored on the countertop for up to a week.

Notes

  • An oven thermometer is strongly recommended to make sure that your oven reaches the correct temperature.
  • It is also strongly recommended to use a digital food scale to measure ingredients using metric measurement. It will seriously make your baking so much easier!
  • This recipe can be halved for a loaf pan or a 6-cup bundt pan.
  • Make sure you take your time to cream the butter and sugar on the front end!  Once you add your flour mixture, you have to mix gently in order to avoid over-mixing.
  • This is a big bundt cake.  I recommend placing a sheet pan underneath this cake while it bakes for extra insurance.
  • Author: Shani

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    The Best Tools for Perfect Pound Cakes!

    Shani
    -
    0
    The Best Tools for Perfect Pound Cakes!

    *note: This post contains affiliate links for products that I wholeheartedly endorse.*

    Friends, I have been having a BALL with pound cakes recently. So much so that I decided to do the Twelve Days of Pound Cakes Holiday Event. So much so that I’ve been baking and developing new pound cake recipes for that event for you.

    Including the Ruby Red Velvet Pound Cake. She is gorgeous and she was going to be featured in that event.

    Meet Ruby.

    I posted Ruby on Instagram the other day, and the email and DM campaign from the BwB community was swift and immediate. I was utterly shocked at how many of you need this recipe for your Thanksgiving tables. So, due to the response, I will be providing Ruby to you in my next post in a few days.

    Yes, that’s right…you’re getting TWO posts this week from Begin with Butter!

    I want to make sure that you’re set up properly to make Ruby (and all of the pound cakes that are part of the event), so today’s post is about the prep. There are some tools that I rely on to make consistent, great-tasting pound cakes every time, and I wanted to share those tools in today’s post, so that you’re ready to rock and roll when the recipe drops.

    Ready? Me too!

    In this Post

    You might already have most of these things, but I wanted the list to be comprehensive so that you could confidently go forward, knowing that you have all of the tools that you’ll need for these bundt cakes.

    Bundt Pans

    In order to get the characteristic shape of a bundt cake, you’ll need a bundt pan. Bundt pans will help you get the beautiful, show-stopping shape that you’re wanting to create. They also have higher sides than your typical cake pan, so you don’t have to worry about the cake batter spilling over the sides (within reason).

    http://www.ashleighbingphotography.com/

    I wrote a little more about bundt pans in my post about the best pans for a home baker’s kitchen; you can find the section from that post right here. If you’re reading this and you want to know which bundt pans I’ll be using this holiday, here they are!

    Digital Food Scale

    I will always always always recommend using a digital food scale and metric measurement when baking. Pound cakes are a game of inches and it’s a disaster waiting to happen if you are heavy handed with ingredients. A food scale helps to avoid the trauma of watching your cake overflow its bundt pan in slow motion.

    You can find my favorite food scales here and here.

    Apron

    Baking is a messy thing. There’s no real way to get around that. Sometimes there are unintended splashes and spills. And I, for one, would rather have those splashes and spills intercepted by a quality apron.

    My favorites? My Hedley and Bennett Essential Apron is my clear favorite, but it was an investment. Williams Sonoma Classic Stripe Aprons are AMAZING aprons that are sturdy and beautiful, and affordable. I have them in light colors and they have NO STAINS. That fact is rather remarkable, considering the amount of food coloring and cocoa powder abuse I’ve subjected them to over the years.

    Oh! And aprons keep your clothes from getting sloshed with dish water! Because there will always be dish water when you’re done baking.

    Totally worth it though!

    Sifter

    Sifting often isn’t necessary for flour these days.

    BUT

    If you want to make the Ruby Red Velvet Pound Cake, you’ll need a sifter for the cocoa powder and flour mixture. A sifter will break up clumps of cocoa powder and ensure even distribution of that cocoa powder, flour, and other dry ingredients in your beautiful finished pound cake.

    Photo Credit: Amazon

    Because Ruby? She’s as beautiful as she is delicious. Inside and out. We don’t want lumps of cocoa powder ruining her smooth finish.

    Rubber Spatula

    This bundt cake uses (**spoiler alert**) sour cream, so it’s a thicker bundt cake batter than most. For that reason, you’ll want a stiffer rubber spatula for the bowl scraping and especially for the final turns of the completed batter.

    My go-to spatula set for several years has been this set from Williams Sonoma. They are sturdy and can work through the stiffest cake and cookie batters. The small ones are great for scraping measuring cups and jars for that last…little…bit.

    I’ve recently started using this set from OXO. I absolutely adore the OXO brand and use several of their products. These have become regulars in my baking rotation because they’re perfectly flexible while also being perfectly stiff, and they’ll work great for this cake.

    Stand Mixer

    I’ve said it before and I’ll say it forever: you do not need a stand mixer to bake amazing things. It’s not a necessity. And if you’ve read my recent post on this exact subject, you know that it’s possible to ruin a beautiful, brand new machine if you’re not yet kitchen-competent.

    However, the stand mixer is the undisputed monarch when it comes to efficiency in mixing. This is especially true when it comes to efficiently and quickly creaming butter and sugar. Since this is the most crucial part of the mixing process for pound cake, having the most efficient tool for the job can be a huge bonus.

    My kitchen workhorse is my KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixer. I love this machine. It creams butter and sugar so beautifully. This step is crucial for getting that perfect pound cake density, and the planetary motion in my machine ensures that it’s done evenly, efficiently and quickly.

    I love this machine so much so that I’m eyeballing a KitchenAid Professional. But that is still a little way away and it’s certainly not necessary to make any of the pound cakes on my list.

    Hand Mixer

    A great starter gadget for a new baker is a hand mixer. To be sure, it takes a few more minutes to get that perfectly creamed butter and sugar, but you will get there with enough patience and the result will be just the same. I use my hand mixer for smaller batches, and sometimes when I just feel like doing a lazy bake.

    I love love love love my KitchenAid Ultra Power hand mixer. It is an amazing tool for just about every cake I will ever bake.

    Mixing Bowl Set

    These cakes require quite a bit of prep in their own right! Whether you have a stand mixer or hand mixer, a good mixing bowl set will be really helpful for properly preparing your mise en place. While I did do a whole post on the best bowls for a home baker’s kitchen, to get started, I recommend this set of stainless steel bowls.

    Photo Credit: Amazon

    They come in different sizes so you can use one for the batter, and smaller bowls to hold your individual ingredients. Because proper prep means being calm and collected in the kitchen. And having multiple bowls will help you prep multiple ingredients for the big bake.

    Oven Thermometer

    Inaccurate oven temperature is one of the main reasons that baked goods fail. It’s a completely avoidable fate, though.

    Seriously. For eight dollars, you can gather a wealth of information about whether your oven runs hot or cold. Because it probably does one or the other.

    You can find the one I use here.

    Instant Read Thermometer

    If you’ve ever read a cake recipe, you’ve probably noticed that they usually tell you that the cake is complete when a toothpick, inserted, comes out clean (or with a few crumbs). While this is a serviceable way to test the doneness of a cake, it’s not the most accurate.

    Family. My cakes are involved. They are…a bit of a process. And I want to set you up for success by making sure that you have every tool in my arsenal.

    For my cakes, I check doneness with an instant read thermometer. Specifically, I use the Classic Super-Fast Instant Read Thermometer from ThermoWorks. With this tool, I can know with absolute certainty when my cake reaches the magic doneness range (210°F-215°F, though I aim for 212°F on the nose).

    Cooling Racks

    When your cake comes out of the oven, the general rule is to let it rest for ten minutes and then invert it on a cooling rack.

    Like one of these!

    When cakes first come out of the oven, they’re still cooking a bit in the blazing hot pan. This is good! It allows the center of the cake to fully set.

    It wouldn’t be good to leave the cake in the hot pan for longer than ten minutes after it leaves the oven. This could lead to over baking and dryness. At the ten-minute mark, the bundt pan is not as hot as it was when it first came out of the oven. But it’s still hot enough to overbake your cake.

    So, out it goes onto a cooling rack! You can find my absolute favorite cooling rack for bundt cakes here.

    Pastry Brush

    All of my pound cakes (really, all of my cakes) have a step where you add simple syrup to the warm cake immediately after turning it out of the cake pan. This simple syrup helps to preserve moisture in the cake, and gives pound cakes a gorgeous sheen that makes the cake itself worthy of a special occasion, even without a final glaze.

    Some people pour the simple syrup over the top of the cake, but I prefer to use a pastry brush for the task. Using a pastry brush ensures an even distribution of the simple syrup over the entire cake. Plus, for me, this is just a fun way to take a good 360° look at the cake I’ve worked so hard to make.

    You can find the pastry brush that I recommend here. My off-brand pastry brushes are very old and I frankly couldn’t find them anywhere online, but I trust the OXO brand because they make so many quality items, so it is without hesitation that I recommend their pastry brushes to you.

    Parchment Paper

    Parchment paper is invaluable for pound cakes, both for the simple syrup phase and the final glaze.

    Because, as I said before, baking is a messy business. If you put a piece of parchment paper underneath the cooling rack for the simple syrup and final glaze stages, you will have the utterly satisfying experience of crumpling the soiled paper and just…throwing it away.

    Parchment paper comes in rolls, like aluminum foil, but it can be cut to fit round, square, or rectangular pans when necessary.

    We love parchment.

    Cake Carrier

    Baking a pound cake is a good five-hour process. At the end of that process, you’ll want a proper cake keeper to display and protect your hard work! Whether you’re traveling with your pound cake or you’re serving it at home, I recommend putting your cake on a cake round and using this Nordic Ware Bundt Cake Keeper. It’s sturdy enough to protect and secure your pound cake so that you can confidently and safely transport your cake to its final destination, and it’s also pretty enough to showcase your hard work without having to buy another cake stand.

    Photo Credit: Amazon

    Conclusion

    I truly hope that this guide was helpful for you as you’re preparing to bake pound cakes for this holiday season (and beyond!). I literally cannot wait to see the perfection that you create! Whether you choose one of the Begin with Butter recipes or you use some BwB techniques on your favorite recipes, tag @beginwithbutter on Instagram so we can shout out YOUR success!

    Happy baking!

    -S

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      Check us out in Instagram @beginwithbutter!

      Technique Tips for the Best Pound Cakes (& Big News!)

      Shani
      -
      2
      Technique Tips for the Best Pound Cakes (& Big News!)

      Friends, it’s time.

      The holidays are peeking around the corner, and it’s time for us bakers to shine.

      Bundt pans…activated.
      Photo Credit: Ashleigh Bing Photography

      Whether you’re planning to spend time with extended family, or you’re having an intimate gathering for two, there’s always room for dessert, am I right?

      If you’ve been reading BwB for a while, you’re ready! It’s just a matter of gathering the ingredients and using your newfound baking confidence to execute some amazing pound cake recipes!

      Finished pumpkin spice pound cake with glaze.

      But where are the recipes, You ask?

      Well, Beloved, that’s the fun part. The recipes are arriving on Black Friday in a BIG WAY!

      Okay…Here’s the News!

      Beginning on Black Friday, Begin with Butter is going to be the exclusive home of the Twelve Days of Pound Cake Holiday Event!

      Photo Credit: Ashleigh Bing Photography

      That’s right. TWELVE. Twelve different pound cakes, with concise step-by-step directions that will help you execute them perfectly for all of your holiday events. Twelve different recipe posts. Twelve consecutive days.

      I am still a firm believer that you don’t need a specific recipe to be successful. But so many of you asked for recipes and I’m happy to share.

      So share I will! Starting on November 26th, I’m going to share all of the pound cake recipes you’ll ever want for the holidays. It’s my hope that these recipes become staples on your holiday and Sunday dinner tables.

      Beginners Start Here

      If you’re new to Begin with Butter…WELCOME! This is a super fun community of people from all over the world, and on behalf of everyone here, I’d like to welcome you with open arms.

      Photo Credit: Ashleigh Bing Photography

      If you’re brand new to baking, and you need some background before you begin, here are a few BwB resources that will get you off to a great start:

      Of course, learning about ingredients can never hurt, so here’s a link to the Equipment and Ingredients section of the site. This is a great resource for your pound cakes and everything else you want to bake!

      These resources aren’t mandatory to make great cakes, but doing a little bit of homework beforehand can help new bakers avoid common pitfalls in the kitchen. That’s how bakers build kitchen confidence!

      Pound Cake Tips

      Before we even start the Twelve Days of Pound Cake, there are a few great tips that will help you be successful with any pound cake:

      Start with Room Temperature Ingredients.

      Room temperature ingredients mix quickly and incorporate easily. This is a great way to avoid over-mixing your pound cake batter! It’s also a great way to avoid taxing your hand mixer or your stand mixer and sending it to its demise.

      Invest in a Food Scale.

      I can’t drive this point home enough. An inexpensive food scale is your best friend in the kitchen because it ensures consistency and prevents heavy-handedness with ingredients. With 10-cup pound cakes, the last thing you want in your batter is unintended extra flour!

      You can find my faves here and here.

      Properly Cream Butter and Sugar Before Adding Eggs and Other Ingredients.

      Friends, this will change your baking immensely. I believe in this technique so much that I devoted a whole post to it! You can check it out here. There’s videos and photos so that you can see with your own eyes what “creamed” butter and sugar should look like! Since the rise in a pound cake relies very heavily on this step, I wanted to make sure you had everything that you needed to be successful.

      Use a Light Touch with Leavening.

      My pound cakes have a characteristic tight crumb. I always joke that I like the tight crumb because it allows me to walk around the house with a piece of cake in my hand and not get crumbs everywhere. #NotReallyJoking.

      This tight crumb has a lot to do with the fact that pound cakes traditionally don’t need a lot of leavening to be successful (and some don’t need any leavening at all!). Some use as little as a quarter of a teaspoon and they come out beautifully every time! The best advice is to follow the recipe and use a level scoop! You can learn much more about leavening here.

      Please Grease Your Pans.

      You might have already heard of the mythical “non-stick” bundt pan. This is, in fact, a myth! While manufacturers like Nordic Ware do market their bundt pans as “non-stick”, even Nordic Ware will tell you to grease your pans. That’s because Nordic Ware made its non-stick pans so that they would be easier to clean, not easier to remove cake.

      To grease my pans, I use softened butter and flour, and I use a pastry brush to get the butter into those deep crevices that just love to trap cake.

      Use an Oven Thermometer.

      My pound cakes really rely on accurate baking temps. If the oven temperature is too low, you can expect the cake to overflow its baking pan because the cake won’t set before it rises. If the oven temperature is too high, the outside will burn and the inside will be raw. Both of these are sad events.

      These events can be avoided with an oven thermometer, which you can find for less than ten dollars right here.

      Give Yourself Enough Time.

      Starting a cake (or any baked good) too late is a recipe for an unhappy and stressful day. The pound cakes on my Twelve Days of Pound Cakes list are show-stopping to be sure, BUT they are a time commitment. None of them are going to take you less than 3-5 hours to complete. And my carrot cake recipe? You might as well start that one a day or two in advance.

      They’ll be more than worth it though. I promise. ????

      The best way to figure out if you have enough time to execute a cake is to read the whole recipe from start to finish before you take out your first bowl or whisk. That way, you’ll be assured that your cake will be ready to present to your guests as soon as the dinner plates are cleared.

      Conclusion.

      These are some quick and easy pound cake tips that you can practice as you prepare for your Sundays and holidays. I am extremely excited to bring these twelve pound cakes to you all, and I hope you find something on the list to absolutely astound your friends and family this season.

      Until next time!

      Don’t forget to subscribe while you’re here so that you can get each pound cake recipe delivered directly to your inbox!

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        Perfect Sunday Dinner Rolls!

        Shani
        -
        0
        Perfect Sunday Dinner Rolls!

        Today is the day that you become a holiday hero.

        Because, Family, these dinner rolls are IT. They are impressively sized, equally delicious, and well worth the effort for Sunday dinners or holiday dinners alike.

        Stacked dinner rolls on a table.

        These dinner rolls are buttery, flaky, and rich; these are the dinner rolls that you put in the center of the plate so that they can touch and bless every dish.

        **Unless, of course, you don’t like your food touching. Then you can put them on their own plate.**

        These are perfect for sopping up extra pot liquor from Auntie’s famous collard greens, or gravy from that delicious turkey. If stuffed acorn squash is more your speed (and it should be because it’s amazing), these will accompany that beautifully as well. They are stunning to look at and equally delicious.

        These are even great for those post-holiday sliders! Turkey, cranberry sauce and pickles in one of these babies is heaven on earth.

        And now they’re here. With a video tutorial so that you can’t go wrong!

        And guess what! You DO NOT need a stand mixer to make these. While a stand mixer makes the kneading process less physically taxing, you can make these unbelievable rolls with a wooden spoon and a large bowl.

        I honestly prefer to make bread with my hands, when possible. There’s something so meditative to me about kneading dough by hand until it’s perfectly smooth. Few things in the world make me feel more accomplished than making bread from raw ingredients.

        Hungry? Great! Onto the recipe!

        Beginners Start Here

        If this is your first time baking bread, or you’re intimidated by yeast, or if it’s been a while since you baked, here are some resources from the BwB website that will help you be successful with these dinner rolls!

        While these aren’t mandatory reading, they are extremely helpful resources that will definitely help you execute this recipe to a T.

        I hope you and your family enjoy these dinner rolls as much as my family and I do!

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        overhead of stacked sunday dinner rolls

        Perfect Sunday Dinner Rolls

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        These rolls pair perfectly with all the savory things, from rustic soups to elaborate holiday meals!

        • Total Time: 2 h 35 minutes
        • Yield: 30 rolls 1x

        Ingredients

        Units Scale
        • 125 g warm water (110°F-115°F)
        • 500 g milk (~105°F)
        • 2 tsp sugar (I use Sugar in the Raw, but granulated is fine)
        • 2 tbsp yeast (instant or active dry)
        • 42 g cold butter, cut into cubes, plus 4 tbsp butter, melted, for shaping and finishing
        • 1 large egg
        • 2 tablespoons honey
        • 768 g flour, plus ~1 cup more for kneading (see note)
        • 2.25 tsp salt

        Instructions

        To Make the Dough by Hand:

        • Combine the water, milk, yeast, and sugar in a large mixing bowl with a whisk.    Allow to sit for 8-10 minutes, or until the yeast blooms.
        • Add butter, egg, honey, salt, and half of the flour to the bowl and stir with a large wooden spoon until the flour is combined.
        • Add the rest of the flour and stir the mixture until it becomes difficult to stir.  While it will technically be a dough at this point, it will be extremely loose, sticky and lumpy from the butter!
        • Add flour, two tablespoons at a time, and knead in the bowl until the mixture forms into a rough ball. (3-5 minutes). Dough will still be pretty sticky at this phase.
        • Flour a clean work surface and turn the dough out onto the floured surface.  Flour the top of the dough and begin kneading.
        • Knead the dough, adding flour two tablespoons at a time when it gets too sticky to handle.  A bench scraper can be very helpful for kneading at this stage. (10-15 minutes).  The dough is complete when it forms a smooth ball and is tacky, but not sticky.
        • Lightly spray a large, clean bowl with non-stick spray.  Gather the dough into a ball and place into the clean bowl.
        • Cover the dough with a tea towel or loosely with plastic wrap, and place the dough in a warm area, free from drafts, for about an hour or until the dough has doubled in size.

        To Make the Dough with a Stand Mixer:

        • Combine the water, milk, yeast, and sugar in the bowl of your stand mixer with a whisk.  Allow to sit for 8-10 minutes, or until the yeast blooms.
        • Add butter, egg, honey, salt, and half of the flour to the bowl.  Stir with the paddle attachment until the flour is combined.  (30 seconds to 1 minute)
        • Replace the paddle attachment with the dough hook.  Slowly add the rest of the flour and allow the dough hook to knead the dough for five minutes before adding any additional flour.
        • If the dough is sticky, add flour two tablespoons at a time.  Continue kneading with the dough hook, and allow the dough to fully absorb the flour before adding flour. (5-15 minutes)
        • The dough is complete when it clears the sides of the bowl and when it feels smooth and tacky, but not sticky.  It might not clear the bottom of the bowl, and that is okay.
        • Lightly spray a large, clean bowl with non-stick spray.  Gather the dough into a ball and place into the clean bowl.
        • Cover the dough with a tea towel or loosely with plastic wrap, and place the dough in a warm area, free from drafts, for about an hour or until the dough has doubled in size.

        To Shape the Dinner Rolls:

        • Line a quarter sheet (11″x15″) cake pan with parchment paper.
        • Microwave 4 tbsp of butter for 30-45 seconds, or until melted.
        • Remove the cover from the bread dough and punch down the dough.  This is an essential (and very satisfying) step.
        • Using a digital food scale, weigh small balls of dough (between 56-60 g each) and roll between your hands to shape into a rough ball.
        • Place the roughly shaped ball on your work surface.  Make a circle with your thumb and index finger place the blade of your hand on the countertop next to the dough ball.  Roll the dough ball around 10-20 times, keeping the dough ball between the blade of your hand and the circle that you’ve made with your thumb and index finger.  For help with this step, see the video tutorial!
        • Place each dinner roll on the parchment-lined sheet, seam side down, giving about 1.5 inches between dinner rolls so that they can expand during rising and baking.
        • Once you’ve shaped all of the dinner rolls, gently brush half of the melted butter over the top of the shaped dinner rolls.
        • Cover loosely with plastic wrap and allow to rise for 30-45 minutes, or until the rolls are doubled in size.

        To Bake the Dinner Rolls:

        • About ten minutes into the final rise, move your oven rack to the upper-center rack (mine is rack #4), and set your oven to 375°F.  An oven thermometer is very useful for this step, since a proper oven temp is key for these rolls!
        • After the dinner rolls have doubled in size, bake them at 375°F for 15-17 minutes, or until the rolls are deep golden brown.
        • Remove the rolls from the oven and brush immediately with the remaining butter.  Allow the rolls to cool in the pan for 3-5 minutes and then remove to a cooling rack.

         

        Notes

        • I keep an extra cup of flour in a small bowl for kneading.  This is roughly the amount that it will take for me to get to the smooth dough that I’m looking for, after all of the initial flour has been added.
        • I use King Arthur All Purpose Flour for this task, but you can also use bread flour.
        • These are big, hearty rolls.  You can adjust the size of these rolls adjusted to make hot dog buns and hamburger buns as well!  You just have to remember to adjust the second rise and bake times accordingly.
        • These dinner rolls freeze beautifully for up to three months.  You can take out what you need, microwave for ~45 seconds, and have fresh dinner rolls for your table.
        • Author: Shani
        • Prep Time: 35 minutes
        • Rise Time: 1 h 45 minutes
        • Cook Time: 15 minutes
        • Category: Bread

        Nutrition

        • Serving Size: 1 Dinner Roll
        • Calories: 119
        • Sugar: 2.4 g
        • Sodium: 185.1 mg
        • Fat: 1.6 g
        • Carbohydrates: 22.1 g
        • Protein: 3.8 g
        • Cholesterol: 9.5 mg

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          My Kids’ Favorite Apple Fritter Recipe!

          Shani
          -
          3
          My Kids’ Favorite Apple Fritter Recipe!
          Home » Featured Recipes » Page 23

          Doughnut. Donut. Does not matter. We love fried yeast donuts in this house. Especially the ones with a good sticky glaze that adheres to our fingers and faces. And the apple fritter, Family, is the reigning Monarch of donuts in our house.

          We are a donut family.

          My children ask for donuts almost every weekend, but I constantly avoid making them because they’re always gone in sixty seconds when I do make them. My mom guilt won’t allow me to make them on a regular basis.

          This past Sunday, I decided to surprise them with donuts.

          But not just any donuts.

          I made my absolute-favorite-donut-of-all-time, the glorious apple fritter. I found this great recipe from Seasons and Suppers, adapted it, and got to work in the wee hours of the morning so that I could surprise my kiddos when they woke up.

          This apple fritter is a spiced donut with a hardened glaze and a yummy, chunky, sugary apple filling. It’s rustic and messy and delicious. If you’re up for cheat day, and you want to make it absolutely worth it (but then get right back to it, of course), then an apple fritter is it. It is IT!

          Want to see how mine turned out? Keep reading!

          In This Post:

          Apple Fritter Prep

          This recipe starts with a basic enriched dough. Family, an enriched dough is simply a yeast dough that contains fat. In this enriched dough, the fat comes from eggs and shortening. The shortening gives these donuts the delicious, light but chewy texture that makes this donut worth the cheat.

          As you can see from the beautiful, bubbly brown mess in my measuring cup, above, I started by proofing my yeast before starting a recipe. It’s one simple step at the beginning of a recipe that can help you avoid unrecoverable disaster after your first rise.

          You see, if you’re working with dead yeast, and you dump it in with your dry ingredients without first activating it in warm liquid, you likely won’t know that it’s dead until you remove the tea towel after the first rise an hour later. I’d hate to see that happen to you, so I always recommend taking 8-10 minutes to proof yeast before you do anything else, regardless of what kind of yeast you’re using.

          Cheat code: you can proof yeast while you double check all of your equipment and ingredients!

          Not sure how to prep for a great bake? Check my mise en place post here!

          By the time you have everything else gathered, you’ll know whether you’re working with viable yeast or not.

          You’re welcome!

          In the Mix

          I started these apple fritters by adding the yeast mixture, egg and shortening to my stand mixer and mixing it together with my paddle attachment on low speed for about thirty seconds.

          Next, I added about half of the flour mixture to the mixing bowl and mixed on low speed, just until the flour was absorbed by the liquid.

          As you can see, it’s a shaggy, lumpy mess. But that’s okay! It’s supposed to look like that!

          Time for the dough hook and the rest of the flour! I mixed the rest of the flour and let my mixer go on low speed (never exceeding level 2 on my mixer) for about four minutes.

          I don’t add additional flour until I’ve mixed with the dough hook for at least 2-3 minutes, because I’ve found that the longer the dough hook works, the more that gluten bonds form on their own, and the less flour I ultimately have to add.

          Beloveds, the kneading process is what causes flour, water, salt and yeast to become bread. You’ll be surprised at how much it will come together on its own, without extra flour. Your patience will pay off!

          If you begin adding flour too soon during the kneading process, the dough gets over-floured in a hurry and you’ll have to do that “add some liquid, now add some flour, now add some liquid” dance that is…not my favorite.

          In the video, below, I hadn’t added any flour other than what the recipe called for. You can see that, after about four minutes of mixing, it is already clearing the sides of the bowl.

          At this point, I began adding flour one tablespoon at a time and letting it mix for at least 30-45 seconds. After another three tablespoons, it was ready to go! The dough was smooth and tacky, but not sticky to the touch.

          Once the dough was done, I shaped it into a ball and let it rest for an hour.

          Fill ‘Er Up

          While the dough did its first rest, I prepped the apple filling. The ingredients are SO EASY:

          I know the granny smith is the “It” apple for baking, y’all, but my sweet tooth demands that it be mixed with something just s touch less tart. So I threw a honeycrisp in there to shake things up.

          Anyway, onto the filling! It’s a cooked filling, so I got to work immediately after the dough started its first rest period by peeling and dicing the apples. Once this step was done, I added the apples, sugar, and a pinch of salt to a saucepan and and cooked until absolutely no liquid remained. I removed the mix from the heat because I didn’t want the filling to be too hot when I put it on the dough.

          Once the dough finished resting, I rolled it into a “rough” square.

          Fam, don’t make fun of my square. I did my best and it was very early!

          I added the apple filling to the bottom half of the rolled dough, then sprinkled cinnamon and more flour on top. The flour helps absorb any remaining moisture that might remain after cooking. Fruit can be tricky like that.

          Taking Shape

          A quick foldover and the apples, cinnamon and flour disappeared under the second half of the dough.

          Poof

          Then I got to slicing…

          And dicing…

          And roughly shaping into something resembling a log. I know it looks a mess. You don’t have to tell me.

          I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t kind of worried at this point. But I pressed on, determined to have this batch ready in time for my children’s arrival downstairs.

          No really. I literally cut the log into what I thought were 12 pieces and pressed each one between my palms. It…was eleven pieces.

          The Make

          The “shaped” fritters rested for another 40 minutes while I heated vegetable oil to 360 degrees Fahrenheit in my deepest cast iron pan and made the final glaze. My oil got a little hot so the first one got a little burnt. #ItHappens

          Family, I love you, so I’m going to ask that you never ever leave your kitchen while you have oil on the stove. Hot oil can quickly become a fiery menace and can cause irreparable harm to a kitchen. Also, when deep frying, you want a heavy, deep pot. I love fried dough, but I love kitchen safety even more.

          I cooked each fritter for about a minute and fifteen seconds per side, then flipped to the other side. You’re looking for a deep, deep golden brown. It’s the color right before burnt.

          I ate the burnt one though. It wasn’t that bad.

          The Apple Fritter

          Once the fritters are out of the oil, they quickly go into the glaze. Like, as soon as you’re comfortable touching them, they should be glazed and set on a cooling rack so that the glaze can harden.

          I might have slightly scorched my fingers during this process.

          Et voilà!

          My son took one look at these fritters and started to run for the hills. But then, his angel of a sister said she’d try one bite. This story ends with me snatching the tray of still-warm fritters from them before they each took a third one!

          As usual, the fritters slowly dwindled during the day when I wasn’t watching, and there were loud complaints when I took two of them next door. TWO. I’ve added these adapted fritters to my family’s donut menu and I am looking forward to making them again!

          With the recipe below, now you can make them too!

          Print
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          The Best Apple Fritters EVER

          5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

          No reviews

          Print Recipe

          Fall calls for slower mornings, hot coffee, and these fritters that I adapted from Seasons and Suppers!  

          • Total Time: 3 hours
          • Yield: 12 servings 1x

          Ingredients

          Units Scale

          For the Dough:

          • 1 tbsp yeast (active dry or fast-acting)
          • 125 g warm water (110°F-115°F)
          • 1 tsp sugar (I prefer Sugar in the Raw for this step, but granulated is fine)
          • 256 g bread flour, plus more for kneading
          • 50 g granulated sugar
          • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
          • 1 tsp salt
          • 2 tbsp shortening
          • 1 large egg
          • 1/2 tsp vanilla

          For the Apple Mixture:

          • 3 medium sweet-tart apples, peeled, cored and diced into 1/4 inch pieces (see very important note)
          • 50 g granulated sugar
          • 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
          • 1/8 tsp salt

          To Fill the Pastry:

          • 1 tbsp bread flour
          • 1 tbsp cinnamon

          For the Final Glaze:

          • 300 g confectioner’s sugar
          • 1 tsp corn syrup
          • 1/4 tsp salt
          • 1/4 tsp vanilla
          • 1/4 tsp maple extract (not mandatory, but really, really good)
          • 80 g whole milk or heavy cream, plus more if needed

          Vegetable oil for deep frying

          Instructions

          Make the Dough with a Stand Mixer:

          • Combine the warm water, yeast, and 1 tsp of sugar in a 2-cup measuring cup and stir with a 9″ whisk until thoroughly combined.  Set aside for 8-10 minutes, or until yeast has bloomed.  (See note.)
          • Combine the bread flour, sugar, nutmeg, and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.
          • After the yeast has bloomed, add yeast mixture, shortening, egg and vanilla to the bowl of your stand mixer.  
          • Using the paddle attachment, mix on lowest speed for about 20-30 seconds, or until the shortening is broken into smaller pieces.
          • Replace the paddle attachment with the dough hook.  Add half of the flour mixture to the mixing bowl and knead with the dough hook until the flour is fully incorporated.
          • Add the second half of the flour mixture and knead with the dough hook for at least five minutes before adding additional flour.
          • If the dough is still sticky after five minutes of kneading, add flour in 1-tablespoon increments.  Only add more flour after the prior addition is fully incorporated.
          • The dough is complete when it is smooth and tacky, but not sticky to the touch.  It might not fully clear the bottom of the bowl.  Mine usually does not.
          • Spray your clean hands and a large clean bowl with cooking spray.  Gather dough into a ball and place into the clean bowl.  Cover with a clean tea towel or plastic wrap (do not seal the sides) in an area that is free of drafts until dough is roughly doubled in size, about an hour.

          Make the Dough by Hand:

          • Combine the warm water, yeast, and 1 tsp of sugar in a 2-cup measuring cup and stir with a 9″ whisk until thoroughly combined.  Set aside for 8-10 minutes, or until yeast has bloomed.  (See note.)
          • Combine the bread flour, sugar, nutmeg and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.
          • After the yeast has bloomed, add yeast mixture, shortening, egg and vanilla to a large mixing bowl.  
          • Using a 9” whisk, break up the shortening and stir the mixture for about a minute, or until the shortening is broken into small, uniform pieces.
          • Add half of the flour to the bowl and stir with a large wooden spoon or Danish dough hook until the flour is completely incorporated.  (1 minute)
          • Add the second half of the flour to the bowl and continue to stir until it is too difficult to use the tool.  (1-2 minutes)
          • If the dough is very sticky, use clean hands to add one tablespoon at a time and knead the dough inside the bowl until the dough is less lumpy and begins to come together in a rough ball.  (1-3 minutes)
          • Lightly flour a clean countertop and roll the dough out on the counter.  Sprinkle a tablespoon of flour onto the surface of the dough and knead until the flour is completely combined and the dough gets too sticky to handle.  Add flour, one tablespoon at a time, and repeat until the dough is smooth and tacky, but not sticky to the touch. (5-15 minutes.)
          • Spray your hands and a large clean bowl with cooking spray.  Gather dough into a ball and place into the clean bowl.  Cover with a clean tea towel or plastic wrap (do not seal the sides) until dough is roughly doubled in size, about an hour.

          Make the Apple Filling:

          • While the dough rises, make the apples.
          • Place diced apples, sugar, lemon juice, and salt in a medium saucepan over high heat.
          • Cook apples, stirring frequently, until all of the liquid has disappeared. (5-10 minutes)
          • Remove apples from heat and place into a clean bowl.  Set aside until completely cooled.  If using a metal or tempered glass bowl, you can set the bowl in the refrigerator to assist with cooling.

          Shape the Fritters:

          • After the dough has doubled in size, lightly flour a countertop or silicone baking mat.
          • Turn out the dough onto the work surface and lightly flour the top of the dough.  Roll the dough into a roughly 12”x10” rectangle.  (See photo above.)
          • Pour apples onto the bottom half of the dough, leaving 1/2” border.  (See photo above.)
          • Sprinkle the flour evenly over the apple mixture.  Repeat with cinnamon. (See photo above.)
          • Fold the empty dough half over the half with the apples.  Gently pinch the seam shut.  The seam might not fully seal but that’s okay.  
          • Cut the dough lengthwise into 1” strips.  (See photo above.). Repeat widthwise. (See photo above.)
          • Shape the dough into a 12” log on the work surface and cut the log into 12 pieces.  
          • Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place each of the pieces, flat side down, on the parchment paper.
          • Cover with loose plastic wrap and allow the shaped fritters to rise for 45 minutes, or until the shaped fritters have doubled in size.
          • Twenty minutes into the second rise time, place 3” of vegetable oil in a dutch oven or very deep cast iron skillet.  Place the pot on the stove over medium-high heat. 

          Make the Glaze:

          • As the fritters are rising, add the confectioner’s sugar, corn syrup, salt, vanilla extract, maple extract, and heavy cream or whole milk in a medium-sized bowl. 
          • Mix with a whisk until completely combined, adding one teaspoon of heavy cream or milk at a time if the glaze is too thick.  The completed glaze should have the consistency of very thick honey.

          Cook the Fritters:

          • When the temperature of your oil is between 370°F (minimum) and 380°F (maximum), place a test fritter in the oil.  If the oil bubbles aggressively, remove the fritter immediately and reduce the temperature.  
          • If the oil bubbles are uniform, cook the fritter for about 1 minute and 15 seconds on each side.  The fritter should be very dark, but not burnt on each side.  
          • Remove the fritter to a baking sheet that has a cooling rack over paper towels. 
          • Repeat with the remaining fritters, careful to make only 2-3 (preferably 2) at a time.  If there are too many fritters in the oil, the temperature will drop and the fritters won’t cook thoroughly.
          • Allow the fritters to cool for about a minute before dipping them in the glaze.  If they are too hot to handle after one minute, please wait until you are able to touch them without burning yourself!  They should be warm to go into the glaze but it’s not worth risking your fingertips.
          • Return the fritters to the cooling rack to allow the glaze to set up (harden).  These are best enjoyed warm, but they taste delicious when they are cool as well.

          Notes

          • For the apples, I usually use a mixture of Honeycrisp, Fuji, and Granny Smith.  Also, when I say “medium” apples, I mean ~180 grams before peeling and dicing.
          • If you’re unsure what your yeast should look like after 8-10 minutes, this BwB resource on yeast basics is a huge help!  And this BwB resource will help you troubleshoot yeast problems.
          • Author: Shani
          • Prep Time: 45 minutes
          • Rise Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
          • Cook Time: 30 minutes
          • Category: Breakfast

          Did you make this recipe?

          Share a photo and tag us @beginwithbutter on IG — we can’t wait to see what you’ve made!

          Don’t forget to subscribe to Begin with Butter so that you can be the first to get updates!

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