Holi

Mango Lassi Cake ft. Rosewater Frosting + Almond Abir

It may not feel like spring has arrived to your part of the country yet, but let's just say it's running fashionably late this year. We may be a few weeks away from the full-on color spectrum that the season typically brings, but this Wednesday marks the first day of Holi, the Hindu Festival of Color which banishes winter and welcomes spring with (colorful) open arms.

One of the most remarkable rituals of Holi is the throwing of colored powder on one another in celebration. The colored powder used for the festival is called abir (dye) or gulal, and the music and dancing and good-natured coloring is meant to symbolize hope and joy while also encouraging participants to forget their differences, for at least a few days. And if these fluorescent colors aren't even to cure your winter blues, I'm not sure what will.

Even if you're not familiar with Holi, you probably are familiar with one of its virally popular offshoots - the Color Run, Color Me Rad, Color Vibe, etc etc - in which participants, initially clad in white, simulate the Holi festival by running while also throwing and receiving colored powder until they cross the finish line, saturated and sweaty (more on that later).

Holi is one of the first remixes I came up with and it has thus been in the sketchbook for almost a year. Needless to say, I was excited to put it into action and it's probably one of the freshest, tastiest flavor combinations so far. Drawing inspiration from favorite Indian sweets like lassi drinks and kheer (rice pudding), Holi is a smooth dense mango lassi cake (and cupcakes) with a light and fluffy rosewater frosting. I was able to find rosewater in an Indian neighborhood (Jackson Heights baby!), so you may have luck in an international foods store or aisle, and there's always the Internet. It tastes exactly as a rose smells and is an excellent harbinger of the spring season to come.

Coloring the powdered sugar was very simple with a food processor and liquid food coloring (not the gel kind this time). I also added in a drop or two of almond extract and finely processed nuts like almond and pistachio for a bit of flavor. Using the rituals of the Color Run and Holi as inspiration, I knew I wanted to decorate the cake by 'throwing' the colored powder, but you'll have to read on to hear about how that went...

Pot 'o Gold

Chocolate Guinness Cake ft. Baileys Frosting + Whiskey Gold Coins

I debated posting this remix, but I decided this was a good lesson in self-deprecation over self-actualization, much in the spirit of my cake apprentice days. So just read on and trust that I'm working on my shamrock skills.

There is utterly no lack of Irish Car Bomb cupcake recipes on the Internet (in fact, I wouldn't entirely trust a baking blog that doesn't have one), so alas - this remix is not so different from the others. Except for maybe my (accidental) decision to feature an Irish Midlands peat bog on top of the cake, rather than a lovely patch of clovers. (But really, this fluffy icing got the best of me in this round - check back for a re-remix where I actually make shamrocks instead of mutant-pea-shapes).

Nevertheless, this cake is moist and rich - thanks to an overnight soak, a secret ingredient (chocolate pudding mix), and the presence of Baileys. I had forgotten how smooth, delicious, and versatile Baileys Irish Creme could be - I have been putting it in my coffee, on my French Toast (in the form of Baileys whipped cream), and it's not even St. Patrick's Day yet.

I think the rainbow gradient is my favorite part of this cake - I divided and colored the frosting in 6 separate tubs and filled 6 separate bags with #10 tips to pipe 6 rings of color around the cake, before using a hot knife to blend it together. Unfortunately, this rainbow turned out better than the vegetation on top, and I ended up sandwiching this beautiful creature in between the cake layers. Note to self: next time, don't.

I had the idea to make large "sprinkles" for the gold at the end of the rainbow, only to mild success. I had a  bit o' trouble piping them out smoothly, and this could be an instance where gumpaste or (*gasp!*) fondant is the better way to go, because it can be rolled out, cut out, and textured to actually look like coins.

But I highly recommend the gold dust (luster dust, not flakes) - you can find it at cake supply shops, some craft stores, and definitely online. The first time I ever used it, I incorrectly mixed it into the frosting itself, which had no effect whatsoever. Instead, wait for the frosting or fondant to dry completely and then use a small brush to paint the dust (with a dab of water, liquor, or milk) directly onto the surface. I also used this for the gold ceiling tiles in the Victorian remix.

You can also make rainbow tie-dye cupcakes by lining a pastry bag with colored frosting before filling it with white frosting. Voila - taste the rainbow.

Dark 'n Stormy

Rum Cake ft. Ginger-Rum Glaze + Ginger Frosting + Pineapple-Lime Salsa

The tale of the Dark 'n Stormy remix begins with a day that 'twas overcast and drizzly, but we can pretend it was dark and stormy. If you're hitting a mid-winter slump and craving some sunshine, this cake brings a bit of  the Caribbean to your neck of the woods. Hailing from Bermuda and trademarked by Gosling's (of Gosling's Black Seal Rum), the Dark 'n Stormy cocktail consists of ginger beer topped off with a shot of dark rum, served over ice and garnished with a lime.

The key to this remix (as discovered through a test run) is to soak the baked cake overnight in the ginger-rum glaze. Since the alcohol of the rum in the cake batter will bake off in the oven, the trick is to add it in again and again for flavor and moisture. Another key - fresh ginger. You can buy ginger ale and you can buy ginger powder, but nothing beats the fragrance and flavor of fresh ginger, and a small root will go a long way when grated.

Not surprisingly, Gosling's also recommends using Gosling's Ginger Beer when concocting the Dark 'n Stormy. Ginger beer of any sort (not served in a bar) actually proved difficult to find when shopping for ingredients so I settled for a ginger brew/ale in the recipe. This may even be better in the end because ginger ale is carbonated and has a higher sugar content than ginger beer, which is fermented, and will therefore make a better syrup, glaze, and frosting. If possible, go with bottles with pieces of real ginger inside, like Fresh Ginger Ale or Maine Root (over brands like Schweppes or Seagram's) for maximum flavor.

Last but not least, a Dark 'n Stormy is typically garnished with a slice of lime, so I decided to introduce another citrus twist with a pineapple salsa. Chunks of lime would be a bit sour so just slice up some pineapple (fresh or canned) and toss with lime juice and fresh ginger. You can spoon the salsa in between cake layers or serve on the side of cake slices.

You can also make dark 'n stormy cupcakes, fill the center with pineapple, and frost as usual. No matter which route you take, I highly recommend accompanying your voyage with a touch o' Beach Boys 'n Jack Sparrow.

ginger-rum glaze (prepare before or during cake-baking)
2 tbsp. butter
2 c. ginger ale
1/4 c. rum
1 tbsp. freshly grated ginger
--
Use a knife to peel skin off of a small piece of ginger root and grate the pulp until you have at least a tablespoon of gratings. In a small saucepan on the stovetop, melt butter and pour in ginger ale, and grated ginger. Bring to med-high heat and let mixture boil for 7-8 minutes, then add in rum (heat will burn off alcohol so it's best to add this afterwards). Set aside while you bake the cake.

rum cake
1 box vanilla cake mix
1/4 c. brown sugar, packed
3 eggs
1/4 c. vegetable oil
1 c. dark rum (for an official Dark 'n Stormy - use Gosling's)
1/2 c. ginger beer (or ginger ale)
1 tbsp. vanilla
--
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and grease round cake pans with butter or a non-stick spray like PAM. In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs, oil, rum, ginger beer, and vanilla until smooth. In a separate bowl, crumble brown sugar into cake mix and sift. Slowly add dry mix into wet ingredients and beat on a high speed for 1 minute until batter is smooth.

Pour batter into greased pans until each is 2/3 of the way full. Bake according to the times on the back of the mix box, depending on the types of pans you are using. Use a toothpick to check doneness - if the toothpick comes out clean from the center of the cakes, remove from oven and set on cooling rack.

While cakes are still warm in the pans, use a toothpick to prick a dozen holes in the top of each. Run a knife or spatula around the edges to loosen from the pan. Use a pastry brush to paint the prepared ginger-rum glaze onto the tops and sides of the cakes. Repeat until glaze has been used. Cover cakes (still in the pans) with plastic wrap, refrigerate, and let soak overnight.

Use a knife or spatula to loosen the cakes and remove from pans.

ginger frosting
1/2 c. butter
3-4 tbsp. ginger ale
2-3 ginger syryup
4 c. powdered sugar
food coloring (optional)
--
In a large mixing bowl, beat shortening, ginger ale, and ginger syrup (see below) until blended. Slowly add in sugar and continue to mix on high until frosting forms.

ginger syrup
1 c. ginger ale
--
Heat 1 cup of ginger ale in a saucepan over medium-high heat for 5 minutes, while stirring constantly to keep it from sticking. Let mixture cool and thicken for 2 minutes until syrup forms.

pineapple lime salsa
1 c. diced pineapple
1 tbsp. lime juice
freshly grated ginger
--
Cut pineapple into slices and then dice into smaller quarter-inch pieces. In a small bowl, toss pineapple chunks with fresh lime juice and grated ginger.

You can fill the fill the cake layers with the salsa or serve on the side. For cupcakes, use a melon baller to scoop out a chunk of cake and fill with a scoop of salsa before frosting (see below).

dark 'n stormy cupcakes
For cupcakes, use a standard ice cream scoop to fill cupcake liners and bake for 20-24 minutes. Remove from oven, prick surfaces with a toothpick, and use a pastry brush to paint ginger-rum glaze onto warm cupcakes. Let soak overnight.

Use a spoon or melon baller to scoop out a chunk of cupcake, replace with a scoop of pineapple-lime salsa, and frost using a large star tip.