Hi folks.
Today is a very special day. We are celebrating Megan Pence's upcoming wedding by throwing her a virtual surprise bridal shower. A group of bloggers got together to show Megan just how much we love her. I am so honoured to be included as I adore Megan to bits. Most of you know her as the gal behind the fabulous blog Wanna Be A Country Cleaver. She is down to earth and super sweet. She's also witty, talented, adorable, sassy and smart. I mean any gal who loves red velvet as much as me has to be a keeper. I am so incredibly happy for Megan and Ben. Finding your soul mate and starting your life together is such an amazing adventure. As my hubs and I near our 20 year anniversary this month I'll offer a small bit of advice. Are you ready for it Megan? Here it is... the secret to a happy marriage... and a happy life... "Don't take advice from other people". Honestly, people mean well but my best advice is to live your life for you and Ben, and to hell with what anyone else thinks or says. It's you two in it together, so the only thing that matters is the two of you. I wish you both a happy and long life together, enjoy every single minute of it.
When I got the email asking what I'd like to bring I knew immediately it had to be red velvet in some form. I'd been toying with an ice cream recipe for a while. I wanted it to be red velvet and taste like cake without having the cake chopped up inside. I wanted to put the ice cream on top of cupcakes so I did not want a double hit of actual cake in this dessert. So I decided to use the batter from a cake mix to add that cake taste without baking a cake and chopping it all up to put inside. Were you starting to wonder how many times I could say cake in one sentence? Apparently a lot! I also wanted the ice cream to be a pure red without any other colour inside. So this was my solution. I've done cake batter ice cream before so I knew it was possible. Imagine my surprise when I happened upon an actual Red Velvet box cake mix. I went in to the store thinking along the lines of Devil's Food. So I was pleasantly surprised to find out Duncan Hines carries a red velvet cake mix. I also decided to try it out and make cupcakes with it. My original plan was to make the cupcakes from scratch. I've made red velvet ones a gazillion times. But anyone who reads my blog regularly knows we are swamped with some crazy "life stuff" right  now. So cutting a corner on the cupcake prep was the way to go. Hopefully Megan will forgive me for not going homemade on the cupcakes. Hopefully this gorgeous ice cream more than makes up for it. Hope you like it Megan. This one's for you!
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 cup vanilla or plain sugar
- Pinch of vanilla salt of plain salt
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 2 cups dry red velvet cake mix
- 5 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 to 5 teaspoons Wilton Red No Taste Icing Colour the gel is the best for red velvet and use your own judgement on how much. Some people don't do well with a ton of food colouring so this is a personal decision.
Instructions
Make Red Velvet Cupcakes ahead of time. I used Duncan Hines Red Velvet.
For the Red Velvet Ice Cream:
- In a stand mixer, combine your whole milk, sugar, and salt. Mix until sugar is dissolved.
- Now add the heavy cream, cake mix, cocoa powder and vanilla. Mix until creamy.
- Add the food colouring. Start small and work towards the colour you want. You can always add more but you can't subtract once it's in there. Colour with caution folks.
- Mix well, being careful to start slow and not shoot red colouring everywhere. Not that this happened to anyone we know or anything.
- Cover bowl and place in fridge for at least 1 hour. I left mine in overnight to age the mixture well. Some ice creams do really well if you leave them in there longer. This is one of them.
- Remove from fridge, transfer mixture to a frozen ice cream machine bowl.
- Place the mixer inside, pop the top on and give it a whir. Let it churn for about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Pop it in your freezer until solid. Again I find the overnight method works well here. Gives it enough time to really firm up.
- Once it's solid you can now place one scoop of ice cream on each cupcake.
- For those who are just chomping at the bit to pick it up and try to eat it like an actual cupcake, well, don't do that sillypants. You will make a red velvet mess and make your family think something horrid happened while they were gone. Not that it happened to anyone we know.
- Serve immediately...on a plate...for realz....sillypants.
- Enjoy with a big old red toothed smile!
Notes
Make your cupcakes ahead of time.
Once you are ready to serve them, simply unwrap the ice cream scoops and place on top of the cupcakes.
If you want to make sure the ice cream does not slide off, I suggest placing a dot of frosting between the cupcake and the ice cream. It will make it stay put.
Do not freak out after eating this much red dye. You are not dying. Trust me!
I used my Homemade Vanilla for this but use whatever kind you like. I also used my own Vanilla Sugar and Vanilla Salt in it. You can use just plain old sugar and salt if you like. No judgement here. I mean I did just cut corners and use boxed (gasps) cupcake mix for this.
If you don't like cupcakes you can just make the ice cream!
I mean who can resist a nice cold, dripping ice cream cone on a hot day!
I encourage you all to visit the other lovely bloggers celebrating Megan's shower. Here's the menu for today's festivities:
Appetizers:
Heather from Farmgirl Gourmet brought Deviled Eggs- 3 Ways
Gina from Running to the Kitchen brought Cheesy Edamame Crostini
Kirsten from Comfortably Domestic brought Caramelized Onion & Goat Cheese Puffs
Tina from My Life as a Mrs. brought Easy Bacon Cream Cheese Roll -Ups
Rachel from Baked by Rachel brought Sausage and Red Pepper Stuffed Mushrooms
Alison from Decadent Philistines Save the World brought Retro Cheese Cookies
Drinks:
Laurie from Simply Scratch brought Blueberry Lemon SpritzersÂ
Cassie from Bake Your Day brought Lemon-Berry Granita with Balsamic and Basil
Entrees:
Michelle from A Recipe Junkie brought Fresh Melon & Crispy Proscuitto Salad
Jeanne from Inside NanaBread's Head brought Greek Salmon Wraps
Desserts:
Kathryn from London Bakes brought Eton Mess Shooters
Julie from Table for Two brought Mini Cherry Pies
Lauren from Lauren's Latest brought Summer Strawberry Jello Pie
Kat from Tenaciously Yours brought Good For You Bars
Mads from La Petite Pancake brought Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries
Megan I wish you and Ben a lifetime of happiness. It's a pleasure to celebrate this day with you and all the other wonderful bloggers who participated in today's surprise party. I had so much fun whipping this up for you, and well, eating it on your behalf. It was a huge sacrifice to have to eat 2 of these things, but that's how much I love you girl. I might even love you enough to eat one for each of us today. Now that's dedication and loyalty. Fist bump!
I also have another little surprise for Megan. I am going to Mixed this fall so we finally get to meet in person. I am so excited to finally get to meet the gal who brightens up my days and makes me smile with her sharp wit. Look forward to seeing you there.
Toodles and smoochies! xx
Kristen
Gorgeous ice cream. As a red freak, I adore anything that color....including my food. What a happy occasion to make these treats. My best to the bride and groom.
Kim Bee
Thanks so much Kristen. I love the colour too, I painted my basement red, and my blog room is burgandy. Love red so much.
Choc Chip Uru
Virtual parties are the best, this is such a cute gesture!!! Your addition looks incredible my friend, so tasty and beautiful!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Kim Bee
They are so much fun to participate in. I had a blast and loved doing this. Thanks for visiting. We need to keep in touch sans foodbuzz my dear. I do not want to lose track of one another. xx
Rachel
This is an incredible idea, never seen any like this before!
Kim Bee
Thanks so much. I saw ice cream cupcakes in a fashion magazine ad of all places awhile ago and it stuck with me. I don't think they did red velvet but tons of others. Would be so cute with some crazy flavours for a kids party. The possibilities are endless.
Laurie {Simply Scratch}
Oh.My.Word. This is awesome! Megan's totally gonna love this!
Kim Bee
Thanks so much. I had a blast whipping this up. Gotta love red velvet. Thanks for visiting. xx
Debra
Yummy and fun.
Kim Bee
Thanks so much Debra.
The Mom Chef ~ Taking on Magazines One Recipe at a Time
What a fun thing to do for Megan. I'm sure she would have loved those cupcakes. Red velvet cake from scratch is something I just haven't tried yet, but I need to at some point. I'm loving the idea of the ice cream topping. It looks amazing.
Kim Bee
Red Velvet from scratch is pretty easy if you aren't paranoid about the colouring. Some folks don't do well with it though. I know some people use beets but to me that's just a tad gross. I want chocolate flavoured, not beet flavoured ice cream and cupcakes. I've done red velvet cupcakes a few times now, the key is the vinegar I think. Helps the colour stay bright. Of course I did not put it in the ice cream cuz, um, gross.
NanaBread (Jeanne)
I love that you made red velvet. Megan's going to love it! Such a shame that we don't all live closer. I'm sure most of us would have been more than happy to help you put these babies down. It might not have been pretty, but it would have been a lot of fun. Cheers to Megan & Ben, and congrats to your and your spouse for your upcoming 20th anniversary!
Kim Bee
Thanks, I figured she would get a kick out the red velvet. I wish the same, would have been fun to do this in person. And thank you, oddly he's working out of town that day and I'll be a road trip across Canada for a week without him. Apparently we will be celebrating late. Our anni is also his birthday so he's going to be doubly bummed to be out of town that day.
Kayle (The Cooking Actress)
Awwwww yay a wedding!! I love your "advice" 😛
These are so cool! Very different but suuuper tasty-looking!
Kim Bee
Thanks so much. I wanted to think outside the box a bit. But then got crazed and had to use a box for the cupcakes. The irony.
kitchenriffs
I love virtual parties. Only problem is virtually eating the goods is a bummer! I want the real thing! 😉 These look wonderful. Love the color!
Kim Bee
I feel the same way. But this time it was cool cuz I got to eat up the goodies. That should be a problem but for me it's a perk. Lol.
Kelsey @ K&K Test Kitchen
Miss Kim, you are a genius. Love these cupcakes, but love your advice to Megan and Ben even more.
Kim Bee
Thanks so much Kels. I had a blast making this. And thanks, honestly the best marriage and baby advice I can give anyone is to not listen to advice from everyone. I think those things have to come from your gut instincts. Then you always know the right way to do it. The perks of being older and having lived through a lot is hindsight. It's amazing and always comes too late in life.
Kirsten/Comfortably Domestic
W-O-W! Just when I thought Red Velvet Cake couldn't get any better, you go and make Red Velvet Ice Cream to scoop on top of it. Genius, KimBee! Megan will love this!
Kim Bee
Thanks so much Kirsten. I was trying to come up with something red velvet unique which is hard to do. So many lovers of it, so many recipes out there. This was so much fun.
Megan @ Country Cleaver
Oh My Gosh!! I can't stop drooling Kim. o.O Red Velvet - you know the key to my heart! And I think your advice has been the best I've yet to receive. haha Perfection all around. Thank you a million times over. XOXOXO!!
Kim Bee
Thanks so much Megan. I knew you loved Red Velvet so I just kind of went for it.
Awe I am so glad you liked the advice. I swear it applies to marriage and kids. Listen to people then forget what they said and do what you heart says. It never steers you wrong.
Much happiness my dear. I am so thrilled for you. Was a pleasure to be involved in this. Cannot wait to meet you in person in November. xx
Jen @ Juanita's Cocina
These are gorgeous and look delicious! How sweet of y'all to throw her a party!
Kim Bee
Thanks Jen. I had fun making and eating these.
Mads
Wow! I don't think I've ever seen a red velvet dessert look so beautifully red. These are gorgeous! It's great to know there's an easy solution to making them ahead of time too.
Kim Bee
Awe thanks so much. I went a bit nuts on the food colouring but I was determined to nail the colour I wanted. I am doing these up for an event I have this month. So I needed to know how to do it without it melting into a puddle or sticking to each other.
Nami | Just One Cookbook
Wow this is so sweet! I really love food bloggers because they are filled with love and care for others. I love your creation Kim! I've never seen ice cream cupcakes! I loooove red velvet too! Congrats to Megan and Ben!
Kim Bee
Thanks so much Nami. I had so much fun doing it. Megan is a total sweetheart and I can't wait to meet her this fall. All hail red velvet. It's so classic right. I just love the look of it. And it's chocolate so I can eat it with a shovel really.
Kelly Senyei (Just a Taste)
What if I were to trade you a few bowls of Confetti Corn with Bacon for, say, nine dozen of these bad boys?
Kim Bee
I think we have a deal Kelly. I'll even throw in an extra dozen cuz I adore you. I just got your book from amazon and am set to start it next week. Trying to finish up Plate to Pixel first. Got my highlighter all ready to go for yours. So many things I still need to learn. Thanks for stopping by. xx
Erin @ Dinners, Dishes, and Desserts
These are just incredible! I love them for the shower, perfect addition!
Kim Bee
Thanks so much Erin. I had so much fun with this idea.
Heather | Farmgirl Gourmet
Can I just say - YES PLEASE? These look so awesome. LOVE.
xo
Heather
Kim Bee
Lol, why yes, yes you may. Thanks so much. xx
Julie @ Table for Two
oh yum! look at that red velvet lava of deliciousness!! Thanks for participating 🙂 🙂
Kim Bee
Thanks so much Julie. I am so thrilled to join you ladies in doing this for Megan. She's such a sweetheart. Thanks for all your hard work on this Julie. You are amazing.
Rachel @ Baked by Rachel
How fun!! I haven't made red velvet anything yet.
Kim Bee
Thanks Rachel. It's just good fun to do red velvet. It's easier than people think. I'm addicted to it.