I watched as Krispy Kreme doughnuts swept the nation. People would rave about the new doughnut shop that opened, but I was just excited to be reunited with the reason I was late to high school at least a few times a week. Once I was old enough to drive myself to school, my chronic tardiness began to shine through. It's one of those things I've fought as an adult because in business it is less acceptable. But it is a lot of work for me because I am naturally wired to be 5-10 minutes late. Add a Krispy Kreme with its beautiful red "Hot Now" sign conveniently on my way to school, and well... let's just say I've eaten a few doughnuts. I also had to serve detention for racking up so many tardies. But it was worth it.
So a couple years ago, when I started to hear about red velvet cake as the new "it" cake. I just had to smile. I love red velvet cake. And Sprinkles has a mighty fine one. But my mom's will always be my favorite. My mom went through a baking phase when I was in high school. She had her 3: carrot cake(her favorite), pound cake (my favorite), and red velvet cake. I can remember coming home from school to find one of those three in the cake dome on the table. Everyday. (Well, everyday in my memory doesn't necessarily mean it was everyday in reality. But it was a lot of days for sure). Between the Krispy Kremes for breakfast and big slice of cake for an after school snack, it is amazing I didn't gain weight, but I guess that is one of the wonders of being a teenager.
I was home for a visit when my cousin was pregnant a couple of years ago and she was having a big craving for red velvet cake. She had gone to Publix and tried their red velvet, but it wasn't good enough. She wanted my mom's red velvet cake. So my mom obliged and made her a cake. And it was as good as we all remembered. I'm lucky to have my mom's 3 cake recipes tucked away. I've tried to make all three and have been happy with the results. The recipes are tried and true, but when I make it it lacks that little extra something that you can only get when it comes from your mom's kitchen... but then I'm not sure how to replicate that. I'm just happy to be be able to make a close second.
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