Twelve Rivers Musings

Mmmmmm……. I grew up on this cake, made often for special occasions. I now make it for my family, especially at Christmas. It’s well worth the effort as it’s quite wonderful!

This variation uses a different type of frosting than most red velvets. I especially like it since it isn’t overly sweet and it leaves the red of the cake exposed making the final result a treat for the eyes as well!

You WILL be using your reusable shopping bags when you run to the store for these ingredients, won’t you!

CAKE
1/2 cup Crisco shortening
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 oz. bottle red food coloring
1 oz. bottle water (use food coloring bottle)
1 teaspoon cocoa powder
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/4 cups sifted flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vinegar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line the base of three 9″ round cake pans with waxed paper. Spray pans lightly with vegetable oil spray.

Cream shortening and sugar together. Add eggs. Make paste of food coloring, water and cocoa, then add to creamed mixture. Mix buttermilk and salt together. Add to creamed mixture alternately with the sifted flour. Mix soda and vinegar together quickly and add to cake mixture; mix well. Divide batter equally among the three pans. Bake for 20-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes clean. When cool, remove cakes from pans and remove waxed paper. Stack layers, frosting the top of each layer. Let frosting drizzle from the top layer down the sides of the cake.

FROSTING
4 tablespoons flour
1 cup milk
1 cup sugar
1 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix flour and milk in saucepan. Cook until thick. Cool. Cream sugar, butter and vanilla together until fluffy. Blend the two mixtures. Do NOT beat. Frosting should be the consistency of cold oatmeal.

Happy Holidays from all of us at Twelve Rivers!

I remember someone once telling me her goal while in high school was to have enough clothes to be able go at least a month without repeating an outfit. Granted each outfit was probably composed of separates that mixed and matched. Still, one has to wonder if an outfit was really worn only nine times during the school year!

Contrast this to The Uniform Project by Sheena Matheiken, so named for her days of school uniforms where students found inventive ways to convey individuality with additions or slight changes to the assigned outfit. In The Uniform Project – 1 Dress. 365 Days, Sheena has vowed to wear the same dress every day for one year. A friend designed a basic black dress to be worn flipped either to the front or the back for versatility.

Sheena has taken layering and accessorizing to another level giving the same dress a whole new look each and every day. Numerous accessories have been donated or designed for her, many from materials typically thrown away. She is currently on day 230 of 365.

Any funds Sheena raises from this project go to the Akanksha Foundation for the education of underprivileged children in India.

Take time to scroll through the weeks of variation on the little black dress. Sheena is extremely creative while utilizing unusual accessories. Think what you could do with some of the basics in your closet with just a little ingenuity!

Our Holiday Sale on ALL our reusable shopping bags is underway now at Twelve Rivers. 25% off everything storewide! Savings will be reflected during checkout!

Many of our shopping bags will work perfectly as gifts bags. Just add a bright ribbon and you have a gift bag that will keep on giving!.

Shop often now through December 16th!