Ask someone what, exactly, red velvet is, and chances are they’ll stare back at you blankly. Nonetheless, red velvet remains the top-selling cupcake in America (“America” means BabyCakes NYC, of course). As I’ve come to understand it, the name dates to the time when people carried books with a belt and wore bonnets, and cocoa powder was still all natural and reacted with the acid in buttermilk and baking soda by turning it a reddish brown, an effect some precolonial marketing genius dubbed red velvet. You might be sad to hear that, historically, red velvet cake was appreciated primarily for its neutral (you can say it: bland) flavor and supple texture, which served primarily as a vehicle for frosting. While I obviously have nothing against frosting, I believe the cake should be more than a booster seat, so I’ve gone ahead and fixed that little problem for you. Thank me by baking these by the thousands.
This classic 15-minute sauce is your secret weapon for homemade mac and cheese, chowder, lasagna, and more.
Turn humble onions into this thrifty yet luxe pasta dinner.
Round out these autumn greens with tart pomegranate seeds, crunchy pepitas, and a shower of Parmesan.
The silky French vanilla sauce that goes with everything.
Caramelized onions, melty Gruyère, and a deeply savory broth deliver the kind of comfort that doesn’t need improving.
An extra-silky filling (no water bath needed!) and a smooth sour cream topping make this the ultimate cheesecake.
This pasta has some really big energy about it. It’s so extra, it’s the type of thing you should be eating in your bikini while drinking a magnum of rosé, not in Hebden Bridge (or wherever you live), but on a beach on Mykonos.
Crispy tots topped with savory-sweet sauce, mayonnaise, furikake, scallion, and katsuobushi.