Jets Party + Green Velvet Cake Fail
On Saturday, Shaun and I had a little party to watching the Jets clinch it over the Colts. Nothing like good friends and good food on a Saturday night!
I love playing host to our friends. I go a little overboard with cooking and baking, but I don’t think they mind!
If you follow me on Twitter or ‘Like’ us on Facebook, you may have noticed that I attempted to make a Jets-themed cake to mark the occasion. And since I’m the farthest thing from a cake decorator, I came up with an idea to make a green cake. You know, to chicly say that we are rooting for the Jets, but without hanging football-theme crepe paper all over our apartment (not that there’s anything wrong with that). But this couldn’t be just any green cake. I’m talking bright, rich, deep, bold green that would have all of our guests (and most importantly my husband) ooohing and aaaahing at my creativity and baking prowess. You know, as I’d simply toss my hair over my shoulder and proclaim how it was nothing.
In hindsight, the smart thing to do would have been to simply make a vanilla cake and add a boatload of green food coloring. But because I had to be oh-so-fancy-schmancy, I decided that it was necessary to take it a step further. Plain ol’ vanilla cake wouldn’t do. It had to be green velvet.
Sounds simple enough, right? Take a red velvet cake recipe and substitute the red for green. Oh if only that were the case my friends.
Ingredients are mixed.
It’s bright, vibrant green; Jets green! {I do a happy dance in celebration that I have conquered this seemingly elusive cake}
I even completely ignore the fact that the 1.5 bottles of food coloring revolted and semi-permanently stained my fingers. Both hands. Front and back.
I had bright green cake! Who cares about my fingers?!
Unfortunately, I happy danced too soon. The moment the cakes came out of the oven, I knew that something went awry.
That vibrant green was nowhere to be found. Instead, I was left with a mossy exterior that couldn’t look more unappetizing. I iced it up anyway and served it to my guest with warnings.
Though I hoped that the inside was salvaged, no luck. I served my wonderful guests mossy green cake. Luckily I have great friends and they ate it with a smile. Luckily, the cake still tasted delicious. Even though it looked fairly hideous.
Don't judge this book by its cover. If it wasn't tinted green, I'd think this was a moist, flavorful and overall yumtastic cake. Unfortunately I'm too embarassed to send the leftovers with Shaun to work. I have a rep to protect.
And to further my plight, I still have green food coloring outlining my nail beds, despite a thick coat of nail polish.
So there you have it. One of my most disappointing kitchen fails to date. So what do you think? Have you ever had a fun idea that turned into a big fail?
21 Comments | January 10, 2011 | Share Article | Email Article | tagged jets, party food | in Misadventures Print Article | Permalink
Reader Comments (21)
Well it's the thought on the cake that counts!! I still would have gobbled it up. Green cake's good in my books! ;)
Green Velvet! What a fun idea.. I have seen your posts on Haute Apple Pie, as another Wisconsin girl, I can tell you that you'd likely be in disbelief of all of the things they dye green and yellow here in Wisconsin for the Packers - hamburger buns; tortilla chips; cookies; donuts, you name it.. you can find them in green!
oh.. and milk. ew.
Hamburger buns?! I think they need to teach me how it's done :) So happy you found us!
Oh and congrats on the Packers win this weekend!
I would have totally eaten that cake... weird food amuses me!!! :)
I had considered making a green cake for the Eagles.... :-(
Lauren, even as as Giants fan...I was shocked that the Eagles lost ;( It was a weekend of upsets!
I love that you tried to make a green cake!
You know - despite the lack of green like you expected - you can tell that the cake is moist and so so delicious! I would eat it without question!
I always fail when I get into food coloring so I just leave it be! :)
I would eat that - no questions asked!! you will have to practice making Blue Velvet for next year :)
I would eat something that's an ugly color, but certainly not anything in support of the Jets :wink:
The batter and your hand looked the right color - I guess that's why food companies have so many scientists and mixologists. Despite it's mossy color it looked DELICIOUS!!! Another great idea on your part.....
oh i would totally eat it too.. the color doesnt bother me at all... :)
Our house is always the go-to for any sports, dinner, game nights and i'm guessing it's bc of the mass amount of food that I make! (better to have more than not enough right?!) Love the green-that's dedication!
hey, I'd say better to look gross and taste awesome than the other way around!
I'm proud of you for trying. if none of us took risks in the kitchen, life would be a bore and our successes mundane. :)
So true!
The cake was still money though (taste wise). You can bake for me any day :)
Aw, thanks Ry! :)
That is so creative! I love it! Who cares if it wasn't exactly the "right" color!
I found your blog a while back and love keeping up with you (in the reading way, NOT the cooking way!). Although you do defintely inspire me...I've made your Irish carbomb cupcakes and pizza dip (big successes).
Most recently, I tried peanut butter banana oreo mini cheesecakes and ham and gruyere thumbprints. They looked adorable!!! My guests ate some of them with complimentary attitudes, however, I hated them! The peanut butter and oreo combo wasn't appealing and it made the cookie really soggy (ick). And the thumbprints tasted like dog food smells. But like Alyssa so wonderfully pointed out, it makes the wins so much better!
Thanks, and keep up the posts--the good, bad and (tasty but) ugly! :)
So happy you found us Adriane! I have to say that of all the things I've ever made the pizza dip is always the biggest crowd pleaser and my personal fave. We definitely all have recipe fails! I hate the ones where I build them up in my head to be so wonderful and then they turn out to be not so much :( Happy cooking anyway!!