Raspberry Crumb Bars

These Raspberry Bars are rich, buttery and crumbly.  Try them with cool whip or vanilla icecream too!

Recipe
Crust
15 Tbsp unsalted butter (1 stick + 7 Tbsp), melted
2 cups flour
Filling
3/4 cup raspberry preserves, mixed smooth with a fork
Topping
1 cup plus 1 Tbsp flour
3/4 cup light brown sugar
8 Tbsp unsalted butter (1 stick), at room temp, cut into small cubes


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 9 X 13 " baking pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil, overhanging the sides for easy removal of bars later.  Crust: mix the butter and flour with a fork until combined and forms a dough. 

 Spread crust on bottom of pan, use a large piece of waxed paper to evenly press down crust.

 Bake crust for 15 mins until lightly golden and let cool completely.  Topping: Using a pastry blender, food processor or your fingers, mix together the flour and brown sugar, then cut in the butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. 

 Spread the raspberry preserves onto the cooled crust, leaving about a 1/4 in of the crust on edges showing.  Sprinkle crumbs over the preserves ~ it will seem like a lot of crumbs, but get 'em all on there for a nice crumbly top

 Bake for 15 mins or until golden brown.  Allow to cool, then cut with a serrated knife.  Sprinkle with Confectioners sugar if desired.

Enjoy!

Red Velvet Valentine Cakes

Recipe
Cake
1 1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk
2 large eggs at room temperature
2 Tbsp red food coloring
1 tsp white vinegar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups flour
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1 Tbsp + 1 tsp dutch processed cocoa
Cream Cheese Frosting
1 stick unsalted butter at room temp
8 oz package cream cheese at room tep
2 cups sifted confectioners sugar
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare cake pans, I made 5 mini cakes with this batter and 8 cupcakes, this can also make 1 large bundt cake.  Spray your choice of pans with baking spray or line cupcake pans with paper liners.  Combine first 6 ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, beat on medium until blended.  Sift together the remaining dry ingredients in a separate bowl.  Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in 3 intervals, and mix on low after each addition.  Pour batter into prepared cake pans.  Bake until a toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean, about 25 minutes for mini cakes.  Cool completely before frosting.  Frosting:  In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment cream together the butter and cream cheese until soft and smooth.  Slowly add the confectioners sugar and continue to blend, scraping sides of bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.  Add vanilla extract and mix on medium until smooth and fluffy.  Frost the top of your cakes and decorate as desired.
Recipe adapted from "Kiss my Bundt"

Enjoy!

Recipe from:

http://astore.amazon.com/rosscoubak-20/detail/0977412024