Valentine’s Day Cocktails and Cupcakes

MILWAUKEE - Whether you're celebrating Valentine's Day, Galentine's Day, or just Friday, it's always fun to get a little festive! Chef Alisa Malavenda shares some tasty Valentine's Day treats.  

"Pretty in Pink" Champagne Cocktail

2 oz vodka (for a little more heat, you could use pepper vodka)

1 oz cranberry or pomegranate juice 

Splash of chambered liqueur 

4 peppercorns

Champagne or (sparkling water)

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice cubes, combine the vodka, juice, peppercorns and liqueur. Cover and shake vigorously for 15 seconds. Strain into a chilled tall Champagne glass or cocktail glass.

Top off with Champagne (soda water), garnish with a sprig of mint or to be extra

Coat the rim of the glass with sanding sugar, garnish with a glitter cotton candy ball or add some edible glitter 

Oh Honey, You’re the Bee’s Knees

2 oz of gin

3/4 oz of fresh lemon juice

1/2 oz honey syrup (made like simple syrup, but with honey instead. You could also throw in a little knob of ginger for something really delightful)

Garnish 

Add the gin, lemon juice and honey syrup into a shaker with ice and shake until well-chilled.
Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
Garnish with a lemon twist or whatever your fantasy is for this cocktail

Bleeding Heart Martini

2.5 oz Vodka 

1.5 -2 oz pickled beet brine 

(depending on how dirty you like it) 

Little vermouth (optional) 

Skewer of pickled beet heart 

Add vodka, brine, and dry vermouth (optional) to a cocktail shaker with ice 

Shake and strain into a chilled martini glass 

Garnish with pickled beets. 

Buttercream Recipe 

1-pound unsalted butter, room temperature

Anywhere from 4 to 10 cups of sifted powder sugar 

Note: (The more sugar not only the sweeter but also makes for a "crustier the icing) 

1-2 Tbsp. heavy cream 

1 tsp. Vanilla extract (optional) 

Food coloring 

Place room temperature butter in a stand mixer or large bowl fitted with a paddle attachment.

Whip the butter until it is fluffy and pale in color (this will take anywhere from 5 to 10 minutes at medium-high speed.

In the meantime, sift your sugar (you don’t want any lumps in your frosting) 

Shut of Kitchen Aide and put in half the sugar (TIP: place a towel over the machine so you don’t have a big mess) then turn the mixer on low to incorporate - repeat with the remaining sugar.

When all the sugar is added, whip the sugar and a butter on high for at least 10 minutes. Add vanilla extract if using and beat another minute. 

You can add the food coloring now for one color or divide into however many containers for multiple colors. 

You can double or triple this recipe depending on how many you are making the board for . 

Pink Champagne Butter Cream

1-pound unsalted butter, softened

4–10 cups powdered sugar (depending on the desired consistency, more sugar = more crusting) If you prefer a frosting that crust less, see the note at the bottom of the recipe

4 tsp. clear vanilla extract

1 tsp. salt

¼ cup pink champagne

*Pink Coloring Gel if you want a deeper pink color 

Directions: 

Cream the softened butter until smooth and lightened in color at least 5 min.  

Blend in the salt and vanilla

Gradually, add the powdered sugar and the champagne until the powdered sugar is incorporated.

Beat at medium high speed for 10 minutes. The texture will become very smooth. If you are tinting the entire batch of buttercream light pink, you can add a very small amount of coloring gel while it is mixing

Dye Free Red Velvet Cake

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup cornstarch

3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder (do not use Dutch process cocoa)

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temp

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 cups sugar, divided

3 large eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup butter milk or add (1 1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar to a 

1/2 cup whole milk)

1 cup beet puree (3 medium beets with 1 tbsp lemon juice)

Directions: 

First, make the beet puree. Cut off the stems and rinse the beets.

Slice the beets in half and place into a pot. Fill the pot to where the water reaches a couple inches over the beets. Stir in the lemon juice.

Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 30–35 minutes or until the beets are fork tender. 

Remove the beets from the water 

(reserve the water they were boiled in).

 Gently scrape away the skins and transfer the beets to a food processor.

Add in 1/4 cup of the reserved water and blitz until the beets reach an apple sauce consistency, making sure there are no chunks 

Measure out 1 cup. (If you’re a little short, mix in a couple tablespoons of the reserved water) 

Preheat the oven to 350F and grease and line cake pans or cupcake pans. 

If you are not using buttermilk, combine the milk and vinegar. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In a separate bowl using a hand or stand mixer with the paddle attachment, mix together the butter and 1 cup of sugar until light and fluffy.

Now add in the oil and remaining 1 cup of sugar and mix until smooth.

Mix in the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla and beet puree.

Alternate between wet and dry, mix in half of the dry ingredients, then the milk and vinegar mixture, then the rest of the dry ingredients.

Evenly divide the batter between the two cake pans. Or fill cupcake liners 3/4 of the way.  For 8" pans, bake for 35–40 minutes, for 9" pans, bake for 30–35 minutes. For cupcakes about 18 minutes.

They’re ready when a toothpick comes out clean with a few moist crumbs.

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