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Mom Mom's Red Velvet Cake/Butter Cream Icing
Mom Mom's Red Velvet Cake
1/2 cup crisco
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 oz red food coloring
2 heaping tablespoons cocoa
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/4 cups sifted cake flour
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
Cream crisco and sugar. Add eggs one at a time and beat for 30 seconds. Add cocoa and red food coloring, mix. Add flour, salt and buttermilk, mix. Remove batter from mixer. Sprinkle with baking soda, pour vinegar over batter and add vanilla. Stir. DO NOT BEAT - (don't over stir - it can make the cake tough). Pour batter into 2 - 9 inch cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 min.
Mom Mom's Butter Cream Icing
2 tablespoons cornstarch or 4 tablespoons flour
1 cup whole milk
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Mix cornstarch (or flour) with milk. Cook until thick, whisking the entire time. Set aside to cool. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add vanilla and cooked cornstarch mixture slowly. Beat until it feels like whipped cream.
Thank you so much, Axalady. I know how precious family recipes are, so I really do appreciate you being willing to part with it, not to mention spending the time to type it out. My sister will love this. She goes gaga over red velvet cupcakes, so I can only imagine how much she'll love having a whole cake to herself.
And for those who might not know, Crisco now makes shortening without trans-fat, and there's also a Whole Foods brand of shortening without trans-fat. That might be the one substitution I make, although who cares. It's 1/2 a cup for the whole cake, you only live once.
One question: when you stir in the vinegar, how much should you stir? I understand that I shouldn't be whisking it or beating it hard, but do I need to stir until it's all encorporated or should I just fold a few times and let it be?
re: Pei
Hi Pei and rworange, I use Hershey's unsweetened cocoa, and I use Softasilk Cake flour, and I do sift it. I use large eggs. Stir the vinegar and vanilla in until it's incorporated well. If the cake is tough you'll know next time to take it easier. I've learned through trial and error with this recipe. Also, I use cornstarch in the icing and have never had lumps, and I really do whisk it the entire time it's on the heat until it thickens. It's interesting that I never had considered before that this recipe has been in the family about 50 years. Gee, I'm getting old!! I hope that you girls have the success with it that I have.
This is awesome b/c I lost my family recipe for r.v cake and I was planning on making it for Easter. For convenience sake tho, I was going to make cup cakes. Would this be ok if I just poured the batter in the cup cake pan?
re: lbs
re: Axalady
re: mamamia
Have you tried this original frosting? You may be used to using cream cheese frosting but that wasn't used when this cake first became popular in the 40s and 50s. Cream cheese frostings didn't come into use until the 60s or 70s.
At least give it a try. It's lighter, less fat, fewer calories, holds up better in heat and humidity.
My family would kill me if I put a cream cheese frosting on a RVC.
Holy buttermilk and vinegar, that cake is good!
Axalady, thank you thank you thank you. I popped the two cakes out of the oven half an hour ago, and just now I sliced off the domes and piled them into a bowl to eat as dessert (cook's treat, you know). Darn me for not having made the frosting yet.
People, this is a darned good cake. I used Penzey's cocoa powder, and the smell of it is deeply chocolatey and heavenly. The cake is light and fluffy, so it won't please those who are after a dense fudgey version of chocolate. My favorite part, however, is the crispy crust on the dome contrasted with the warm fluffy interior. Of course, this piece is exclusively for the person who bakes the cake and the sensation will be lost once the cake is cooled and frosted. C'est la vie.
I used less than a teaspoon of red food coloring, and to me the cake is plenty red. I will use even less next time and see how little food coloring I need to just need a tinge of red. Searing red velvet cakes don't appeal to me, personally.
Full report and photos to follow after the cake's done.
re: Axalady
Just for the heck of it I thought that I'd look around the internet to see how many different variations of this recipe there are. Here are just a few: Martha Stewart's recipe calls for 1/4 cup cocoa, one recipe on cdKitchen has a recipe that has no cocoa in it at all. I saw a recipe on parents.com that has neither buttermilk or vinegar listed and one on Cooks.com calls for 3 tablespoons of Nestle quik powder. Sarah Molton has a red velvet recipe attributed to Cakeman Raven Confectionery in NY that calls for 1 teaspoon of cocoa - 1 teaspoon, why bother?! I also see more references to red velvet cake with cream cheese icing than with the gravy icing. Great recipes really can get bastardized over time. It makes my MomMom's recipe seem all the more special to me. :)
Pei, when I take the cakes out of the pans to cool I put them upside down on the cooling racks. By the time they've cooled they've lost their domes and sit flat. Although, I have to admit that I like your idea too - the first and the best taste for the chef...
Can't wait to read the rest of the report and see the pics!
re: Axalady
re: Axalady
You might be interested in this version called "Red Earth Cake" It also has coffee as well as cocoa in the cake. The icing uses brown sugar.
There is another Red Velvet cake further down on the page, but no frosting with it. It uses vinegar too.
Axalady, where is your MomMom from? Any idea how old this recipe is? I've heard this cake dates back to at least the 40s. Probably before then.
I've often wondered if the gravy icing was ever made with crisco, especially when butter was rationed during WWII. Always meant to try it - even if I had to throw out a yucky batch.
I'm from New Orleans. Mama gave me her recipe in the 60s and I don't know how long she'd had it or where she got it from. Her mother didn't bake.
re: MakingSense
Hi MakingSense, My MomMom (my Mother's Mother) was born and raised in Maryland. The first time my Mom remembers having a red velvet cake is sometime between 1939 and 1942. I asked her if she remembered her Mother using crisco during WWII, unfortunately she couldn't remember. She did remember at times when her Mother couldn't get butter she'd use margarine. She remembers margarine as a white lump that came in a bag. She said it came with yellow coloring that was added into the bag and kneaded into the margarine to give it it's color.
re: Axalady
Mama often used margarine for both the cake and the icing - especially when money was tight. It didn't seem to make any difference in the taste. One of the few times butter doesn't seem to make a difference.
I understand that all oleo originally came with yellow coloring that had to be added. Apparently the dairy industry wanted to reinforce that it wasn't the real thing. It was all most people could get during the War when butter was rationed.
This may explains a lot about the origins of gravy icing. Perhaps it came into use during the butter rationing of the War. You could make it and/or boiled frostings without butter. After the War, people went back to buttercreams until cream cheese frostings began to be used in the 60s and 70s.
re: Axalady
re: MakingSense
Hi every one. This was my birthday cake every year when I was young. My mom had a OES cookbook from the early 60's. It had several slightly different recipies for this cake. Every one of them with the cooked milk frosting. All the recipies in that book called for butter in the cake and the frosting. The cake had various other names: Waldorf Astoria, Five hundred dollar cake. The story goes as follows. A wealthy woman had a slice of this cake at the Waldorf Astoria hotel and love it so much, she wanted the recipie for so her cook could duplicate the cake. When the waiter told the chef of her request, he replied that she could have the recipie for $500.00 which she paid without batting an eye. Nowadays that would probably be like $100,000.00. The Waldorf Astoria version had walnuts and coconut mixed in the frosting. This is the same hotel the Waldorf salad came from. This was one ritzy place so they could well afford butter.
I once had the frosting melt into the cake because it was so hot. I'll tell this about that experience, it was still a wonderful tasting cake. Also I hae made it in blue and lavender. I just add a bit of water to have 2 oz. total of coloring liquid. My mom also told me about mixing the color into the oleo way back when.
Made this cake for a co-worker's birthday. I found it to be a little dry, but am wondering if that is a result of me overmixing? I am by no means an expert baker and am trying to learn the nuances of making a delcious cake.
I really like this icing recipe. It is less sweet than the icing I usually make and had a nice light texture.
re: Honey Bee
I don't think overmixing = dry. Generally, overbaking = dry. It's especially easy to overbake a chocolate cake. Some recipes will tell you to pull the layers when the cake pulls away from the side of the pan. IMO, it's too late then. Or it could just be a dry-ish recipe...I personnally like a buttery cake on the drier side as opposed to really moist cakes which sometimes remind me of mixes.
Thanks for the feedback on the icing. Did it seem to be sturdy, like it would hold up to transportation, warm temps, etc.?
re: danna
Thanks for the feedback. I probably did overbake the cake. I was using new caphalon pans and my oven does tend to run a little hot. I did a little research and found I also made a mistake by refrigerating the cake. Apparently, this changes the fat structure. The mistakes of a novice!
The icing was sturdier than I thought it would be. I think the cornstarch lends itself to that. I think it would be fine for travel and warm days.
re: Honey Bee
to be honest, it shouldn't make THAT much of a difference to refrigerate it. i work at a really great bakery where my boss actually did his bakers apprenticeship in Denmark and he usually refrigerates his cakes when necessary. I also refrigerate when I'm doing a big decoration job and its too hot to keep the icing from melting. its always better when you don't, but i don't think that's the reason your cake was dry.
re: larafaye
I'm going to give this recipe a go for my bf's brithday in a couple of weeks - he loves red velvet cake but I've only ever been able to make him dull maroon velvet cake before! My question is whether the un-frosted cake could be frozen? I've got loads of stuff to make for his party and am trying to schedule it to avoid a last-minute rush...
re: danna
This is a terrific icing. Much sturdier than a straight buttercream.
As for transportation and heat. Remember that the origins of this cake and icing are Southern where they invented heat and humidity. The cake was likely carted to church suppers and relatives' homes. Nobody had air conditioning.
Good icing to use in the summer. Doesn't get oily in the heat. I usually refrigerate the cake however because my family likes it served cold for some reason and the icing is still good that way unlike a buttercream which is better at room temp.
re: MakingSense
Thank you. Please forgive me for continuing to quiz you, but I am stressing over an icing choice for my parent's anniversary cake. I think I am going to make chocolate layers and want a plain-ish frosting that I can tint ivory, and then tint w/ luster dust for the decorations.
Have you ever tried piping this stuff? Is it that dense, or is it more like a whipped cream?
I always have better luck w/ ganache than buttercream (this party will be June 29th in SC, hello heat and humidity). I have considered a white chocolate ganache, but I don't have any experience w/ that since I generally frown on white chocolate.
Thanks for the advice!
re: danna
re: Honey Bee
OK, I made this icing Saturday. It was good, but I have a few questions:
I had to let the creamed butter and sugar sit for 30 minutes to try to keep the icing from being grainy. Do you use extra-fine sugar?
It did not make enough to fully fill and frost an angel food cake cut into two layers. Does that seem right? Did I not get it fluffy enough?
re: danna
Danna, the recipe Mama gave me calls for beating the icing for 10 minutes after the addition of the cooked white sauce to the creamed butter/sugar mixture. Thank God for the KA stand mixer. I remember using the hand-held as a child! I use granulated sugar, not extra-fine or confectioners. I guess the long beating allows time for the granulated sugar to dissolve.
I get enough to generously fill and frost a 2-layer 9 inch cake or a 3-layer 8 inch.
re: MakingSense
Danna, I use regular sugar and I've never had the icing turn out grainy. But you really need to beat the sugar/butter until they are FLUFFY - and that does take a while. I always make sure it's fluffy BEFORE I add the cornstarch mixture, then I continue to beat until it's like whipped cream. I also make sure my butter is very soft before I start. I've always had enough icing to easily cover two 8 inch layers. I hope you've better luck next time. This really is a fabulous icing.
re: danna
Hey Dana,
As my Grandmother would say, "ya gotta beat the hell out of it" LOL. I always tell anyone that I've given the recipe to that don't be afraid at first it will look like it's "curdled" but just keep beating it and in no time it will look like dense whipped cream. May be just me but have tried margarine for thye frosting and wasn't happy with the results, but then again I use butter for the cake too.
re: MakingSense
This sounds so great. I am going to make it for my next book club meeting.
re: Megiac
re: Honey Bee
Honey Bee, I'm so glad that you tried this cake! I've made it MANY times (I posted the recipe) and over-beating will result in a tough cake, not a dry cake. You mention that you only used half of the suggested 2 oz of red food coloring. Unless you used some other liquid to equal the 2 oz that is probably why the cake was dry. Baking is an exact science and recipes need to be followed to the letter. Omitting 1 oz of liquid may not sound like a lot, but it is. I don't know why people shy away from red food coloring. It's not like you're eating this cake everyday and none of my family members has died from our red velvet cake ingestion in over 50 years. Megiac, I would ask you, and anyone else who makes this cake to please follow the recipe exactly, at least the first time. You'll need two bottles of red food coloring for it. You will be surprised how gloriously red 2 oz of red food coloring will make it, and how moist the cake is.
re: Axalady
Good point Axalady, I had not thought of that! BTW- no objection to red food coloring. I just only had one bottle and didn't want to make another trip to the store. Next time I try the cake I will make sure to purchase two bottles.
Thanks for sharing this recipe. This weekend I am going to bake a chocolate cake and use this icing recipe.
re: Honey Bee
Hi Honey Bee. I remember the first time I made this cake I had only bought one bottle of red food coloring thinking it was enough. And even thought this is entirely embarrassing I'm going to admit it...my sister had given me the recipe. She had listed one TABLESPOON of salt. Not even thinking about it, I put in one tablespoon of salt. Needless to say the cake was dull colored and totally inedible! I still say to this day she did it purposely, although she won't admit to it!!
re: Axalady
I made the cake this weekend and should have read the entire post again. I remembered the suggestion to reduce the food coloring by half, but did not remember your response. The cake, while delicious, was a little too dry. The frosting, however, was delicious!
I am going to reattempt it with more food coloring the next time I need to bring a cake somewhere.
re: Honey Bee
I used Wilton frosting dye after looking up on their website what to use for red velvet cake. They suggested 2 oz. Um no. Trust me you don't need that much of the frosting dye to dye the cake. I thought it was weird Wilton would suggest that much since frosting dye is really concentrated and typical food dye from the grocery store is very liquid and not concentrated. 1 oz of grocery store food dye gives a fairly red cake. 2oz per Wilton's instructions of frosting dye resulted in everyone who ate it pooping red for a week. :-)
I made this cake the other day. Its the first Red Velvet Cake I've ever made. I grew up in NJ and I guess they don't have RV cake there, because I never heard of it or saw one until I went to college in Virginia. But this was my first attempt at making one, maybe because I knew I had to wait for just the right recipe. And that took 25 years.
This cake is great. Its easy, its fun to make (the chemical reaction between the vinegar and the baking soda is like a little volcano on the top of the batter), its bright, its yummy. The frosting, which I really had my doubts about because I had no idea that those ingredients could actually make frosting, is amazing. I beat it in my KA with the whisk for 10 minutes and it is light and fluffy and smooth and sweet and oh my god I need another piece right now.
Here are photos:
What beautiful pictures of your cake AL, I love it when people post pictures. I am not a great baker, but have been enamoured with the lore of the RV cake for sometime.
I have only seen cream cheese frosting recipes for the cake, this looks really yummy.
I am going to do it. There I said it now it must happen. Wish me luck.
re: chef chicklet
re: Linda513
re: chef chicklet
re: Linda513
Linda513, I too thank you for the photos, it looks gorgeous!
Cakes scare me. I tend to overbake them, out of fear of them not being done and hence they're usually dry and I don't bake more cakes and since practice does make a better baker, it's a catch-22 with me.
Interesting icing, I have never made one like it.
Axalady, thanks so much for sharing.
We all LOVED this recipe! I had made many desserts for my christmas party and this was the one that everyone ate! But I do have a question. Are you suppose to place the icing in the middle of the cakes and on top? after I finished putting it in the middle, I didnt have enough left for the top- So i just did a few dollops with the icing I did have left and sprinkled with sugar- Would love to know as this cake has officially been adopted to a family forever fav!
re: Rachealing
The icing usually fills and covers the cake for me, but then I've been making it for about 40 years so I'm an old hand. In the past several years though, I've started increasing the icing recipe by 50% because my kids love it so much. Just figured that since I make the cake only a few times each year, I'd slather it on.
BTW, one of the differences among the old recipes for RVC is the type of fats used. This one uses Crisco for the cake and butter for the icing. Mama's uses margarine for both and I have substituted butter in the frosting but, oddly enough, couldn't tell the difference in the taste. My sister has even used butter-flavored Crisco for the icing and it did fine. Since this recipe dates back to at least the Depression, it makes sense that less-expensive fats would be acceptable alternatives, I guess.
Just please, NO cream cheese. Never. Not authentic. Wrong. Doesn't taste right.
re: Rachealing
I had enough icing for the middle, the top and around the sides. Maybe if you whip it more it gets more airy and thus you end up with more? But it couldn't hurt to make more, after all the cake is just a vehicle for the icing, right?
I haven't made this in about 6 months. I think its time to make another one.
re: Linda513
re: drewb123
re: drewb123
Ditto- I made these for a tea and even though the frosting was basically a solid hunk of butter and sugar (my first batch of frosting ever, and clearly my technique needs work!) everyone devoured them. You can do them with only half the red food coloring (sub in an extra ounce of milk or water). As for cupcakes- I think I started checking them after 12 minutes, and only the extra-puffy batch needed a couple minutes longer. Thank you so much for the delightful recipe!
OKay, so I have to say that I made your red velvet cake for my honey last night for Valentine's Day, and I WAS SO IMPRESSED WITH THE QUALITY OF THIS CAKE! It was the first cake that I've made from scratch (i'm more of a cookie girl), and MY GOODNESS it was yummy. The icing was also scrumptious. Not too grocery-bakery sugary-sweet. A perfect blend of a sugary flavor mixed with a light whipped cream texture. The cake was moist and delicious. Thank you for sharing this recipe with the rest of the world. It's definitely a cake meant to be eaten by all (especially on Valentine's Day!)
RVC is my FAVE in the UNIVERSE!! I saw this recipe now I am gonna get the stuff together and whip me up one!! Thank you for the gr8 recipe. It seems popular and yummy! I made 1 before and it was OK now I have all of your tips & hints on how to make it yummier this time around. I will take pic's.
Should I make it in layers or can I use a bundt pan or a normal sheet cake pan?
What is suggested?
re: JavaGurl
Hi JavaGurl. Glad that you're going to make this special cake! I've always made the 2 layers. I like the look of a layer cake. Hopefully others can give you suggestions on how to cook it in a bundt or sheet pan. Enjoy both the cooking and the eating!! I look forward to seeing your pics.
re: JavaGurl
I will try the frosting but I'm a bit indecisive. does anyone know which one actually taste the best. The butter, margarine or crisco. Please help. Additionally which one would hold better in the heat.
re: migluv
re: migluv
i think crisco holds better in the heat than butter or margarine. now which "tastes best" is another matter. i wonder if using mostly butter with some crisco would help the butter cream frosting hold up better to heat?
my sister used a boiled white icing that was fluffy somehow, like this recipe, i guess: http://www.mealsmatter.org/recipes-me...
or this: http://www.cdkitchen.com/recipes/recs...
it is not heavy or overly sweet.
Another entry in the red velvet cake is a red velvet cheesecake. Recipe found here:
I'm going to try it for the office holiday party.
re: SaraASR
re: SaraASR
Reporting back on my test drive of Red Velvet Cheesecake.
If you like wickedly creamy cheesecake this one will drive you mad.
Super, super creamy (almost wet).
The cream cheese topping was almost too much and next time I won't go w/a top.
I used the thin chocolate wafer cookies for the crust and without a crust this cheesecake would have a hard time standing on a plate (that's how creamy).
I'm going to bake longer than the recipe suggests and play around with a few other topping ideas and report back again.
If you enjoy red velvet cake and cheesecake on the super-creamy side, this is a winner. I think the recipe needs some work.
hillj, that cheesecake is scary looking -- like, "the cheesecake that ate the world (and was really angry about it, too)."
Here's a question. I grew up in the South We always had red velvet for Holidays It is still my favorite cake, but I never had it with out the buttercream frosting ( which my family always made with crisco, and it was cooked with flour but our frosting was always topped with sweet coconut. My question is does anyone else use coconut on their red velvet? I now live in Texas and everyone here uses cream cheese frosting on Red Velvet. I don't care for this at all it doesn't taste right without the buttercream coconut frosting.
re: Analisas mom
in sw florida, we had buttercream but no coconut (but maybe that is because my dad perhaps didn't like coconut?). but my sister -- who made them -- was a devotee of southern living magazine and lots of cookbooks, so i'm guessing her cake was the "standard". cream cheese frosting on red velvet is the wrong flavor and texture!
Axalady, thank you for sharing your recipe.
I am a baking novice but am slowly starting to bake more as my 10 yr old is showing a keen interest in this art. Can I easily translate this to cupcakes? I assume there will be a difference in baking time? What about temperature? Thanks.
My other DD turns 13 tomorrow & I would love to make this for her soccer game. Don't know who's more excited - birthday girl or DD#2 who gets to bake :)
re: ceekskat
re: ceekskat
I didn't do cupcakes but did mini, individual RVCs for a dinner party for my daughter's birthday last year. She absolutely HAS to HAVE this cake every year for her B'day.
I used salvaged tuna cans and made a 1 1/2 times batch of the icing b/c there was more surface area to coat..
They were glorious! Set in the middle of lovely china plates with each person having one all to himself.
Whatever you do, as self-confessedd novice baker, please add this icing to your repertoire! It is wonderful. Much better than a heavy buttercream. It is a mainstay in my kitchen.
re: MakingSense
I did it! It *is* delicious but it did come out a bit dry. DD & I couldn't help just eating the delicious batter. I baked for 22 min., try for less?
As for the frosting, I really debated whether to do this one or a cream cheese frosting as I love the latter (don't like Sprinkles or any other "trendy" buttercream frosting). Finally decided to go with your suggestion - glad I did :) Girls loved it! I wasn't sure at first because it just tasted sooooo buttery, is it supposed to be like that? Also, didn't know how long to beat the frosting mixture & just stopped short of becoming stiff. Tasted light with smooth texture & easily spreadable.
Leaving for the soccer game now...thanks.
re: ceekskat
Re: dry cake. Maybe a CH who's a better baker than I (not hard) can verify, but I think that overbeating batter can make a cake dry. The length of time in the oven may have less to do with it if you're already doomed by overbeating.
I'm happy that you took the leap of faith in the old fashioned icing. It has been a traditional favorite for so many families and sort of got overshadowed by the rush to the commercial ease and no-brainer success of Kraft Philadelphia Cream Cheese.
It's got less fat, fewer calories and is cheaper. Not to mention all those additives in cream cheese. What's not to love? Especially since it tastes great and stands up in heat and humidity making it terrific for Summer, catering, potlucks, etc.
Mama's recipe says "beat for 10 minutes" which flat out wore us to a frazzle back in the 50s when we didn't have a Kitchen Aid stand mixer. I still follow that 10-minute rule and get a smooth, light icing that everyone loves.
The biggest battle is keeping my now-adult kids from sticking their fingers in the bowl and eating the icing before it ever hits the cake.
Your icing recipe is a lot of an icing recipe that my mom used to make when I was a kid. I still remember it and loved it, so I just asked her for that recipe the other day. Here it is:
1 cup milk
3 rounded tablespoons flour
Cook until thick, stir constantly so as not to get lumpy - pour into bowl and let cool.
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. or more of vanilla
1 cup Crisco
Beat until looks like whipping cream - approx. 10 minutes.
re: Sunny Days
re: Diane in Bexley
Check up-thread, including the OP.
This icing works with butter, margarine, and Crisco. ( Hell, I'm surprised nobody ever tried it with lard.)
I've used all three and it works fine. Frankly, there isn't that much difference in the flavor although I can taste a slight off-ish mouthfeel with Crisco. The only advantages to Crisco are when you are out of butter, economy, or for the pure white color which you cannot get with any buttercream.
This icing was very popular in the rural South in days before electricity, ergo: no refrigeration and no butter. Crisco is shelf stable.
Through WWII, butter was rationed and many people used Crisco where they could to save money - even over oleomargarine. Consequently, many versions of this "heirloom" recipe specify Crisco.
Ain't no reason to use Crisco today if it offends you. I don't.
re: MakingSense
Crisco DOES have it's uses. It has always grossed me out a little, so when I ran out recently, I just didn't buy anymore. Last few piecrusts I have made have been....less than up to standard. I suppose I'll get some more, I reserve it's use for pie crust and biscuit. Frosting...can't bring myself ;-)
re: danna
I've been using that organic shortening with the non-transfats. Has anyone noticed a difference between the different kinds of shortening there are available now? (Transfat vs. non-transfat, organic vs. Crisco, etc.) I'm all for organic and healthy, but ultimately, I want to produce the best-tasting treats!
Axalady, thank you for sharing your family recipe! Before today I had only had red velvet cake once, didn't like it at all! Found out through cooking conversation that it had come from a mix. I'm not knocking mixes but that was NOT good tasting at all.
Decided to try yours today and it was a completely different dessert. I'd never made an icing like this before, so that was fun to do. Didn't have enough food coloring but added water to make up the difference. It is so pretty and delicious! There were 4 us of for supper tonight and by the time we all had "just a sliver more" we'd eaten a full half. The night's not over yet, either. This one is going fast!
I love knowing this is a special family recipe, makes the whole thing even better. Thank you, again!
Just found this while searching for a frosting to hold up outside in NC during summer party. Looks like it will working after reading all posts. Quick ?...is it unsalted butter or salted butter? Clear vanilla or regular? Does this frosting take color with paste well? Thanks for your help and the recipe!
re: jenjenNC
This icing holds up in the heat better than any other buttercream. It will still be soft - like whipped cream - but it won't slide right off the cake.
I have used both salted and unsalted, depending on what happened to be in the fridge, and didn't notice the diff. Guess there's enough of that cooked paste that there wasn't enough salt to matter.
I've used powdered and regular vanilla. Clear should be fine as well.
I have never tried the paste color.
I'm usually trying to keep the icing as white as possible which is why I generally use the powdered vanilla. I can't see any reason why the paste wouldn't work. Maybe you could add it when you add the cooked paste so that it would have the most possible time to incorporate.
I hope this recipe works for you. The most common mistake is not beating it long enough. Then the sugar doesn't dissolve completely and it remains slightly gritty. My mother's old recipe says, "Beat for 10 minutes," and I always do.
Good luck!
re: MakingSense
i've been making this recipe for years. i actually thought it was MY secret family recipe!!! (c: i got it from my southern gramma for use on her red velvet cake, which is eerily similar to the op's red velvet cake. possibly we're related?? (c:
but as far as the beating of the icing goes, i have had to beat that darn stuff for up to 1/2 hour before. it depends on the firmness of the butter and the temp of your room. i once made it for a 6 layer red velvet and the icing never fully set up. i did everything the same as i always do, but i had to chill each layer of cake separately to firm it up and then was unable to frost the sides. luckily, my client liked the "rustic" style of my 1 foot tall cake and luckily, my cream cheese frosting on the carrot cake made that look like the $90 cake she was purchasing. YIKES!
re: raygunclan
i'm super excited about making this cake but i'm curious if i can make it purple???
my soon-to-be 3 year old is having a "purple and blue birthday party" and is obsessed! if i use half blue and half red, or if i find purple food color, will it work?
also, if i make a 10 inch cake should i double the icing?
re: bedford
re: bedford
how about a "blue velvet cake"? http://www.bakespace.com/recipes/deta...
(happy clean-up after that one ;-)).
Hi Axalady, I was wondering if it would effect the moisture of the cake if I use Wilton Icing Colors food coloring (which is a gel, not a liquid as food coloring usually is)?
Would I still need to use 2 oz. of food coloring if I use the gel?
If you have never heard of or used this icing, here is a link to the Icing page at wilton.com
re: NikkiLyn
I've used Wilton color for icing, but never for anything that required heat. Not sure how heat would affect the color.
Those colors are so intense that you shouldn't have to use a 1:1 replacement. That would be a very expensive substitution for plain old food coloring.
Just add 2 oz plain water to replace the liquid in the food color if you decide to try this. My mother's recipe uses a little water although it is otherwise almost identical to Axalady's Mom Mom's recipe.
re: MakingSense
re: NikkiLyn
re: MakingSense
Yeah I know what you mean. I'm getting ready to make an Elmo cake for my sons first birthday and the instructions say to buy no-taste red due to the immense amount of coloring needed. It will effect the taste of the cake and after all the hard work its going to take to make that thing, I'm not about to have it taste bad! I plan to use this cake and frosting recipe! I will let you know how it turns out on my practice run as the actual party isn't until October 11th haha I'm a big plan-aheader :) I should have known I couldn't use the icing coloring for the simple fact that it is just that; its ICING coloring! :| I'm a bit blonde at times, I will admit.
Also, what brand of Buttermilk do you use?
re: NikkiLyn
Most dairy products are regional. Different brands in different regions of the country, except for national chains like Safeway. Even then, they may get them from regional suppliers and package them in company trademarked containers, although I'm not certain.
I've used whatever buttermilk I picked up at the store, as well as powdered buttermilk. Didn't make a difference. Even when I used expensive organic stuff from grass fed cows.
Hi! I am baking this cake on the weekend for a Christmas party. I can't wait to try it! Does anyone have any suggestions for decorating it? Toasted coconut on the sides? Or would that ruin it? i was going to do nuts, but someone has a nut allergy. Any ideas on how I should decorate it or should I leave this one rustic looking?
re: freelancer
re: freelancer
re: freelancer
piped white icing w/a special wilton flower tip
red candy "dust" or sparkles
red sprinkles
silver or white dragees (http://www.surlatable.com/product/id/...
)toasted coconut
or do what crumbs bakeshop does and sprinkle it w/red velvet cake crumbs
re: superfinespot
I made this cake last night and it was a HUGE hit at the party! The icing was really subtle and not too sweet. The cake turned out perfectly moist and flavorful. I used Magi-strips on the cake pans so the cakes were 100% level. Amazing.
Pictures attached. Thanks to Axalady for sharing this recipe!
re: freelancer
re: Axalady
Hi Axalady! Again, thanks so much for sharing your beautiful recipe! The magi-strips are AMAZING - there was not a single rise in the middle. You could put a level on it and it would have been flat!
I ended up using heavy duty Cuinsinart 9 inch pans which was perfect. I might pick up some Fat Daddio pans though as I have heard they are the best for even distribution though with the Magi strips, you can use the cheapest pans out there and they'll put out perfectly level cakes.
I'm going to use your using recipe for cupcakes I'm making next week though I'll be adding pureed strawberries to it. Can't wait to see if it works!
re: freelancer
I made this cake using one 8-inch pan, which was probably a mistake, as the center collapsed a bit.
On the upside, the cake was sooooo goood. The texture was moist and fluffy. I used semi-sweet cocoa powder and one container of red food coloring. My cake had a lovely magenta color.
This icing is great! My family didn't like sweet icing, so I tried this recipe using only 1/2 cup of sugar and we all loved it. Problem is the icing seems too runny, is there anyway to firm it more but with using only 1/2 cup sugar?
re: monkii
re: freelancer
this is my favorite. Ive started my own business out of other people's love for this red velvet cake (and you must have a cream cheese frosting; at the end)
For the red velvet cake
1/4 cup red food coloring
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 1/4 cups cake flour
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon baking soda
Make the red velvet cake
1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and lightly flour three 9- x 2-inch round cake pans, then line the bottoms with waxed paper.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together until well combined the food coloring, cocoa powder, and vanilla. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until very fluffy, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add in the eggs one at a time. Add the flour in three parts, alternating with the buttermilk, beating well after each addition. Add in the salt. Beat in the cocoa mixture until thoroughly incorporated. In a small bowl, mix together the vinegar and baking soda. Add to the batter at the end, making sure to mix well.
4. Divide the batter among the prepared pans. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
5. Let cake cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely on wire rack.
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
re: smokeandapancake
Please refer to the OP. This cake traditionally has a cooked white sauce-based icing.
The cream cheese frosting which you claim it "must have" is a recent alteration, apparently dating to the increased popularity of Red Velvet Cake that followed the hit movie Steel Magnolias in 1989 in which it was featured.
The original icing is a lighter, less sweet, less greasy compliment to the cake itself that enhances its flavor rather than overwhelming it.
Yes, cream cheese icing is easier, allowing less-skilled cooks to make it successfully with little effort, but the original icing is preferable for texture and flavor, in addition to being "true" to the traditional recipe.
re: MakingSense
re: MakingSense
re: monkii
This is a Southern cake. That icing works better for hot, humid weather than any I have ever seen. Have you ever been to New Orleans, Mobile, or anywhere in the Deep South in the summer?
Even with that, my family loves this cake cold so we put it in the fridge. The icing gets pretty solid when it's chilled.
Some possibilities:
Perhaps you didn't cook the white sauce to a thick enough consistency.
When I make this, I cream the butter and sugar for a good bit of time to dissolve the sugar.
My mother's recipe calls for beating the icing for 10 minutes. It actually takes that long for all the sugar to dissolve so the icing isn't gritty, and so that's it's light and fluffy.
Try making it with the full cup of sugar one time. If it works, cut down the sugar the next time by 1/4 cup and see what happens. If it's still OK, cut it down to your preferred 1/2 cup.
That way, you'll be able to test if it's the sugar or some flaw in your method.
re: MakingSense
Just double-checking on the flour measurement: That's 2 1/4 cups sifted cake flour -- not 2 1/4 cups cake flour, sifted?
Better yet, can someone give me the grams/ounces? (I HATE volume measurements! Why don't we weigh our ingredients in this country? -- it's vastly simpler and more accurate!)
re: guajillo55
Mama's recipe is almost identical to the OP, but it doesn't say "sifted."
I also use plain White Lily flour instead of cake flour. It's very low protein and makes a tender cake. Much cheaper than cake flour too.
There are untold numbers of recipes for traditional Red Velvet Cake. They are almost all identical, but with small variations. A little bit more or less vinegar or cocoa. Crisco, butter, or margarine. Sift or don't sift. Two or 3 layers, 8 or 9 inch.
My kids love this icing so much that I increase the recipe by 50% so I can slather it on really thick. That's also a good idea of you do three layers.
The only rule: no cream cheese icing. Blech!!!
a little (ok, a *lot*) OT, but has anyone tried the starbuck's RVC cupcake? and what frosting does it have? i guess i'll have to "take one for the team" and try it! ;-).
re: alkapal
re: HillJ
re: Dagney
re: Dagney
They can get away with it because so many people have never tasted real RVC.
If their first experience is nothing but a standard layer cake dyed bright red, what would they know about the complex flavor and texture of the real thing.
If all they've ever had is that awful cream cheese icing with fluffy red layer cake, how would they know about the traditional icing and how it compliments the real cake that they have never eaten?
Hi, I'm brand new to CH and a novice baker. I want to make this for my husband for Valentine's Day but I'd like to tint the icing pink. Will that work with this recipe? Any particular brand or kind of food coloring that would be best? I have a heart shaped pan I was going to use to bake the cake, would that alter the cooking temp or times? Thanks so much for your help, to the OP for sharing this family gem!
re: mandypants
If you have never used food coloring before, let me give you some tips. You can just buy the plain liquid food coloring at the grocery store (although there are paste food colorings that keep from adding liquid to the frosting, i have never used enough coloring to matter)
Then...treat the red coloring like it's poison. Dribble a bit in a small bowl or in a measuring spoon. Dip a toothpick in...then touch to the frosting. Beat. observe color. Repeat. This care is because a bad guess or a heavy hand w/ a squeeze bottle or a bumped elbow can turn a delicate pink frosting into something that looks like thickened Pepto Bismol or worse.
A few years ago I made peppermint marshmallows that were supposed to have a pink swirl, and in the end looked like an episode of Dexter.
re: mandypants
There is no reason why you can't. The icing recipe uses vanilla extract, also a liquid, so a drop or two of liquid food color which is all you'll need for a pale pink color, shouldn't make a difference. Neither should a teeny bit of paste.
The icing is beaten for a long time to get the proper consistency so I'd add the color early on. Mama's recipe says to beat it for 10 minutes.
As Danna says, a little goes a looooong way. Use a very light hand. You can always add, but you can't take it out.
I would watch the timing on a heart shaped pan to make sure the top humps don't overcook. I've never had any particular problem with that but it's easy to misjudge the baking time on RVC.
re: mandypants
That's the same recipe that I have. Many years ago I had to beg my friend to give it to me. She had promised whoever gave it to her that she would never divulge it. I just finished making it for a birthday party tomorrow night. In reply to someone who asked, you fold in the baking soda and vinegar froth just like you would fold in eggwhites.
Hi Everyone. I never post anything and am new to CH. I am originally from the Deep South and remember my grandma making this cake. Unfortunately, none of the great recipes were passed down. I really love red velvet cake but do not have access to all of these ingredients because I live in a country where they do not exists. I would need to make some mods and hope I get the consistency correct. Can I run some of this by you guys and you can tell me what you think? Of course, this would be a work in progress to get it right!
1/2 cup Crisco = 1/2 cup Butter
cake flour = can I use regular gold medal flour sifted (this is the hard one)?
2 oz red food coloring = I only have 1 oz. Could I add more oil, water or milk to make up for the difference? A friend of mine sends things to me from time to time so I have a little left over. :)
1 cup buttermilk = 1 cup of milk & 1 Tablespoon vinegar (setting for 5mins)
Since I do not have buttermilk and may need to make that with reg milk and vinegar…do I still need to add the teaspoon of vinegar to make the fun volcano in the end. :)
Also, I am above sea level. Do I need to add a little more flour?
Thanks for any help you can offer!
Btw, always having a butter cream icing is beyond 100% better than a cream cheese icing. Why would you use heavy cream on a delicious cake? Butter cream fluffy icing, yum yum.
re: dandelions
I think all your substitutions will work. I use sifted regular unbleached all purpose flour in place of cake flour sometimes. I would sub water for the extra oz of food color. I think you do need the vinegar at the end. If you're worried about too much vinegar, perhaps you could curdle the milk w/ lemon juice? I'm just guessing on that one, and wondering if others agree.
re: danna
re: dandelions
you might discover something! A friend of mine was making sour cream pound cake last week, realized she had none, raided the fridge, and wound up using a combination of greek yogurt and brie. She said it was great! I imagine that brie must have imparted a really interesting flavor. have fun ;-)
Thank you Axalady! I'm not sure what I liked better - the icing or the cake! I brought this cake to our murder mystery themed dinner club dinner and I'd show you a picture but I forgot my camera and there is nothing left on the plate but a few crumbs.
The only sub I made was butter for the shortening called for... texture was nice and light - and the chocolate flavor was really there - something I haven't always found with Red Velvets cakes.
I followed the icing recipe to the letter, but was short on time so probably didn't cool the cornstarch & milk mixture as much as I should have. After reading comments I used regular granulated sugar and beated til I got soft peaks. The icing was nice and light and completely smooth. I can see this icing becoming my go-to for birthday cakes.
Would I be able to use Gold Medal Bread flour for the cake flour? When I compared the ingredients they both have similar ingredients except the bread flour has barley flour in it.
I made this last night - cupcakes for a party at work. I liked the cake but my oven is finicky so I think my cupcakes were a tad dry. Nobody seemed to notice because they were gone in a flash. I also made some sour cream vanilla cupcakes and put the buttercream on it too. I am a devoted fan of this frosting recipe now and forever. Years ago I decorated and sold cakes and I hated the standard powdered sugar/butter recipe - so sickly sweet. I wish I had known about this frosting. I did know that you should beat the sugar and butter a long time to get it to the point so there is no granulation. When I added the cooled cornstarch/milk mixture and it turned to whipped cream I was thrilled. I piped it onto my cupcakes and they were beautiful. People commented on how perfect it was - not too heavy, not too sweet, just the right balance and everyone wanted more. I think I might like buttercream frosting again and I also think I will put this on my carrot cake (and chocolate cake and...!)
Thank you so much for posting this. I'm a southern girl as well - always searching for those old recipes I remember my mama making.
Axalady, it is so nice to see that so many people have used your recipe! This is exactly the same as the one my girlfriend's Southern-born mother gave me back in high school in Columbus, Ohio in the early 70's. It's the only way I've ever made it, including the heavenly delicious icing.
Having lived in the Midwest most of my life, I didn't know till I moved to Georgia eight years ago that Red Velvet cake was a Southern tradition. When I first moved South, I tried a few Red Velvet cakes from bakeries, restaurants, and even the grocery store, thinking I could save myself the trouble of making it, as it was available everywhere. Wrong. Nobody makes a commercial RV cake like this.
A suggestion to those who may try this recipe for the first time - I used Dutch process cocoa once or twice to make the cake when I didn't have regular Hershey's Cocoa, and it Does Not Work!
Something changes in that whisper of cocoa-y, buttermilky soft flavor when you use the Dutched cocoa. Lesson learned!
My son at college called a few days ago and asked for my RV cake recipe. He wants to make it with one of his coed friends, to show her how it's REALLY supposed to taste!
This thread was just recommended to me by Caitlin McGrath, and coincidentally, I just received the Essential NY Times cookbook today, and in there is a nearly identical recipe. The flour for this one is AP, the vinegar is cider, but in every component, is nearly identical.
re: roxlet
re: roxlet
re: roxlet
I always used the called-for cake flour until one rainy day when I was out of it. Used White Lily instead and it worked great. White Lily is soft winter wheat with a low protein level and is probably comparable to cake flour. It's available pretty widely throughout the South.
No more cake flour now to clutter my pantry shelf.
Will substituting 3/4c AP + 2 T cornstarch be a fairly good substitute for the cake flour?
Or is 1c AP - 2 T a better substitute?
I realize probably neither of these are perfect but budget is tight here. I can't really justify the expense of a 2 lb bag of cake flour when I have 25 lbs of AP that cost me under $7 right here.
Also, the stuff another poster was referring to as Magi-strips is actually Magi-cake strips. Just to save people from the stuff that popped up when I tried to google Magi-strips. *SHUDDER*
I served this yesterday for my son's birthday, and it was a HUGE hit. Tasters commented that they usually don't like Red Velvet cake because it tends to be dry. This one definitely wasn't. I made a variation on the frosting that I got from the book Southern Cakes. It is very similar to Mom Mom's Butter Cream Icing except that the proportions are slightly different, and it mixes in finely chopped pecans and coconut at the end. I though that it made a really delicious frosting that added a nice twist. Thanks Axalady for the recipe and I will be definitely adding it to the cake repertory.
re: roxlet
re: HillJ
Coconut Pecan Buttercream
1 cup of milk
2 tablespoons flour
one cup of sugar
1 cup of butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
1 cup finely chopped pecans
Proceded exactly the same as for Mom Mom's frosting, cooking the milk with the flour, and cooling before adding to the sugar/butter mixture. Add the sugar to the butter a third at a time, beating very well after each addition. Add the coconut and pecans at the end.
I have never had Red Velvet before and was wondering what the fuss was about, so I went looking for a recipe for it. This is my first time making Red Velvet so I really don't have anything to compare it to, BUT this recipe is soooo yummy! I didn't make a cake, as I was looking to make cupcakes. I took the recipe, and turned it into cupcakes instead. I was a little "scared" of the forsting, as I never made frosting with cornstarch before, but this frosting is soooo yummy! I love baking, it's hard to buy any baked goods as my kids have nut allergies, so I tend to bake everything myself :)
My kids and husband LOVE it! Thanks so much Axalady for sharing your recipe :) Below is a picture of how my cupcakes turned out.
Here we are five plus years later... Tonight the birthday girl requested chocolate and vanilla cupcakes. I made your Mom Mom's buttercream again, this time doubling the batch and making half with cocoa added to the roux. In a few minutes I'm going to let the birthday girl and her sleepover guests go crazy decorating their own cupcakes.
Thank you again Axalady, and Mom Mom for sharing :D
re: maplesugar
So glad you continue to enjoy the icing maplesugar! It really is fantastic. I have a girlfriend whose birthday is just 9 days before mine so we make a Red Velvet Cake together. Her hubby says that eating this cake reminds him of eating an Oreo cookie. The cookie (cake) part is really good but you can't wait to get to the middle (icing)!
I found this recipe amazing! The cake was super-moist and incredibly delicious. I made this spur of the moment and by god was it fabulous!
Just one downside. I read all the reviews and even though i seemed apprehensive about cooking the icing all the reviewers swore by it and were in love with it so i decided to give it a go.---BIG MISTAKE---
I was incredibly disappointed! I made it to the letter, and so many people were raving about it but i could not for the life of me stand it. I too hate super sweet icing, and cream cheese is unappealing to me but this unfortunately is as well.
I wasn't going to leave a review saying i hated the icing out of courtesy, but i thought what if i had seen at least one person say that the icing tasted like boiled milk, i probably wouldn't have spent so much time and ingredients making it. But if other people read this and are wondering about the icing this is my suggestion.
It will look nice, and be like whipped cream and appear oh so good. But if you are like me and the smell-let alone the taste- of boiled milk make you gag then this recipe isn't for you. I wonder why it never occurred to me before making it that the milk would actually have to cook up and thus make it taste like boiled milk...but it didn't. I could never stand when my mother used to boil milk, the smell and taste were revolting to me. This just had a boiled milk taste that i couldn't hide no matter how much vanilla and icing sugar i added on top. Thankfully i found a great vanilla icing recipe that wasn't too sweet, and didn't have a boiled milk taste.
All in all your cake recipe is superb and i will be keeping this recipe and making the cake again--just not the frosting.
re: IntrepidDreamer
Did you really BOIL it? Anytime I make a milk-based custard, the first bubble is my clue to take it off the stove. It should be just about thick before it actually starts to boil. Once I see a big bubble rise up and pop, I give it a couple more quick stirs and take it off the stove.


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Alex Billups remembers the "old days" when she and doubles partner Leslie Stringer were the young girls competing in the 16th Region doubles final.
Now it's turned around.
Billups and Stringer are winding down their senior year at Rose Hill Christian. The one constant? The duo will be playing in the region doubles championship for the fifth consecutive year.
They earned the return trip with a solid 6-2, 6-1 victory over Russell's Chandler Nguyen (sophomore) and Claudia Kendrick (eighth-grader) on Wednesday night at the Ashland Tennis Center.
"It feels good," Billups said. "The first few years we felt lucky to be there. Kelsey Hensley and Andrea Wise at Russell were older and we looked forward to playing them. We couldn't give them anything because they would run with it. Now we are seniors."
After a pause, Billups added "We still want it as much."
Today's title round begins at 4:30 p.m. with the boys and girls singles championships. Both doubles finals will follow.
"I will probably be bawling my eyes out," Stringer said. "We've been here so many times. To think it's our last is sad."
Stringer and Billups, 2-2 in the region doubles final, will meet Russell's second-seeded Maci Ferguson (seventh-grader) and Kierstin Hensley (freshman) for the top spot in a rematch from a year ago. Rose Hill's then juniors prevailed 6-3, 7-6.
Wednesday's quarterfinal and semifinal matches were played outdoors in fair weather after being postponed Tuesday due to rain.
Stringer and Billups dropped their first two games in the semifinals before winning 12 of the next 13.
"We finally got it together," Stringer said. "Sometimes we kind of lose our focus and have to get our act together."
Overall, Billups is known for her steady play while Stringer supplied the power.
"There's a bond you need for doubles," Billups said. "I think we have one. Leslie is like my solid rock. Her serve is insane, and she has a wicked down the line shot. That thing is a bullet. I can count on her to put the ball away."
At the same time, Stringer knows she can count on Billups for support.
"If I miss a few shots on the court, Alex is like my therapist," Stringer said. "She gets me laughing and gets me focused."
Their results continue to be positive. Earlier this season, Stringer and Billups advanced to the finals of the Derby Doubles in Lexington. They avenged a loss from last year's State Tournament against Sacred Heart's No. 2 team before finishing runner-up to Sacred Heart's No. 1 team.
Rose Hill Christian coach Kimberly Bush says she feels blessed to have been able to coach the two seniors.
"They have been wonderful," Bush said. "These girls have been with me since third and fourth grade. It's been an amazing journey."
Rose Hill and Russell are tied for the lead in the girls division with nine points apiece, making today's doubles final the pivotal match.
The girls single final matches Fairview senior Kennedy Womack against Ashland freshman Lauren Fazenbaker. Last year, Womack played for Rose Hill and defeated Fazenbaker in the title match on her way to a runner-up finish at the State Tournament.
Womack beat Greenup County's Micah Leslie 6-1, 6-0 in the semifinals, while Fazenbaker made it to the title match for the third straight year by outlasting Greenup County sixth-grader Madison Hill 6-2, 2-6, 1-0 (10-8).
With the third-set tiebreaker even at 6-6, Fazenbaker hit a winner and followed with a service winner. Hill closed it to 9-8 before Fazenbaker finished out the match.
Ashland leads the boys' standings with 11 points, followed by Rose Hill (10) and Russell (8).
Ashland and Rose Hill will go head to head in both finals today. David Bush of the Royals goes for a fourth consecutive singles crown against second-seeded Robby Berry. In doubles, Ashland's top-seeded Wesley Daniel and Robby Krick will take on No. 2 Zach Jones and Mitch Reynolds.
Bush stayed undefeated during the high school season with a 6-0, 6-2 win over Russell's Alex Nguyen.
"I served pretty well and that's an advantage because it puts pressure on the other guy to win his own serve," Bush said. "Alex returns serve well. He's very quick, too. It's hard to pass somebody like that. I just tried to pull him out of position."
Nguyen stayed even early in the second set at 2-2, but Bush held serve and then came up with a service break.
Ashland's Berry turned in a strong performance to beat Russell's Matthew Eastham 6-2, 6-1 and advance to his first region singles final.
Daniel and Krick did their part to give the Tomcats the team lead by taking down fourth-seeded Danny Brummer and Bryce Kidd 6-0, 6-2.
"It was a must win," Daniel said. "I thought we had our work cut out for us. Krick came out big. I feel like we're good at setting each other up, and we can cheer each other up."
In the other semifinal, Rose Hill's Jones and Reynolds dug out of an early hole to defeat Ashland's Alex Newmark and Tucker Schweickart 7-5, 6-1.
ROCKY STANLEY can be reached at email@example.com or (606) 326-2671.


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The staff was wonderful! They always had a smile and answered all my questions. I would recommend this Uncle Bobs to anyone!Denise from Youngstown, OH
July 24, 2014
Talked to someone on the phone because when I had gone to the office in Boardman Ohio it was after hours so no one was in . Whoever the gentleman was that I spoke to was also extremely helpful and pleasant . It was a very good experience all the way around.Phyllis from Boardman, OH
June 24, 2014
Getting too pricey for me. Should offer some special pricing. Can get space cheaper but security not the best.Amy from Youngstown, OH
May 31, 2014
I want to especially thank LaTashia, who works in your call center and was the first person I spoke with. The high standard of professionalism and service she conveyed in our initial conversation has been borne out by all my subsequent dealings with your company and its location in Austintown.Kathryn from Niles, OH
May 29, 2014
If and when I ever move again, I will choose your facility.Charles from Warren, OH
May 23, 2014
My items were in your establishment for 5 years and I never had any problemsCynthia from Warren, OH
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Mgr was so nice and helpful I believe it was Nancy that helped meCherylann from Youngstown, OH
April 25, 2014
I am "not sure" if I would recommed Uncle Bob's only because I was not aware of any price increase on my storage unit until I cam in to speak with representative. I believe that I should have signed a contract verifying that I knew and agreed with the price increase. Other than that, the representatives were always very helpful and friendly.Gabrielle from Warren, OH
April 24, 2014
In my opinion I believe that the prices are somewhat high.Luz Enith from Youngstown, OH
April 24, 2014
the price was higher than other self storages in the areaJeannette from Bedford Hts., OH
April 23, 2014


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Last month I featured good advice sent in by you on table management. I just want to thank everyone who sent me suggestions. Even if I didn't feature your particular nugget of game-table wisdom, I enjoyed reading every single response.
As promised, this month, we'll talk about tracking table conditions and all the little modifiers, conditions, and other bundles of joy that occur in the heat of the battle grid shuffle, but rather than using 3rd Edition Dungeon & Dragons for our examples, we'll explore some upcoming 4E-isms.
Let me start off by saying, like many DMs, I'm a sucker for little DM table tools. Every convention I attend, I scour the dealer's hall looking for interesting little knickknacks that promise to help me run my game faster or help me convey information to my players with ease. Some have fulfilled that promise and have found a place on my game table week after week. Others collect dust in this storage bin or the other, discarded after one session of use.
Yet, there's nothing like a new edition to make me rethink past assumptions and to help me find new uses for old tools. And throughout the 4th Edition Dungeons & Dragons development and playtest process, I found myself going through those bins and finding ways to use those nifty little tools that have been lying fallow during the last edition's play.
You're in the middle of a tense battle. The wicked mind flayer and its grimlock minions have backed your group into a corner, and it is going to take pure grit and the best tactics to get out alive. It's the rogue's turn. Her player, Lisa, scans the battle grid. She knows that some of the grimlocks have been hit, but she can't remember which have been hit most often. "Which one looks the most hurt," she asks, knowing she should strike there to make an opening in anticipation of taking out their formidable leader.
I absolutely love the bloodied condition. Not only does it give designers an interesting trigger to put on truly debilitating and heroic effects, but it's also a fantastic tool of communicating the general state of the battle quickly. (If you haven't heard about the bloodied condition, check it out in the current D&D Miniatures rules. Because a number of interesting powers on both the PC and monster side rely on their players knowing when a foe is bloodied, when you start playing 4th Edition D&D, get into the early habit of calling out when your character or the monsters you control are bloodied. On the PC side, it lets the DM know that he can unleash some interesting monster powers and it lets your clerics and warlords know that you may want some hit point relief and soon. On the DM side, it lets players know how they are doing in the battle and gives them crucial information that will inform power and action point choice later in the encounter.
Depending on the size of your group, it may be pretty easy to have your players call out when their characters are bloodied. I'm one of those DMs who doesn't mind metagame chatter, so my players are free to talk about the particulars of their hit points and conditions, but I know that many DMs frown on this. Whatever your take on metagaming, have your players call out when they are bloodied when they become so. Bloodied should be no secret. If you are dealing with a particularly large gaming group, or, as DM, you're afraid that you're going to miss out on monster powers that trigger when an enemy is bloodied, give each player a little table-tent with the word "bloodied" on it. With a glance you can see the state of the PCs and progress the action quickly.
As far as letting the PCs know when monsters are bloodied, lately I've become a fan of actually marking the miniatures in some way. I've been taking my D&D Miniatures and sticking a pin in the top. I can then drop beads for different conditions. I have some white skull beads (picked up during a Gen Con So Cal) that I've been using for the bloodied condition.
Marked is a new condition that defenders and some soldier monsters can apply to their enemies. By itself, it gives a penalty to your target if it attacks anyone but you, which helps defenders and soldiers fulfill their role on the battle grid. Often, though, there are other effects that serve as riders on the marked condition. For instance the paladin's divine challenge -- that class's signature marking ability -- does some amount of radiant damage once a turn when the target of divine challenge attacks someone other than the paladin who marked him. Of course, the fighter (the other Player's Handbook defender) features a different effect, dissuading her mark from taking the battle elsewhere. Oh, and this is really important to remember -- a creature can be marked by only one opponent at a time and new marks supersede old marks.
So like the combat advantage granted by flanking, marked is relational in nature, but unlike flaking, it can't be apprehended purely by looking at the battle grid. In simple battles with one defender or soldier, you won't have any trouble at all -- just have the defender's player keep track of it -- but when you have two defenders in a group (like I do in my Castle Greyhawk paragon-tier game) or a group of mark-using soldiers in the encounter, keeping track of the condition can be a tad tricky, and you'll probably want to use a rigorous method for tracking the condition throughout the rounds.
The method I've been using lately is marking the bases with magnetic, colored counters called Alea Tools. Each character or monster that can mark in an encounter is given his or her own color, and when a target is marked, that color is placed under the base. Alea Tools also offers a tool to create 1-inch magnetized pads that you can put on the bottom of the base to make sure that when you move the mini, the marker comes with it. Last time I was at my local game store, I also noticed that Gale Force 9 offers a magnetized miniature base kit. You could also use beads, like I do for the bloodied condition.
While the combat advantage granted by flanking can be apprehended by looking at the field of battle, 4th Edition features many other ways that a creature can grant combat advantage. Various conditions, such as blinded, dazed, and stunned, also grant combat advantage, and since the rogue's sneak attack is contingent on the condition and not just the act of flanking (or catching someone flat-footed), you'll want to find ways in which to communicate this particular combat occurrence to rogues at the very least. Like bloodied, I use those handy skull beads to mark a figure that grants combat advantage to all enemies, and allow the rogue player to keep track of the occasional enemy that grants combat advantage only to her character (using the magnetic markers in complicated battles if she desires).
I really love using cards in my D&D games. Cards are portable and flexible information devices. They fit easily in the hand, and you can put a bunch of information on them. Right now, I am fitting entire 4th Edition D&D stat blocks on my 3x5 initiative cards with relative ease -- including my current monstrous bad guy, an adult red dragon named Nemisalat (and she's a solo creature to boot!). But I've lauded the virtues of initiative cards in this column before -- no need stomping old ground to death. For my 4th Edition games I've also been using condition, power, and magic item cards.
Condition cards are nothing new. There have been a number of publishers who've created condition cards, and many DMs use them. The reason that I think they'll be especially important in your 4th Edition D&D games is because there will be a period of time when everyone in the group is learning the rules, and the more you can avoid page flipping, the faster your first few sessions will run. While developing the new D&D edition, we made sure that the new conditions were simple, talked to one another, and were bullet-pointed so you don't have to wade through paragraphs to find the one clause you seek. This format lends itself to simple cards that convey information quickly. I hand players cards when their characters are afflicted with a condition, and they hand it back when the condition ends.
Power cards aren't entirely new either . . . other classes have had them in the past (mostly spell- or psionic-using classes, but weapon-users got their first taste of their use in Tome of Battle), but they are very helpful especially when you start playing 4th Edition. Like the casters of past editions, everyone in 4E has a healthy dose of interesting options they can employ in combat, and their use and reuse is determined by their rates of usage. While this greatly enhances choice and fun in game play, if you've never used a power-heavy class in past editions of D&D, this can seem a little daunting at first. Even relative veterans of the system (like my home playtest group) can find being thrown into a higher level of play daunting at first without some mnemonic tools. Writing even the most basic description of what a power does and on what page it appears only expedites game play. I know that some of you will scoff at using cards in a roleplaying game, but my sincere advice is to get over your hang-ups. Cards are tools, not the destroyer of roleplaying.
Many times the right card can enhance the roleplaying experience. I've been using the Paizo GameMastery item cards since their release and they're just as useful in 4E. They're relatively inexpensive, and they feature great art and basic descriptions, plus they offer enough room for you or your players to write what the item is or does on the back. They are especially handy to give out when the PCs have found an item, but aren't sure what its purpose (or true purpose) is yet. They are also very handy in that they allow your players to keep track of inventory and have a handy way of trading items . . . just pass the card along. There are, of course, other companies that produce similar products, and using index cards is probably the cheapest way of pulling off this particular time-saving trick.
Of course my tools are exactly that: my tools. While I hope some of you have found some inspiration and helpful advice (especially those of you who will be running the first public 4th Edition D&D games at Dungeons & Dragons Experience) my tools are based on what I have at hand, my love of experimenting, and the quirks of my own peculiar predilections. There is no doubt that the particulars of my tools will change the more I play 4th Edition, and there is also no doubt that you will find ways that work better for you. The general wisdom that I hope you'll take away from these words of advice is that it is helpful and important to communicate what's going on in the game (and the story) to your players, and the more you can do that with at-a-glance tools, the more time it frees up to use your words, gestures, and general brain power on telling a good story and presenting memorable challenges. After all, if you've done your job right, your players are going to tell the stories of those things for years to come long after the memory of the game mechanics that brought them to life fades into dead neurons.
Wow, the proactive part of the column is really long this month, but I hope it helps you when you start running your 4th Edition D&D game. But now it's time to dip into the mail bag and find more specific problems you might be having with your game. And this month they have nothing to do with crunch!
Finding My Voice
I know this sounds a little, well, dumb, but I really want to use a funny voice while playing my D&D character. The problem is, I'm really bad at it. I float from a bad Italian accent to a worse French one and then on to a truly horrid Spanish one in single sentence . . . and not on purpose either. How can I get better at talking funny during my D&D game?
-- Aaron of the Many Bad Accents
Well, Aaron, it sounds like you've nailed talking funny, just not the talking funny you want. I've had characters with outrageous accents. I've played with people who use them. There's a player in my home game (also named Aaron, by the way) who uses accents to help define his characters. Here's the secret behind the funny accent -- they don't need to be good, they just need to be distinctive. Accents are great to get you in the mindset of your character, for others to know when you are talking in character, and to give others the impression that your character is somehow special (or maybe a little touched), but they are also very silly. Sometimes it is just fine to embrace the silly. You're playing in a fantasy world after all, and a mixed-up accent can make your character seem more fantastic. You're not trying to emulate an Italian, French, or Spanish accent . . . it's Sembian!
Rationalization of bad accents aside, if you want to become better at accents, some instruction and practice is your best bet. Professional and amateur actors learn new accents all the time . . . why can't you? There are a surprising number of books with CD and DVD instruction on the subject. You also may want to check out local community theatres or community colleges -- sometimes they offer a variety of workshops for aspiring actors, and I hear (though I can't confirm) that accent training is a rather popular course of study.
Roleplaying N00b
I have been playing since the early 90s and have always been a very hack-'n'-slash-style player and DM. When I moved and started a new gaming group with complete n00bs, this trend continued. But recently I started playing with a new DM who emphasized roleplaying, and I had a blast. I have been trying to add in some roleplaying into my games, and I have been falling flat on my face. I try to get my players to interact and get into the world I have created, but they try for about ten minutes and then revert to talking in third person and out of character. I am not trying to turn a hack-'n'-slash into a nothing but roleplaying but just trying to find a happy medium. Any advice?
-- Flat on My Face Dustin
Well, now that's an entire subject, Dustin. When you first catch the immersive roleplaying bug, it's very easy to take it too far or try to inundate your group with it too quickly. Immersive roleplaying may seem strange to the more gamist groups and can make some players feel self-conscious and silly. The trick is to take things slow and steady. Next month we'll explore four ways in which you can infuse more immersive roleplaying into any group -- even those die hard hack-'n'-slashers -- some of them use very gamist tools!
About the Author
Born on a stormy Christmas day, in our nation's capital, during the Nixon administration, the stars were definitely wrong when Stephen Radney-MacFarland came screaming into the world. Spending most of his impressionable years as a vagabond and ne're-do-well, Stephen eventually settled in the Northwest to waste his life on roleplaying games.
Once that RPGA guy, Stephen is now a developer in RPG R&D where he doesn't create the traps… he just makes them deadlier. He also teaches a class on roleplaying design for the Art Institute of Seattle, molding the minds of young and upcoming designers. Be afraid. Be very afraid.


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Big-wave surfer Garrett McNamara says he has surfed a wave estimated at 100 feet off Nazare, Portugal. If verified, the feat would top his world-record 78-footer, in the same place -- Praia do Norte -- in November 2011.
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This barren, desert prison is where O.J. Simpson lives
Some here call it the 'O.J. House,' the only gated community in a vast stretch of desert rich in gold and silver, pioneer trails and proud, isolated towns north of Reno.
Tonight's TV picks: 'America's Got Talent' picks Top 48
Plus, new reality series 'Food Fighters' pits amateur against professional chefs.
( Photo: Lucasfilm Ltd)
'Star Wars' plot details reportedly leaked online
Hunt for Luke Skywalker supposedly central to new film's plot, according to website.


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By CHRISTIN COYNE
Authorities say a 7-year-old Crockett Elementary student brought a package of suspected K2 to her teacher Friday and stated she found it on the playground.
Several children were on the playground when a student found what resembled a package of candy, according to Derik Moore, Weatherford ISD spokesman, who added that the child apparently knew something was not right and contacted a teacher, who alerted administrators.
Weatherford police were contacted and the district is cooperating in an investigation, Moore said.
There was no discipline involved in the case, according to Moore.
Moore declined to comment on whether any children possibly ingested what was in the package.
"We're just glad that swift actions were taken and all is well," Moore said.
Court records indicate the girl, along with a younger sister, were removed from their father by Child Protective Services that same day.
CPS also received a complaint earlier in the day with allegations that the children were present during physical altercations involving their father, according to court records.
Later that afternoon, they received information involving the incident at school.
The 7-year-old reportedly told authorities that she found the yellow package on the playground.
The school resource officer told CPS that the child swore she found it on the playground but said her father has it at home, too.
She said her father liked the kind with a pirate on the front of the package, and described how he rolled it and smoked it and where in her home it could be found, according to CPS.


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Tens of millions of people around the globe have been forcibly displaced by conflict, natural disaster, or persecution, seeking refuge either within or beyond the borders of their country. Humanitarian protection, whether for refugees, asylum seekers, or internally displaced persons (IDPs), represents a key policy area for many major immigrant-receiving countries as well as nations bordering locations where war, political upheaval, or natural disaster have disrupted daily life. The research offered here relates to the law and practice of protecting refugees and IDPs in areas of conflict as well as in industrialized nations, with a focus on secure solutions and effective institutional arrangements for comprehensive protection.
In the early 1990s, Ethiopians who had been living in refugee camps in Sudan began to return home. As Laura C. Hammond of Clark University explains, they created a new community in an unfamiliar part of Ethiopia that is thriving 12 years later.
The ongoing conflict between the government and a rebel army has displaced the majority of Northern Ugandans. Women and girls are particularly vulnerable, as MPI's Erin Patrick reports.
In addition to post-September 11 security concerns, the U.S. is dealing with less predictable refugee flows. David Martin of the University of Virginia School of Law reports.
MPI Director Kathleen Newland provides an overview of the latest asylum numbers and insights as to why they are declining.
Asia's tsunami will have an enduring impact on diaspora groups and immigration policy, write Frank Laczko and Elizabeth Collett of the IOM.
The conference, co-sponsored by Georgetown Law, Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc., and the Migration Policy Institute, focused immigration and refugee law and policy.
Breakfast briefing with T. Alexander Aleinikoff, Demetrios G. Papademetriou, and Kathleen Newland.
The situation in Iraq remains extremely precarious for civilians, with additional thousands being displaced by violence and persecution even as refuge becomes harder to find – either internally or in neighboring countries. This report looks at the refugee situation in the country.
This report explores the role of ethnic community-based organizations as drivers of refugee integration. It highlights contributions, challenges, and best practice methodologies identified through site visits to refugee-serving ECBOs across the country, and offers recommendations for enhancing the capacity and sustainability of refugee integration services.
Over the past four years, the United States has resettled far fewer refugees than it did in the 1990s. The decline has stemmed partly from post-9/11 security measures. But this book explains other, deeper reasons, deriving from changes in how and why refugees move, how asylum states receive them, and the world community's response. It also suggests steps to restore the program and better address real refugee needs.
Through a broad overview of key policy and legislation dating back to the early 1990s, this paper finds that despite persistent efforts to coordinate an EU level approach to asylum and refugee protection, the process has been severely stifled by the lack of a philosophical consensus between Member States as to what constitutes refugee protection in Europe and globally.
Although the number of refugees displaced from the conflict in Iraq was significantly fewer than expected, the war produced some 260,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the North. Recent reports indicate that despite the threat of inter-ethnic retaliatory violence, many of these IDPs are now returning home.
Recognizing the particular challenges to refugee protection faced on both sides of the Atlantic, this report questions whether strengthening resettlement programs in the U.S. and Europe can help to address ongoing concerns over security, the volume and diversity of migrants, the rise of right-wing parties and the role of the welfare state.


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EDITOR'S NOTE: The following post was submitted by the Peekskill Common Council and has been sent out by the Peekskill Democratic Committee as well. If you would like to post your news to Patch, click here.
Peekskill, NY -- Mayor Mary Foster and the Peekskill Common Council blast New York State for its failure to get control of the sky-high increases in mandatory pension payments required from Peekskill.
Pointing to the City Manager's proposed 2013 budget, Mayor Foster explains that Peekskill has been collecting about $50 million in revenues in recent years but payments to Albany in 2013 will be over $4.5 million, having doubled since 2010.
"This situation forces very difficult choices in keeping taxes low and maintaining city services," Mayor Foster said. "The shame is – Albany's continued failure to slow down these skyrocketing costs forces higher taxes and reduced services on Peekskill taxpayers. Instead of actually doing something about these skyrocketing costs, Albany operates as if municipalities are ATM machines that endlessly dispense local cash to cover their failure to control costs."
Up until now and despite these debilitating increases, the city protected taxpayers and the local workforce by freezing management salaries, consolidating services, and reducing perks and management benefits. Additionally, the city mitigated the impact of the economic recession on city revenues by: using some reserves; keeping the tax burden on local property owners well below regional averages; and maintaining city services.
Unfortunately, Albany's 2013-2014 pension mandates – a whopping $4.4 million and $5 million respectively – made it impossible to continue this delicate balance. As a result, the City Manager's proposed budget calls for a reduction in the city's full-time workforce of 31 employees.
"Our legislators and Governor need to realize that their failure to act is going to directly result in job losses in the City of Peekskill," said Deputy Mayor Drew Claxton. "The members of our local work force are a vital part of our community. These workers are our neighbors, our colleagues and our friends, and it infuriates me that some of them will lose their jobs because of Albany's negligence."
"Through the ongoing budget review process, our number one goal will be to minimize the impact of these cuts to direct service delivery and focus instead on trimming overhead and administration," said Councilwoman Marybeth McGowan. "Unfortunately, while we didn't make this mess, we're the ones who have to clean it up."
Over the next 60 days, the Mayor and Council will be meeting with department heads and the City Manager to prepare a final budget for adoption. The City must adopt a final budget by December 1.


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Published in Crystal Lake, Illinois, USA by Shaw Media.
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There is nothing like the opening night of the football season.
Coaches and players have been preparing since the winter, building up to that magical moment on Friday, Aug. 30 when the kicker's toe hits a ball and another season is under way.
There will be high expectations for teams which hope they can continue their success and reach even higher goals this time around.
There will be uncertainty, but hope, for others. Some plan on building from last season's success to make the playoffs. Others hope new coaches are able to point their programs in the right direction.
The countdown clock on mchenrycountysports.com's home page is nearing zero … and we can hardly wait.
- Joe Stevenson, Northwest Herald sports reporter
Project Design
Erick Ward, Adam Nekola
Les Johnson, Lance Booth


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By RONNIE ELLIS
CNHI News Service
FRANKFORT — Has Mitch McConnell, Kentucky's senior U.S. Senator and the Republican Minority Leader, concluded he faces little or no danger of a primary challenge in 2014?
A lot of Kentucky's political junkies believe McConnell, historically ready to cut a deal and who in his 2008 campaign touted his ability to bring federal dollars back to Kentucky, adopted an intransigent tone with President Barack Obama and hawkish positions on issues like the debt ceiling because he feared a tea party challenge in his 2014 re-election bid.
It's true that many tea party activists in Kentucky aren't at all happy with McConnell's role in the deal with Vice President Joe Biden to raise taxes on the wealthy without securing corresponding cuts in spending.
But their frustration doesn't end there. They'll say how disappointed they are in the deal and McConnell's part but then sigh with resignation and concede there is no one who can take him on in a primary.
They know Republican 4th District Congressman Thomas Massie, the libertarian disciple of Ron and Rand Paul, won't likely do it. Massie said this week in a POLITICO article he has no plans to challenge McConnell. They know McConnell and Rand Paul have forged an alliance and an apparent friendship. Paul has publicly said he knows of no one who can or will challenge McConnell.
Jesse Benton worked for the Pauls and now is McConnell's 2014 campaign manager.
"Sen. Paul and Sen. McConnell have formed a very strong friendship and have realized the two of them can really deliver for Kentucky," Benton told THE HILL this week.
He might have added they also realize how much they need each other.
If Paul is serious about national aspirations, he needs McConnell's help with establishment party figures, fundraising and support. McConnell needs Paul's support to gain some credibility with Paul followers or at least dampen their willingness to challenge him in a primary.
Here's the bottom line. It's not that Kentucky tea party Republicans wouldn't like to take on McConnell. Their problem is they have no candidate who can do it. Paul isn't available and Massie and Phil Moffett aren't interested. McConnell has $7 million in the bank and has the imprimatur of Benton as his campaign manager and Paul's open support.
Plus he has the reputation as the "wood-chipper," the label used by his former Chief of Staff Billy Piper to describe his take-no-prisoners campaign style. (The reference was to the grotesque disposal of a body at the conclusion of the movie FARGO.)
If McConnell has in fact decided he hasn't much to fear from his right, it frees him in two important ways.
He can help craft a national compromise on major fiscal and budget issues. With his right flank secure, McConnell has more room to manuever in negotiations with Obama on the debt limit and spending.
If he can do that, avoiding national default or an economic crisis while securing some concessions on spending, especially on entitlements, he can claim victory for Republicans while undercutting Democrats' attacks that he is an obstructionist, more concerned with his own political interests than the welfare of the nation.
He can tell Republicans back home he got the best deal available and forced Obama into spending cuts. He can tell independents and conservative Democrats he acted as a statesman and broke through Washington dysfunction and gridlock and perhaps avoided financial catastrophe.
The role McConnell plays in the looming debt limit and budget fights might just tell us whether he worries more about the general election or a potential primary challenge.
RONNIE ELLIS writes for CNHI News Service and is based in Frankfort. Reach him at email@example.com. Follow CNHI News Service stories on Twitter at www.twitter.com/cnhifrankfort.