I TOUCHED KETCHUP AND I DIDN'T CRY!

	Cake Ingredients:
2	cups	flour
2	tsp	baking powder
1 1/2	tsp	cinnamon
1	tsp	baking soda
1/2	tsp	ground nutmeg
1/2	tsp	ground ginger
1/2	cup	ketchup (I didn't use Heinz, sorry recipe makers!)
1/2	cup	water
1	Tbsp	red food coloring (I used less, but I also used the thicker kind)
3/4	cups	softened butter
1 1/2	cup	packed dark brown sugar
2		eggs
		Frosting Ingredients:
6	oz	softened brick of cream cheese (I used 8 oz. cause that's how it's sold and yum!)
3/4	cup	softened butter
1	tsp	vanilla extract
4	cups	confectioner's sugar (I eyeball it til I get the texture I want and I call it powdered sugar)

As many of my friends and family know (apparently I should keep my mouth shut) I hate ketchup, it's my least favorite edible thing. As a joke Geoff bought me a shirt that says, "I put ketchup on my ketchup" and I'm still looking for one that says, "I put ketchup on my catsup" because that is funnier to me, if you find it the reversed way still let me know (it's still funny). 

Back in August I had a birthday, as I have every August since I can remember, there was a party because that is what people do. Some people brought presents, most of the present were great and I do not expect presents so I appreciate anyone gave me one and appreciate people just for showing up to the party. Two, NOT ONE, but two of my friends thought it would be funny to give me ketchup. One friend's present was a tub of Dubble Bubble, half gum/half ketchup packets from Arby's, those cool ones where you can squeeze or open and use from the packet, cool if I used ketchup that is. Fine. That's funny. Ha. Ha. The other ketchup present was a 7 lb. 3 oz. can of ketchup! A baby of ketchup, if you will. I didn't even want to open this can, ever, can you imagine the smell? The look? Ugh! 

Instead of throwing it out, cuz that would be wasteful and rude, I regifted (sort of) which is also rude sometimes, but this was funny and funny makes up for rude (most of the time). This same friend's birthday was in October, so I swore I was making ketchup cake. His wife informed me that he did not believe I would make the ketchup cake. 

CHALLENGE ACCEPTED. 

My preliminary supplies list (in my head) read:

1. Gloves

2. Mask

3. WHY DO I STILL NOT OWN AN APRON?!

I usually bake on Thursdays, it just has always worked out that way. The Thursday before the party, I am convinced I will make this cake. I clear the kitchen of anything that I might not want ketchup on (everything) like somehow opening an aluminum can will just explode everywhere (knowing me it would fall off the counter onto my feet, not really caring about the physical pain the can would cause, but more of the feel of ketchup between my toes, ick). The point of this paragraph is to tell you, I did not bake on Thursday. I'm terrified of ketchup. 

On Friday I did bake, I had to, I was running out of days! I paced around the kitchen staring at the can of ketchup, I finally grab the can opener, I decide I should have a movie on it will distract me more. I decide on Shaun of the Dead,because duh it makes sense (not just because this birthday present was going to a birthday/Halloween party but because this much ketchup is bound to look like movie blood). I OPEN THE CAN! Seriously, it feels like forever, have you ever used a can opener on a 7lb. 3oz. can of anything? It feels forever... it was probably the contents making me feel this way. 

Now that the ketchup is opened we can make the cake! Yay cake! 

(Look at the size of this thing!)

I did nothing to invent this cake, I googled ketchup cake and there it was, telling me it would taste like a spice cake and that it wasn't scary at all (I was still scared).

If you want to ignore my nonsense (too late now!) go here:

http://www.heinzketchup.com/RecipeDetail.aspx?id=1438 If not I will now proceed to copy and paste the recipe, Heinz can keep the credit I am not trying to steal it! 

Oh! I did change one thing, I put cupcake papers in the cupcake tins and made cupcakes. #cupcakes

Cake Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Stir the flour with the baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg and ginger into a bowl. In a separate bowl, combine Ketchup, water, and red coloring. Set aside. (I had a picture of the Ketchup, red dye, water concoction, it was gross looking and the picture has disappeared.)
2. In a large bowl using an electric mixer, beat the butter and then blend in the sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs. Add the flour and Ketchup mixtures and beat on low, scraping down the bowl as needed, until combined. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat for 1 minute.
3. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake for 30 minutes or until the center springs back when touched lightly. Cool the cakes for 15 minutes before turning onto a rack to cool completely. (I think baking took a little less time then this, just remember to check.) 

Frosting Instructions: 

1. With an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla for 2 minutes or until smooth. On low, gradually beat in the sugar, scraping the bowl as needed. Beat on high until fluffy.
2. Frost between the cake layers and over the sides and top of the cake. 

I do love cream cheese and I had no idea what frosting would go with this cake otherwise, so I just followed the recipe. 

(Look for the eyes!)

Extra bonus level: Decorations for the cupcakes to make them more festive, if you care about that here are the instructions (or ignore and decorate however you want... or don't and just eat):

Candy Instructions:

Grease a cookie sheet.

Stir the 1 1/2 cups of corn syrup, 3 3/4 cups of sugar, & 1 cup of water together. Cook over medium heat and keep stirring until the sugar is all dissolved. Then bring it to a boil, where you DO NOT stir it but let it get to 300-310 degrees (this part makes me so nervous, I hate not stirring). Now I didn't add any flavor or color this time (I've made red Sriracha flavored and attempted green pickle but you couldn't taste it! The pickle did make pretty green glass which is where I decided this was a good idea, plus I've seen other cupcakes do it) anyway if you were to add flavor you stir it in now after taking it off the heat. Now pour onto greased cookie sheet (you can dust it with powdered sugar if you'd like, I've done it both ways). 

Once it cools get a clean object and beat up the candy to crack it like a windshield (I used the bottom of a butter knife, just be careful whatever you use, I am not responsible for any injuries except my own... which happen... usually burns though). 

Chocolate Blood Instructions:

I didn't really measure anything I just poured some corn syrup into a bowl and a little red food coloring, didn't like the texture or the color so I added some chocolate powder and it worked, plus now you have one more flavor going onto this insane concoction. 

Now that I have once again talked typed your ear off... I can tell you, the consensus seems that it has a spice/carrot cake taste and they're not terrible. I will never make them again, but it was an interesting experience. 

P.S. I had no idea what to do with the rest of the ketchup, so I made a BBQ sauce (googled for a recipe) and then I had to throw the rest out (sorry ketchup lovers and people who look down on me now cause I wasted so much). I wasn't sure if I could put 5-6 lbs. of ketchup down the drain so I put it in a trash bag and that's all I have to say about that.