Here are 5 options for sweet treats on Valentine’s, Mardi Gras

Two sweet holidays happen today and Tuesday.

Valentine’s Day is today, and Fat Tuesday, noticeably trimmed down, arrives on Tuesday. Normally, Mardi Gras is a day to party hearty, but not in 2021.

Dining out always is a great way celebrate Valentine’s or bring it down with a quiet dinner at home with that special someone. Some parents, grandparents and guardians try to have a sweet treat for the children.

Now that I am homeschooling my granddaughter, we made a red velvet pound cake together. Red velvet is one of her favorite flavors, and pound cakes to her are No. 1. We turned a box cake mix into pretty Bundt pound cake drizzled with cream cheese frosting.

Before readers get upset about the sugar, I also am sharing a cherry cream torte that I adapted from “Taste of Home 1997 Annual Recipes” cookbook. It uses low-sugar cherry pie filling and lady fingers, which Rouses Markets stock.

I have been a softy for Valentine’s Day since my late husband gave me a heart-shaped box of chocolates when we were in third grade. I still enjoy it, maybe because it is a nostalgic, not overblown holiday, and my daughter and granddaughter like it, too.

Make no mistake, I am not forgetting Fat Tuesday. Let us eat cake, King cake that is with the purple, green and gold icing, beads and baby. My daughter and I were reminiscing about the fun house parties we went to along Howard Avenue in Biloxi and the tailgating on Jeff Davis Avenue in Long Beach. Since those are not happening, we will kick back with a po-boy and a piece of King cake.

I make one that is low-sugar with low-sugar fruit jam, cream cheese and crescent rolls. Readers, do you catch the theme here? Let’s make it easy for both holidays with a box cake mix and a package or two of crescent rolls. The pound cake takes about 10 minutes prep time, so there is still time to whip one up today.

Low-sugar king cake

2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened; can use reduced fat variety

1/2 to 1 cup powdered sugar replacement (recipe follows), depending on sweetness desired

2 eggs, separated

1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract

2 cans (8 ounces each) refrigerated crescent rolls

1/2 jar low-sugar or no-sugar preserves (the Smucker’s apricot ones are good)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar replacement, egg yolks and extract together until smooth. Remove rolls from cans and arrange pieces around cookie sheet with points toward the center. Push the dough together, leaving center open.

Spread cream cheese mixture on dough. Top with preserves. Fold dough over mixture and seal. Brush with beaten egg whites. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Drizzle with glaze made of powdered sugar replacement and water. Color sugar substitute with food coloring and sprinkle over the cake.

Powdered sugar replacement

2 cups nonfat dry milk powder

2 cups cornstarch

1 cup granulated sugar replacement (NutraSweet Spoonful works well)

Combine all ingredients in food processor or blender. Whip until well blended and powdered. Transfer to airtight container. Yield: 4 cups replacement for use in making desserts.

Diabetic exchange: 1 bread or 1/2 nonfat milk and 1/2 bread. Calories for 1/4 cup: 81.

Easy red velvet pound cake

1 box (15.25 ounces) Betty Crocker Super Moist red velvet cake mix

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 box (3.4 ounces) chocolate pudding mix

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup water

4 large eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a fluted tube pan or Bundt pant with non-stick baking spray.

Stir the cake mix, flour and pudding mix in a mixing bowl. Add the sour cream, oil, water and eggs. Using an electric mixer, beat on low speed for 15 seconds. Increase speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes.

Pour batter into pan. Bake for 38-44 minutes until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Allow to cool in pan for 10 minutes. Turn the cake out onto a wire rack and cool completely.

Cream cheese icing

8 ounces cream cheese softened

2 2/3 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 tablespoons milk

Beat cream cheese until light and fluffy. Sift the powdered sugar over the cream cheese, then add vanilla extract and milk and beat until smooth and creamy.

Pour into a disposable pastry bag and pie icing over the top of the pound cake. Serves 12. – From www.tablespoon.com/

Cherry cream torte

2 packages (3 ounces each) lady fingers

2 tablespoons white grape or apple juice

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened; can use reduced fat variety

2/3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon almond extract

2 cups whipping cream, whipped

1 can (21 ounces) low-sugar cherry pie filling

Toasted sliced almonds and additional whipped cream, optional

Split lady fingers lengthwise; brush with juice. Place a layer of lady fingers around the sides and over the bottom of a lightly greased 9-insch spring-form pan.

In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth; add sugar and 1/2 teaspoon extract. Spread half over crust.

Arrange remaining lady fingers in a spoke-like fashion. Spread evenly with remaining cream cheese mixture. Cover and chill overnight. Combine the pie filling and remaining extract; spread over the cream cheese layer. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

To serve, remove sides of pan. Garnish with almonds and whipped cream if desired. Yield: 16-18 servings.