Local educator enjoys hobby of baking cakes during the holidays
After a career in K12 education spanning 17 years including Opelika, Dr. Jason Bryant became director of the Truman Pierce Institute in 2020 and is a clinical professor in Educational Leadership at Auburn University. When Bryant has time to relax from his busy schedule, he enjoys being in the kitchen baking cakes. He especially enjoys baking Red Velvet Cakes during the Christmas season, as it brings back happy memories from his childhood.
Jason and his twin brother, Eddie, were born in Colorado Springs, Colorado, with both of their parents serving in the Air Force. When the twins were nine months old, their parents divorced, and they were taken to live with their paternal grandparents in Webb, just outside Dothan. Their mother wanted them to grow up with two parents as she had growing up.
Their grandparents had raised their 10 children, but there were still aunts and uncles in the home to help with the twins. His grandmother was a wonderful cook and did a great deal of baking during the Christmas season. The holidays were happy times as family would visit from Georgia and Florida as well as his family in the Wiregrass area.
Jason’s grandmother and aunts would make several cakes at Thanksgiving, Christmas and for special occasions, but Red Velvet was the family favorite. It was the twins’ favorite as well. “We enjoyed having leftovers after holidays,” Jason said, “because as kids we knew for breakfast we could eat a little leftover ham and get a huge piece of cake.
“I think fondly of my grandmother and grandfather during the holidays,” he adds. “Family has always been important to us.”
In 1984, their grandmother passed away when they were 9 years old. Their grandfather raised the twins with the help of relatives.
“My grandfather was born in 1921 and barely had a third grade reading education,” Dr. Bryant said. “One time he was going to bake us brownies, but instead of a brownie mix, he picked up a fudge mix. We said it was good, but as lovingly as you could say as a teenager, you don’t have to bake it again.
“When it came to cooking, my grandfather was about inventory control, as there wasn’t any money to waste,” he said. “He was not going to let us kids waste food experimenting in the kitchen.”
Their grandfather passed away in 1992, and the twins graduated high school in 1993. Jason had always wanted to be a teacher. During summers, he would babysit his cousins and entertained them playing school.
Jason attended Troy University with a major in general science and secondary education, graduating in 1997. He later received his doctorate at Auburn University.
He lived in an apartment while attending college and began doing his own cooking. Jason said he went to visit his mother and wanted to bake her a Red Velvet Cake as she had purchased one that wasn’t good. He made a recipe she had from a friend in South Carolina, and she loved the cake.
When he returned to Troy, Jason said he told the custodians that he was baking Red Velvet Cakes.
“It shocked them that this kid from rural Alabama could bake a cake,” he said. “They wanted me to bake one for them, so I took them a Red Velvet cake. They loved it, and I began to think maybe I had a talent for baking cakes.”
After graduating, Jason became a science teacher at Opelika High School in 1999. As a science teacher, he had the opportunity to talk to students about the difference between a boxed cake mix and a homemade cake, looking at the chemistry.
“Baking is a science,” he said, “so it is a natural fit to use baking as a science experiment.
“I enjoy baking, and it turned into something I could do for fun. It is a great way to relax. If I needed a cake, it was easier for me to make a cake than buying one.”
Whenever there was a luncheon or anything special going on, Jason said he would take a cake. His cakes became popular.
At Opelika High School, they held a bake-off between him and then assistant principals, Shakela Johnson Ford and Russ Hardwick. The judges picked a Key Lime Cake that none of them had made before, and Jason won. The other two said it was because he baked his signature three layers and they only had two.
“Baking is a stress reliever for me at times,” he said, “which is why when people say I should open up a bakery, I tell them that this is fun, but having a bakery would become a job. To me, I just want to be able to enjoy and share my baking talents with others.”
While baking is a science, he feels cooking can be more creative and prepared to taste. He also enjoys cooking, with lasagna being a favorite to prepare.
“You can find things frozen at the store,” he said, “but they are not going to taste the same as homemade.”
As his aunts have gotten older, they are passing the traditions down to him and his cousins. Jason has become the baker of the family and prepares all of the desserts at the holidays.
At Christmas this year, he will be in Dothan with his brother, aunts and cousins. He will take his Red Velvet Cake and maybe a Carrot Cake. At Easter he took a Lemon Velvet, and he said the family was disappointed it wasn’t his Red Velvet Cake.
At Opelika High School, Jason taught science for four years and was an assistant principal for seven years. He then spent four years in Phenix City as principal of South Girard School and a year and a half in Sylacauga as principal at the high school.
He began working at Auburn University in 2016. He is a clinical professor in the leadership program preparing the next generation of school leaders and is also the director of the Truman Pierce Institute.
“We like to say our real job is supporting those who work with children,” he said. “We work with DHR, childcare providers and K12 school partners. I am an advocate for children and making sure they are provided the needed resources and support like I had growing up.”
Jason is also involved in the community and on the Museum of East Alabama board, the Opelika Chamber of Commerce board as past chair and on the Lee County Remembrance Project Board.
“It is difficult to believe it has been 26 years since I began teaching,” he said, “and now I see students who are financial planners, financial planners, lawyers, doctors, nurses and teachers, that have excelled in their profession. Being able to have these roots in Opelika 26 years later has been quite nice.”
Jason also said he has memories of sharing his cakes at school as well as other places, and how much it meant to him.
“I get joy out of watching their faces and seeing them enjoy eating my cakes,” he said. “It is just a small token that I can provide someone to say thank you or for anytime they may need something, especially at the holidays.
“It is fun to have that legacy that when most people think of me, they will think of the cakes as well. It is fun to bring a little bit of joy to people to brighten their day.”
Bryant’s Tips For Baking Cakes
- Have all ingredients together, and let them come to room temperature, including eggs, butter and liquids. Plan ahead as butter takes longer to reach room temperature. Use butter instead of margarine for better results, and he said Philadelphia brand cream cheese is the best.
- He said he has learned over the years that the consistency of ingredients is key. If one is too warm and added to something too cold, you have a chemical reaction.
- When alternating flour with liquid, start and end with flour, using a fourth cup of liquid at a time with flour.
- As you use each ingredient, place it on the other side of work space.
- Use nonstick spray with flour or coat pans with vegetable oil and flour.
- You can use a toothpick to test. Look at edges to see if the cake has pulled away from the sides and the center is set. Do not open oven during baking as it will cause uneven heating, and the center will sink.. If it goes down after baking, cake is undercooked.
- The cake will continue to cook when removed from oven. Let layers set for 10 minutes, then flip them onto a rack to cool completely.
Red Velvet Cake
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ cups sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cocoa
2 cups vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk
1 tsp. distilled vinegar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 oz. red food coloring
2 eggs at room temperature
Frosting:
8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1 stick butter or margarine, room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla
16 oz. box confectioner’s sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Flour and grease three 8 or 9-inch cake pans.
Combine dry ingredients and mix well in a small bowl.
Combine wet ingredients in a separate bowl (6 qt.) and mix well.
Mix dry ingredients into wet ingredients until combined, but do not over mix. Pour into cake pans and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until center is done.
Remove from oven and let them sit in pans to cool for 10 minutes before removing to finish cooling on wire racks.
To make frosting:
Combine cream cheese and butter until incorporated, add vanilla and confectioner’s sugar until well mixed. Add pecans and mix well.
Add cream cheese frosting to each layer and then work from the top down the sides.
Chocolate Chip Cookie Cups with Cheesecake Mousse Filling
Chocolate Chip Cups:
2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
½ tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. sea salt
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
½ cup granulated sugar
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 ½ cups mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
Cheesecake Mousse Filling:
1 cup cold heavy whipping cream
8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
½ cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Chocolate sauce (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees, spray two regular size muffin ins with cooking spray.
Whisk together flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.
Beat butter and sugars on med-high until pale and fluffy about 2 to 3 minutes). Reduce speed and add eggs one at a time and vanilla. Beat until combined.
Add flour mixture and mix until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips.
Using a large cookie scoop (3 Tbsp.), and scoop dough into muffin tins. Bake for approximately 15 minutes or until lightly browned and mostly set (but not completely).
Remove from oven and immediately use a small jab or container to press firmly down in the center to create a well. Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then place on wire rack to cool completely.
Cheesecake Mousse Filling:
Whip heavy cream until stiff peaks form (ideally with a cold whisk and in a cold bowl).
In a separate bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth, add vanilla extract and beat until smooth.
Fold cream cheese mixture into whipped cream. Pipe into cooled cookie cups. Top with chocolate sauce if desired and swirl with a toothpick. Refrigerate until set (approximately 2 hours).
Serve cold and eat within 2 to 3 days or freeze for up to four weeks.
German Chocolate Cake
4 oz. Baker’s German’s Sweet Chocolate Baking Bar
½ cup water
2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour or 2 ½ cups cake flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup butter. room temperature
4 large eggs, separated
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup buttermilk
Coconut-Pecan Filling:
3 egg yolks
1 cup granulated sugar or packed brown sugar
½ cup butter
1 cup evaporated milk (from 12 oz. can)
1 tsp. vanilla
1⅓ cups flaked coconut
1 cup chopped pecans
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray bottom and sides of three 8-inch or two 9-inch cake pans with floured cooking spray. Can line bottoms of pans with parchment paper to ensure cakes do not stick.
Coarsely chop chocolate. In a 1-quart saucepan, heat chocolate and water over low heat, stirring frequently, until chocolate is completely melted; remove from heat and cool.
In a medium bowl, stir flour, baking soda and salt until mixed; set aside. In another bowl, beat sugar and butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy; set aside.
On medium speed, beat one egg yolk at a time into the sugar mixture until mixed. On low speed, beat melted chocolate and vanilla. On low speed, beat in ½ of the flour mixture just until smooth, then beat in half of the buttermilk just until smooth. Repeat beating in flour mixture alternately with buttermilk until just smooth.
Wash and dry mixer beaters. In a small bowl, beat eggs whites on high speed until stiff peaks form when beaters are lifted. Add egg whites to batter; fold in, use a rubber spatula to cut down vertically through batter, then slide spatula across bottom of bowl and up the side, turning batter over. Rotate bowl ¼ turn and repeat folding until batter and egg whites are blended.
Pour batter into pans and spread batter evenly..
Bake in 8-inch pans for 35 to 40 minutes or 9-inch pans for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes. Remove and place on racks to completely cool.
Frosting:
In a 2-quart saucepan, stir egg yolks, sugar, butter, evaporated milk and vanilla until well mixed. Cook over medium heat about 12 minutes, stirring frequently, until thick and bubbly. Stir in coconut and pecans. Cool about 30 minutes, beating occasionally with a spoon, until mixture is spreadable.
Place one cake layer, rounded side down, on a cake plate; using a metal spatula, spread 1/3 of the filling over layer. Add second layer, rounded side down; spread with 1/3 of filling. Add third layer, rounded side up; spread with remaining filling, leaving the side of the cake unfrosted. Store cake covered in the refrigerator.
If you want to have all sides of the cake covered, double the recipe for the coconut-pecan filling and topping.
Carrot Cake
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 ½ tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. ground ginger
¼ tsp. nutmeg
½ tsp. salt
¾ cup vegetable oil
4 large eggs (room temperature)
1 ½ cups light brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup unsweetened applesauce*
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 cups grated carrots, lightly packed
Frosting:
8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 box confectioner’s sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Flour and grease two 9-inch or three-inch cake pans.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt until well combined.
In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together oil, eggs, brown sugar, granulated sugar, applesauce and vanilla until fully combined. Add grated carrots into wet ingredients and mix until well combined.
Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix with a whisk until just combined, making sure not to over mix.
Pour cake batter evenly between prepared pans. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until tops of cakes are set and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
After 10 minutes cooling in pans, remove layers from pans to a wire rack to cool.
Frosting:
Combine cream cheese and butter until incorporated, add vanilla and confectioner’s sugar until well mixed.
Spread ream cheese frosting to each layer and then work from the top down the sides. Top with pecans or other toppings of choice.
*You may replace applesauce with ½ cup of sour cream or plain Greek yogurt.
Italian Cream Cake
1 stick butter, room temperature
½ cup shortening
2 cups sugar
5 egg yolks
2 cups all-purpose flour
5 egg whites
1 tsp. baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup shredded coconut
1 cup chopped pecans
Frosting:
8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1 stick butter or margarine, room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla
16 oz. box confectioner’s sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
Preheat oven to 350 degrees, flour and grease three 8-in round cake pans.
In the bowl of a mixer, cream margarine and shortening, add sugar and beat well. Add egg yolks and beat well.
In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form.
In a small bowl, combine flour and baking soda; then add to creamed mixture alternating with buttermilk. Stir in coconut, pecans and vanilla extract.
Fold in beaten egg whites.
Pour into prepared pans and bake 25 to 35 minutes, or until center is set. Cool in pans 10 minutes, then flip layers onto wire rack to cook.
Frosting:
Combine cream cheese and butter until incorporated, add vanilla and confectioner’s sugar until well mixed. Add pecans and mix well. Spread frosting to each layer and then work from the top down the sides.
Lemon Velvet Cake
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup cake flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 ¾ cups sugar
¾ cup vegetable oil
¼ cup butter-flavored shortening
2 eggs, room temperature
1-2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 Tbsp. lemon extract
1 heaping tsp. lemon zest (1-2 lemons)
1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
½ tsp. distilled vinegar
⅓ cup hot lemon water (hot water mixed with 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice)
Frosting:
16 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
8 Tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature
1 ½ tsp. vanilla extract
1 ½ tsp. lemon extract
1 ½ heaping tsp. lemon zest (2 lemons)
4-5 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1-2 tsp. lemon juice, if needed
Preheat oven to 325 degrees, flour and grease three 8-inch or two 9-inch cake pans.
In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, mix together sugar, oil and shortening. Mix in eggs one at a time. Mix in vanilla extract, lemon extract, and lemon zest.
Combine dry ingredients into wet ingredients, alternating with buttermilk.
Mix together distilled vinegar and lemon water and mix into batter. (It will look runny.)
Pour batter evenly into prepared pans and shake pans to release any trapped air bubbles.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, checking it at 25 minute mark and adjusting time if needed. (Do not overbake.)
When moist crumbs cling to a toothpick inserted into center of the cake, remove cake from oven. Let cakes rest in the pans 10 minutes. Remove from pans to wire rack to cool.
Frosting:
In a large bowl, mix together cream cheese and butter.
Mix in vanilla extract, lemon extract and lemon zest.
Mix in powdered sugar until creamy, adding lemon juice to thin it out, if needed.
Place frosting in refrigerator to firm up a bit before frosting. (if needed)
Stir frosting until creamed and spreadable and frost cakes. Garnish with additional lemon zest just before serving, if desired.
