Red Velvet Cupcakes

I recently did work experience at a cake shop and this is one of the recipes that Charmaine, the owner of the Cake Place, uses. I got to try one of these red velvet cupcakes for the first time while I was there and I loved it. I made them the next weekend at home. It is quite possibly my new favourite cupcake flavour! By the way, if you're reading this Charmaine, I loved doing work experience! Thanks for having me :)

You will need: 125g cake flour (or plain flour), 1/4 teaspoon salt, 10g cocoa, 57g butter (at room temperature, 150g white sugar, 1 egg, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/2 cup buttermilk, 1 tablespoon liquid red food colouring, 1/2 teaspoon white vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

First sift flour, salt and cocoa powder into a large bowl.



Beat butter until soft with an electric mixer. Then add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy.

Add the egg and beat until combined.

Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the vanilla extract.

Combine the red food colouring and the butter milk.

Wow, very red! It's a good idea to do this in a measuring jug with a spout, so you can pour it in easily.

Alternately add the flour mixture and the buttermilk mixture, beating on low speed. Start and end with the flour mixture.

And try not to spill the red buttermilk mixture on your bench! I did and had a little panic attack, but it came off. Combine the vinegar and baking soda in a small cup and quickly fold into the cake mixture.

Divide the mixture between 12 cupcake liners and bake in a 180 degree C preheated oven for about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, for the cream cheese icing you will need: 113 g cream cheese, 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract, 30g icing sugar, 80ml of whipping cream.

Beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the vanilla extract and icing sugar and beat until combined.

Gradually add the cream and whip until the icing is thick enough to pipe. I accidentally bought light cream so it didn't get as thick as it should have but it still held its shape.

To decorate I cut the tops off some of the cooled cupcakes, piped some icing in the hole and replaced the top. I also just piped swirls and decorated them with sugar flowers.

Yum! I brought these to school for my friends and they loved them.

Recipe from Joy of Baking