Recipe: Red Velvet Cupcakes

After all, isn’t Valentines day all about tackling your WIPs and eating cake? Here is the latest recipe from JessieCakes.

We first introduced baker Jessica Marsden back in October 2013 when she shared her delicious Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies with us. We enjoyed the brownies so much, that we asked her for another recipe to share with the Let’s Knit community. Happy baking!

Red Velvet Cupcakes:

Makes: 12
Prepare: 20 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes

Ingredients:
75g Stork tub, at room temperature
150g caster sugar
150g self-raising flour
1 tbsp cocoa powder
1 large egg, beaten into a jug
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
120ml buttermilk
1.4 tsp red food gel/paste
¾ tsp white wine vinegar
¾ tsp bicarbonate of soda

For the cream cheese frosting:
70g unsalted butter, at room temperature
400g icing sugar
200g full-fat cream cheese, straight from the fridge
Loveheart sprinkles

Method:

Preheat your oven to 180°C and line a muffin tray with cupcake cases.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until soft and fluffy. Then, slowly mix in the egg and the vanilla extract.

In a separate bowl, sift the flour and cocoa powder together. In a third bowl, mix together the buttermilk and red food colouring until completely red.

Pour a third of the flour and cocoa powder mixture into the creamed butter and sugar, and mix until combined. Pour in a third of the red buttermilk into this mixure, and stir again. Repeat this process until all ingredients are well combined. Try not to overbeat the mixture at this stage. Add more food colouring if necessary.

In a small bowl, mix together the vinegar and bicarbonate of soda until it begins to froth. Then, quickly fold it into your cake batter.

Divide the cake mix evenly between the cupcake cases, and bake for 15 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

Once your cakes are completely cool, make your cream cheese frosting. In a large bowl beat the butter until light and fluffy.

Next, drain of any excess liquid from the cream cheese, then beat into the butter until just combined. Be careful not to over beat as this will make the cream cheese loosen and turn into a liquid.

Sift in half the icing sugar and beat together. Add the remaining half, and beat again until frosting is smooth. If the mixture appears lumpy, don’t panic! Just use an electric whisk on a medium speed to help combine the ingredients.

Using a piping bag fitted with an open star nozzle, pipe your frosting onto your cakes and finish with a sprinkle of edible love hearts.

For more of Jessica’s delicious recipes, visit her website: www.jessiecakesdiary.com