Red Velvet Cupcakes

 Red velvet cupcakes

There is something really elegant about red velvet cupcakes. They just look so cool and they taste awesome, especially when covered with a nice homemade cream cheese frosting.

Velvet cake is thought to have originated in USA in the early 20th century. During WWII,  soldiers and civilians had to ration off food and supplies. Baking products like sugar and butter were a part of the rations. As a result, some bakers chose to use beet juice in their cakes. Beet was and is used in some recipes as a filler or to retain moisture. The red color of the beets makes the cake have a more delicious appeal. However, not only do the beets make the cake pretty, but they also make the cake soft.

These days, most have steered away from beets in their red velvet cake recipe, and instead opt for red food coloring to give the cake vibrancy.

In recent years, red velvet cake and red velvet cupcakes have become increasingly popular in the US and many countries, especially around Christmas  and more recently Valentine’s Day. 

So here’s the recipe. 

Ingredients

Red Velvet Cupcakes

• ¼ cup Unsalted Butter
• ½ cup Vegetable or Canola Oil
• 1 ½ cups Granulated White Sugar
• 2 Large Eggs
• 1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
• 1 cup Buttermilk
• 1 tsp White Vinegar
• 2 ½ cups all purpose flour
• 2 tbsp Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
• 1 tsp Baking Powder
• 1 tsp Baking Soda
• ¼ tsp Salt
• 1.5 tbsp Red Food Coloring gel 

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1.5 cups powdered sugar
• 200 gms Cream Cheese, room temperature
• ½ cup Butter, room temperature
• 1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
• 1-2 tbsp Milk

Method

Red Velvet Cupcakes

• Preheat oven to 180°C. 
• Cream butter and sugar together in a mixer or in a medium-sized bowl with a hand mixer. Add eggs one at a time to the mixer. Add oil, vanilla, and vinegar. Sift dry ingredients together into a bowl. Alternate adding buttermilk and dry ingredients into the mixing bowl and mix well after each addition.
• Add red food coloring to cake batter and blend well. Spoon the batter in the muffin cups/pans.
• Place pans in the oven and bake for 14-16 minutes until the tops spring back when you lightly touch them, or a toothpick comes out clean. Remove from the oven and place on cooling racks. Allow to fully cool before frosting with cream cheese frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

• Add cream cheese, butter, 1 tablespoon of milk, and vanilla to a mixing bowl. Slowly begin adding powdered sugar a cup at a time until well combined.
• If too thick, add another tablespoon of milk. If too thin, add more powdered sugar.

Note:

Buttermilk Substitute 

Add 1 cup of milk to a measuring cup. Add 1 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice to the milk. Allow it to sit for 5 minutes. It will slightly curdle and thicken. Once it has, mix it into the cupcake batter.

You can use the same ingredients to make the red velvet cakes and decorate in creative ways. Note that the cooking time for cake would be 25-30 minutes or until the tops spring back when you lightly touch them, or a toothpick comes out clean.

Looking for Valentine's Day baking inspiration? 

Try this classic red velvet cake recipe with a smooth cream cheese frosting for a decadent dessert that's sure to impress.