Red Velvet Cupcakes

Red velvet is always a good idea, right?

These unique cupcakes are a little different as they are brightly coloured and have two different flavours, you get vanilla and chocolate. When you top these cupcakes with a cream cheese icing, it’s further perfects the cupcake *chefs kiss*.

As mentioned, the cream cheese icing is a little different as it’s creamy, sweet and tangy all in one but it somehow balances out, especially when you partner it  with the unique flavours of a red velvet cake. The cupcakes are different because of the raising agent used in the batter, it’s bicarbonate of soda rather than baking powder. If you know the basics of bicarbonate of soda, you’ll know it requires an acid to activate, so thats why you use vinegar – it’s all a little bizarre but it works (an don’t worry, you can’t taste it).

This is a recipe I have used, formulated and pretty much perfected over the past 8 years and now you can make the perfect red velvet at home – what’s not to like?

Anyway, let’s get started, shall we?

Ingredients:

Red velvet cupcakes:

60g softened butter.

150g caster sugar.

1 egg.

10g cocoa powder.

Red food colouring (I recommend a concentrated paste or gel).

1/2 tsp vanilla.

120ml buttermilk.

150g plain flour.

1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda.

1 1/2 tsp white vinegar.

 

Cream cheese icing:

300g icing sugar.

50g butter, softened.

125g soft cheese.

1/2 tsp vanilla extract.

 

Method:

Before you get started on the recipe, you’ll want to do some prep work. Start by weighing up all of the ingredients, lining your muffin pan with cupcake cases and getting any equipment you may need, such as a mixing bowl, hand whisk and spatula. Don’t forget to preheat your oven to 170˚c/325˚f.

Into a small bowl, add in the cocoa powder, food colouring and vanilla, then mix until they are fully combined (it should be a fairly dark red colour).

To start, grab your mixing bowl and place in the butter and sugar, then beat the two together until they are combined.

Then go ahead and add in the egg and mix until its fully combined – the consistency should have changed and become much looser, this is normal.

Take the cocoa powder mixture you made earlier on and scrape it directly into the main mixing bowl and just mix until everything has become fully combined. The mixture should be a fairly bright red colour, this won’t stay this colour as it will lighten but don’t worry it’ll all work out!

Then you can go ahead and alternate the dry ingredients and wet ingredients, ensuring they are fully mixed in before adding the next part. You should always start and end with the dry.

Give the bowl a good scraping down, just to incorporate any bits that may not have been fully incorporated from earlier on.

Then go ahead and add in the bicarbonate of soda and vinegar, allowing them to combine and fizzle, then mix them into the batter until everything is fully combined.

Transfer the cake batter into a piping bag and grab your lined muffin pan, then fill the cases around 3/4 of the way full and place into your preheated oven and bake for 20-22 minutes (or until a tester comes out clean, when inserted into the centre).

Allow these to cool fully before you intend on finishing them but now is the perfect time to making the cream cheese icing.

To make the cream cheese icing, grab a mixing bowl and place in the icing sugar and butter and combine the two together until they are combined and the mixture looks clumpy.

Then you can add in the cream cheese and mix over a medium-high speed until its light and fluffy.

Once you’re ready, you can go ahead and transfer the icing into a piping bag fitted with your nozzle of choice and pipe the icing on top of the cupcakes and finish with sprinkles and you’re done!

That’s all for today guys, I hope you enjoyed. If you did, don’t forget to share this recipe with your family and friends and enjoy it. I’ll be back soon with another blog post and YouTube video, so join me then. In the meanwhile, don’t forget to check out my other social’s – Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube. The YouTube tutorial will be linked down below.