Red Velvet Cupcakes (or Orange like mine!) =D

This is going to be a new section on the blog, I love baking cakes and since me and Darren ♥ bagged ourselves a new fan assisted oven I thought I would try some cupcakes. We were off to our friends house later that night so thought I could take some round with us. The cakes I made in my previous oven were coming out like biscuits so I knew it was the oven that had to be changed. These cupcakes came out taller than me, they were huge!

Recipe: (this will make 12 cupcakes)

60g unsalted butter, at room temperature

150g caster sugar

1 egg

1 tbspn cocoa powder

20ml red food colouring (preferably Dr. Oetker's as red food colourings vary in strength)

½tsp vanilla extract

120ml buttermilk

150g plain flour

½tsp salt

½tsp bicarbonate of soda

1½tsp white wine vinegar

For the cream cheese frosting:

For the frosty topping:

300g icing sugar, sifted

50g unsalted butter, at room temperature

125g cream cheese, cold

100s and 1000s

You'll also need:

100s and 1000s, water daisies, individual cupcake cases, I also used silicone holders as I didn’t have a 12 holed oven tray, they work brilliantly and are safe up to 220’C.

Method

1.Preheat the oven to 170°C/325°F/gas mark 3.

2.Put the butter and the sugar in a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment (or use a handheld electric whisk) and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy and well mixed. Turn the mixer up to high speed, slowly add the egg and beat until everything is well incorporated.

3.In a separate bowl, mix together the cocoa powder, red food colouring and vanilla extract to make a thick, dark paste. Add to the butter mixture and mix thoroughly until evenly combined and coloured (scrape any unmixed ingredients from the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula). Turn the mixer down to slow speed and slowly pour in half the buttermilk. Beat until well mixed, then add half the flour, and beat until everything is well incorporated. Repeat this process until all the buttermilk and flour have been added. Scrape down the side of the bowl again. Turn the mixer up to high speed and beat until you have a smooth, even mixture. Turn the mixer down to low speed and add the salt, bicarbonate of soda and vinegar. Beat until well mixed, then turn up the speed again and beat for a couple more minutes.

4.Spoon the mixture into the paper cases until two-thirds full and bake in the preheated oven for 20–25 mins, or until the sponge bounces back when touched. A skewer inserted in the centre should come out clean. Leave the cupcakes to cool slightly in the tray before turning out onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

Mine are Orange cupcakes! Maybe I should have put more food colouring in?

5.Meanwhile for the cream cheese frosting: Beat the icing sugar and butter together in a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment (or use a handheld electric whisk) on medium-slow speed until the mixture comes together and is well mixed. Add the cream cheese in one go and beat until it is completely incorporated. Turn the mixer up to medium-high speed. Continue beating until the frosting is light and fluffy, at least 5 mins. Do not overbeat, as it can quickly become runny.

6.When the cupcakes are cold, spoon over the cream cheese frosting on top, sprinkle on the 100s and 1000s and add the water daisy (optional but they look shit hot!)

Ahhh They're so pretty!

Are any of you keen bakers too?

♥