Recipe: Red Velvet Cupcakes

To start, a disclaimer, these may not be the regular vibrant red velvets you'll see in shops. But I thought I'd share anyway. These cupcakes were made using regular supermarket food colouring, so just goes to show you really do need that fancy Superflair stuff to get that vibrant red.

Typically, although food colouring is used, the vinegar and buttermilk used in the recipe react to intensify this colouring. Hummingbird Bakery have a good FAQ on colourings here.

Aside from that, it was so good to go back to basics this weekend and do some baking. Its been a long time and I've missed it.

Red velvet cupcakes
(Recipe from Lisa Faulker's Tea & Cake, makes 12)

125g unsalted butter, softened
300g golden caster sugar
3 large eggs
180g plain flour
2tbsp cocoa powder
1/2 tsp fine salt
125ml buttermilk
1tsp Superflair red food colouring
1tsp vanilla extract
1tsp bicarbonate of soda
2tsp red wine vinegar

Icing:
150g white chocolate
200g full fat cream cheese
100g unsalted butter, softened
200g icing sugar, sifted
1tsp vanilla extract

Heat the oven to 170 degrees and line a cupcake tray with cases.

Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Slowly add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift in the flour, cocoa powder and salt and gently fold into the mix.

Combine the buttermilk, colouring and vanilla extract and fold into the mix. In a separate bowl, mix together the bicarbonate of soda and red wine vinegar, it will fizz up slightly. Gently fold into the battle, being careful not to knock any air out.

Divide the batter between the paper cases, cook in the centre of the oven for 20 minutes. A skewer inserted should come out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to fully cool.

To make the frosting, gently melt the chocolate in the microwave in short 10-20 second bursts. Alternatively, melt in a bowl rested on a pan of barely simmering water. Once fully melted, leave to cool for a minute or two. Cream together the butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add the melted chocolate and continue to mix. Beat in the icing sugar and vanilla until smooth and well incorporated. Cover and leave to chill in the fridge before frosting the cupcakes.

Once the cupcakes have cooled trim any raised tops and blitz in the blender to make crumbs for decoration. Spoon or pipe the chilled frosting onto each cupcake and top with a sprinkling of crumbs.