Red Velvet Cupcakes

Ingredients for cupcakes:

• 200g plain flour
• 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa *
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 100g unsalted butter
• 200g caster sugar
• 1 tbsp red food colouring
• 2 tsp vanilla essence
• 2 eggs
• 175ml buttermilk **
• 1 tsp white wine vinegar

Ingredients for frosting:

• 50g butter
• 100g cream cheese
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 200g icing sugar

Method for cupcakes:

1. Preheat the oven to 170 °C and line your muffin tins with cupcake liners.
2. In a separate bowl, sift and combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda.
3. Cream the butter and sugar properly on a high speed until the cream becomes pale in colour. This may take a while.
4. Add the food colouring and the vanilla essence.
5. On a lower speed, add a few tablespoons of the dry ingredients.
6. Add an egg to the mixture.
7. Add another few tablespoons of the dry ingredients.
8. Add the second (last) egg.
9. Go ahead and combine the rest of the dry ingredients.
10. Pour the buttermilk and extra tsp of white wine vinegar into the mixture. 
11. Fill up the cupcake liners. 
12. Bake for around 15 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out dry.
13. Place on a cooling rack and begin to make the frosting.

Method for frosting:

1. Cream the butter, cream cheese and vanilla essence properly. 
2. Add the icing sugar to the mixture - a few tablespoons at a time, beating well. 

Don't rush! Make sure that your cupcakes have cooled completely before frosting them. 

Notes:

* Don't add any more cocoa powder or else the cupcakes will not turn out to be so brightly coloured.

** I didn't have buttermilk; a simple substitute can be made by substituting 2 tbsp of milk with 2 tbsp white wine vinegar per 1 cup milk. After leave this to stand for around 10 minutes, the milk should appear to have curdled. Whisk roughly and use as required.

Remarks:

These cupcakes are my favourite; they're light and so so yummy. Not to mention that they look absolute adorable too. Moreover, the combination with this particular frosting is a match made in heaven! The frosting is of a perfect consistency, is moist, and compliments the cupcakes wonderfully. 

I decided to make a tiny cupcake with the extra batter. I then crumbled it up into a small bowl and decorated the frosted cupcakes by sprinkling the red goodness all over! Let me know how you decorate yours!

Makes and frosts 16 large cupcakes

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