INGREDIENTS:
- 2 1/2 cups cake flour – sifted
- 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 oz. red food coloring (two bottles)
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup refined sugar ( you can use 1 cup packed brown sugar if you want that molasses taste or you can use half white and half brown)
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
PROCEDURE:
- Preheat your home or bakery oven to 350 degrees.
- Next, place cupcake liners in two 12-cup muffin or cupcake tins. You can also use silicone pans for this.
- In a big bowl, sift together your pre-sifted cake flour and baking powder. Set aside.
- In a cup or mug, you should then mix your red food coloring with the cocoa powder. Make sure it forms a thin paste without lumps. Set aside.
- Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer (whichever you have), cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Beat in vanilla and then drizzle in the red cocoa paste. Scrape down the bowl with a spatula as you go.
- Add a third of your sifted flour mixture to your butter and egg mixture. Beat well. Add in half of your buttermilk. Continue with this ratio of adding in flour and milk until you’ve added all of these in. Beat only until all ingredients are incorporated.
- In another cup or mug, take your white vinegar and dissolve the salt and baking soda in it. Add this to your batter.
- With the use of a pitcher, fill your prepared cupcake tins with batter up to 3/4 full. Tap each tin lightly (once or twice will do) on your counter to even out the batter and remove any air pockets.
- Place your cupcake tins in your preheated home or bakery oven and bake for 18 to 20 minutes. To ensure even baking, rotate your cupcake pans midway through the baking process.
- Your cupcakes will be done when these retain their dome shape after patting the tops lightly with your finger.
- Remove from the oven and cool on a cooling rack. Cool thoroughly before icing.
Cream Cheese Icing
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 cup butter
- 2 cups cream cheese
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
PROCEDURE:
- Make sure that your butter and cream cheese are at room temperature to ensure that these are soft enough for mixing.
- Cream your butter first in your mixer, until light and fluffy.
- Add your cream cheese and make sure that you also beat the mixture until fluffy.
- Add the powdered sugar in one cup at a time, until you get the desired consistency. (You can increase or decrease the amount of sugar, depending on the consistency of your icing).
- Add in the vanilla extract.
- Use to ice your red velvet cupcakes.
- This frosting can be kept in your fridge for around a week, as long as it is in a sealed, airtight container. To reuse, simply get back to room temperature and beat until the icing is fluffy again.
