It Was A Red Velvet Sunday

While most of you were sleeping on Sunday morning at 9:30 am, I was being summoned by my six year old sous chef to make red velvet cupcakes.  All I wanted to do was stay in bed, read a couple of books, and kick this lung infection in the butt and out the door.  No, no.  Nay, nay.  "Auntie, we have to get going soon cos we have to buy a new egg beater machine (that's six year old for hand mixer) and get the stuff from the grocery store and we have to hurry Auntie, cos we also have to make a strawberry upside down cake... "  Gawd that child can say a lot in one breath...

Whoa, there's a cake AND cupcakes on our list of things to do?  Hand mixer, grocery store?

I'm sorry, can someone remind me again who runs my kitchen?

And there was something in there about making her a nice lunch but my CPU doesn't go that fast on a Sunday and it barely registered.

While the sous chef and I were in Zeller's not paying 79.97 for a hand mixer, I suddenly became surrounded by randoms that were way too super flirty for a Sunday.  Like surrounded.  Hemmed in on all sides at the checkout.  I know, who knew Zeller's was The Place To Be For The Nearly Forty.  No, I did not find Mr. Right.  Sous chef shut my groove down and let everyone in the store know we needed to "blow this dump" and find a "cheap egg beater machine".  I  totally had us a pizza lunch date worked out but she dissed and dismissed her almost future uncle for a trip to another store.  I don't mind.  His taste in flip flops is questionable.

I was reluctant to make these cupcakes because red velvet cake always looks so decadent and most of the recipes I could find used lard.  Straight up lard.  Gawd, I can't even imagine.  So after much time with Lord Google and the Google Gremlins, I found three recipes which I cleverly ripped off combined into one.  This recipe is fairly easy in terms of method.

I highly recommend having a young sous chef with you when you add the food colouring to the chocolate batter and turn it red... there's nothing in the world like hearing (all whispery), "Oh, Auntie, you're magic."

It made all the mania worth it.

RED VELVET CUPCAKES WITH CREAM CHEESE ICING

Makes 24 cupcakes.

This recipe can also be used to make a cake.

Cupcake Ingredients:
2 1/2 c. cake flour
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tbsp. cocoa powder
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 1/2 c. vegetable oil
1 c. buttermilk (if you do not have buttermilk, add 1 tbsp. lemon juice to 1 c. milk, stir, and let sit for about 5 minutes before adding to mix)
1 1/2 to 2 tbsp. red food coloring
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 tsp. white vinegar

Cream Cheese Icing Ingredients:
1 - 8oz package cream cheese, brought to room temperature
1/2 c. butter, brought to room temperature
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
4 1/2 c. confectioners (icing) sugar

Method:
-preheat oven to 350 degrees and line cupcake tins with liners
-in a large mixing bowl with high sides, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, cocoa powder, and salt
-stir to combine, form a well, and set aside
-in a medium mixing bowl combine oil, buttermilk, food coloring, vanilla and vinegar
-using hand mixer, beat wet ingredients on a low setting to combine well
-pour half of the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and beat on a low setting
-continue to add wet ingredients to the mix
-when all wet ingredients are added, increase the mixer speed and beat the mix until it is completely smooth
-using a soup ladle or ice cream scoop, carefully fill cupcake liners about 3/4 of the way full
-gently tap the cupcake tin to release large air bubbles
-place in oven and bake for 20-25 minutes (use a toothpick to test at the 20 minute mark)
-remove from oven and let cool for at least two hours before frosting

-in a new bowl that has high sides, using the hand mixer to combine cream cheese with butter and vanilla and beat to combine thoroughly
-using the hand mixer on a low setting, slowly add 1/4 c. confectioner's sugar to the mixture and blend well; continue to add the sugar until it has all been incorporated into the mixture
-note: depending on the temperature and humidity, you may find you have to add a small amount of water (one teaspoon at a time) to the mix to reach the desired consistency
-once cupcakes are thoroughly cooled (about two hours), you can spread or pipe the icing onto the cupcakes and serve

Even though I put my finger through my piping bag and totally destroyed it, it really was worth it to see this yummy goodness:

And this other yummy goodness:

Now here is the bad news...  ouch but sooooo worth it! (click to enlarge)

 

Note: because there is cream cheese and butter in the icing, the uneaten cupcakes (should there be any!) must be refrigerated.