Red Velvet Cupcakes

Fast forward 2011, I'm in Bangalore and I'm baking hordes. I always pick dessert for any dinner contribution. This time, it was my little Eli's birthday and though there was a cake for her to cut anyway, we thought another dessert would be lovely. So I made these tiny little velvety wonders for her.

Normally, I'd feel like an amazon around such pretty things. But there is something about a red velvet cupcake which makes even me feel dainty, pretty and oh! so feminine :-)
Normally, I'd also never use food colouring. But these were meant to be special.. for a special girl. And what's red velvet cupcakes if they're not red???

I tweaked a recipe by Paula Deen which I found online. I found hers to have too much oil for my taste. I also halved the measurements cos it seemed like a lot otherwise. I got around 30 cupcakes in size 10 liners. I baked these just in the liners on a flat tray.

I love this recipe because

1. It tastes really nice! It has a nice crumb and a very moist interior.
2. Its really easy to make. I made two batches the same day, cos my first attempt tasted of too much oil.
3. You don't need a mixer except maybe for the frosting. A whisk works just fine... and there is no arm workout going on.

Ingredients

Cupcakes

1+1/4 cup                       All purpose flour
3/4 cup                           sugar
1/2 tsp                            Baking Soda
1/2 tsp                            salt
1 tsp                               cocoa powder
1/2 cup                           refined oil
1/2 cup                           buttermilk (room temperature)
1                                     egg
1/2 tsp                            white vinegar
1/2 tsp                            powdered red food colouring

Cream Cheese Frosting

100g                             Cream cheese
50g                               butter softened
1cup                             Icing Sugar

How

Preheat oven to 190C or 375F. Prepare liners on tray.
Sift together flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, cocoa powder in a bowl.
In another bowl, whisk oil, buttermilk, egg, vinegar and food colouring.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix till its thoroughly combined.
Divide into liners (fill only 2/3rd of each) and bake for 20-25 mins or till a toothpick comes out clean.
Remove from oven and cool completely before frosting or the frosting will drip.

For the Frosting, beat butter and cream cheese together till smooth. Add sugar and whip till its nice and frothy. Pipe on cupcakes with a star tip.

Tuck in! You won't be able to stop.