So…some friends of mine from Cross Cultures (a church group in Melbourne that I belong to) have decided to go for a day trip to Daylesford last Saturday. My birthday is coming up so it is a good excuse for a get-away. So I have decided to make this red velvet cupcake for the trip. It is from a recipe that my work colleague have tried before and proven delicious! It involved quite a few steps but I think it is all worth it.
Ingredients
Cupcake:
1 cup plain flour
¼ cup cocoa powder, unsweetened
½ teaspoon baking soda
113g unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs at room temperature
½ cup sour cream
¼ cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
½-1 teaspoon of red food colouring, depending on how red you want the cupcake to be
a pinch of salt
Cream cheese frosting:
113g unsalted butter, softened
56g solid vegetable shortening, chopped
250g cream cheese, softened
½ tablespoon pure vanilla extract
300-350g pure icing sugar, depending on how sweet you want the frosting to be
a pinch of salt
Makes 16 medium sized cupcakes
Cooking Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 170°C. Line the muffin trays with paper cups. Set that aside.
2. Sift in flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl and mix them. Set aside.
3. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed for 5 minutes or until light and fluffy.
4. Beat in eggs one at a time. Mix in sour cream, milk, food colour and vanilla.
5. Gradually beat in flour mixture on low spend until just blended. Do not overbeat.
6. Spoon batter into prepared trays, filling each up 2/3 full.
7. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until skewers come out clean.
8. Gently remove from the oven. Cool in pans on wire rack for at least 5 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely. Top with cream cheese frosting.
9. For frosting, cream butter, shortening, cream cheese and extracts until blended, fluffy and smooth.
10.Gradually add icing sugar and salt at low speed until creamy.
11.For piping, I use 9mm star nozzle and disposable piping bag.
12.Put half of the cream cheese mixture to piping bag. Gently push the mixture to where the tip is and tighten the bag halfway.
13.Gently squeeze the mixture to the cupcake and decorate as you wish.
Everyone loves it! And we had such a good time together. I wish that it does not have to end. We eat, we share, we laugh, we sing and we dance. Feel so blessed and thankful for the beautiful day that God has given us.