A versatile cupcake / muffin that can be used for celebrations or to bring to a pot luck. My Aunty Helen has provided me with this recipe. She would take these into her work and colleagues would go crazy for them.
Be prepared for a reasonable amount of cleaning - only make these if you are not pressed for time.
Cupcakes
Eggs: 3 medium sized (or 2 large) - separated into egg yolks and egg whites
Flour, plain: 1 1/3 cups
Baking powder: 1/2 teaspoon
Corn starch: 1/4 cup
Cocoa powder: 4 teaspoons
Salt: 1/4 teaspoon
Butter: 1/4 cup
Sugar, white: 1 cup
Vegetable oil: 1/2 cup
Vanilla extract: 2 teaspoons
White vinegar: 1/2 teaspoon
Buttermilk: 1/2 cup
Red food colour: 3 teaspoons
Cream cheese frosting
Cream cheese: 1 block (~250g)
Butter, unsalted: 1/2 cup
Sugar, icing: 2 1/2 cups (~300g)
Vanilla extract: 1 teaspoon
Salt: 1/8 teaspoon
Red velvet cupcake
Pre-heat a fan forced oven to 180°C.
Line a muffin tray with 12 cases.
Sift flour, baking powder, corn starch, cocoa and salt together. Whisk to ensure everything is mixed.
In another bowl, beat the butter for 1 minute. Add the sugar and beat until creamed together (approximately 2 minutes). Add the oil, egg yolks, vanilla extract and food colouring.
Fold 1/3 of the flour mixture and 1/3 of the buttermilk into the butter mixture. Continue this process until the flour and buttermilk has been incorporated.
Whisk the egg whites until soft, white peaks form. This will approximately take 2 - 3 minutes.
Fold the egg whites into the butter / flour mixture. Do not over mix.
Spoon the batter into the muffin cases. Bake for approximately 20 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean after pricking a red velvet cupcake.
Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool before frosting (as residue heat can melt the frosting).
Cream cheese frosting
Beat the butter separately until soft.
Add the cream cheese, vanilla and salt and beat.
Gradually add sugar into the mixture to achieve the desired sweetness.
Chill in the fridge for 10 minutes before using to ensure the frosting is pliable, but not too hard.
Ice each of the cupcakes. If you find that the frosting loses it’s shape and becomes harder to pipe, place the icing and piping bag in the fridge for 10 minutes.