Red velvet cupcakes
- Preparation and cooking time
- Total time
- + cooling
- Easy
- Makes 12
- 150g self-raising flour
- 1 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 50g unsalted buttersoftened
- 150g caster sugar
- 1 eggbeaten
- 1 tsp vanilla paste
- 100ml buttermilk or kefir
- 50ml vegetable oil
- 1 tsp white wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp red gel food colouring
CREAM CHEESE ICING
- 100g slightly salted buttersoftened
- 225g icing sugar
- 100g full-fat soft cheesestirred to loosen
- kcal337
- fat17.4g
- saturates8.5g
- carbs41.8g
- sugars32g
- fibre0.7g
- protein3g
- salt0.6g
Method
step 1
Line a cupcake tin with 12 cupcake cases. Heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Sift the flour, cocoa, bicarb and a pinch of salt into a bowl and mix to combine.
step 2
Using a stand mixer or an electric hand whisk, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then beat in the egg, vanilla, buttermilk, oil and vinegar until combined. Gradually mix the wet ingredients into the dried until smooth. Mix in the red food colouring until you have a deep red mixture – the colour may vary depending on what brand you use.
step 3
Divide the batter between the cupcake cases and bake for 20-22 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of one of the cakes comes out clean.
step 4
Beat together all of the ingredients for the icing using a whisk or electric beaters, until smooth. Once the cakes are cool, use a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle to cover the cakes with the cream cheese icing, or dollop the icing on top using a spoon.