Red Velvet Cupcakes

And so we segue to baking...After posting the Phad Thai entry, Red velvet cupcakes might appear off tangent to the Asian cooking themes that I have been indulging myself with of late. But this simply goes to show that I remain true to my blog site's name: NoSetMenu. We dance to the rhythm of life, right? Free flowing; not restricted; thinking out of the box. :) Plus, there is a plethora of recipes out there waiting to be had  and a whole gamut of dishes to enjoy in gastronomic proportions.

I was asked to bring a plate of goodies by the office to celebrate Pink Ribbon Day last week. October was Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Pink Ribbon Day aims to raise funds for research for prevention and cure. Celebration is seemingly an oxymoron as there is nothing to celebrate about breast cancer. But an awareness drive is indeed integral; there is no cure to breast cancer. At least not yet. For now, an early detection will save the lives of our mothers, sisters, girlfriends and of course ours. I have done my own fair share of mamograms and ultra sounds, Im going to hit the BIG 40 in a few years but Im quite pedantic about health this early. And like good ole John Mayer would say, "your body is a wonderland". Hehehe. Not quite. Its more like what my little boy would always tell me that I treat my body like a temple. And he is absolutely right. Our body is the only one we have. Cloning is not an option. Hehehe. What am I saying? Im blabbing yet again...

And so,  I brought red velvet cupcakes to the office and pinned a pink ribbon on my bosom.

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups (125 grams) sifted cake flour

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoons (10 grams) regular or Dutch-processed cocoa powder

1/4 cup (57 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature

3/4 cups (150 grams) granulated white sugar

1 large egg

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup (120 ml) buttermilk

1 tablespoon liquid red food colouring

1/2 teaspoon white distilled vinegar

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Cream Cheese Frosting:

8 ounces (227 grams) cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup (60 grams) confectioners' (icing or powdered) sugar, sifted

2/3 cup (160 ml) cold heavy whipping cream (double cream) (35-40% butterfat)

Red Velvet Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and line 12 muffin tins with paper cupcake liners.

In a large bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cocoa powder.

In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter until soft (about 1-2 minutes). Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes). Add the egg and beat until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the vanilla extract and beat until combined.

In a measuring cup whisk the buttermilk with the red food colouring. With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk to the butter mixture, in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour.

In a small cup combine the vinegar and baking soda. Allow the mixture to fizz and then quickly fold into the cake batter. 

Working quickly, divide the batter evenly among the 12  muffin cups and smooth the tops with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon. Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 18 - 23 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cupcakes comes out clean.

Cool the cakes in their pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes and them remove from pan. Let cool completely before frosting. Either spread the frosting with a knife or offset spatula, or use a large 1M Wilton open star decorating tip to pipe the frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting: In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the vanilla and confectioners sugar and beat until smooth. Using the whisk attachment, gradually add the heavy cream and whip until the frosting is thick enough to pipe. Add more sugar or cream as needed to get the right consistency.

Makes 12 cupcakes.