Red Velvet Cupcakes

I write this recipe with my tail between my legs because, many moons ago when I didn’t understand that red velvet cupcakes were an actual thing, I turned my nose up at the idea of a cake being defined by its colour, rather than its flavour. Then I made it and realised that it’s the unique combination of all those things – the lurid colour, the not-quite-discernible chocolate flavour and the all-important vanilla cream cheese frosting – that makes this cupcake legit! You can make this into a single large cake using two round 23 cm (9 inch) tins: sandwich the layers together with the frosting, then ice it completely, so when the finished cake is cut that red velvet pops like nobody’s business.

MAKES ABOUT 18 CUPCAKES

BATTER

375 g (13 oz/2 ½ cups) plain (all-purpose) flour, sifted

2 tablespoons Dutch process cocoa powder, sifted

1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda), sifted

1 teaspoon salt

330 g (11½ oz/1 ½ cups) caster (superfine) sugar

250 ml (9 fl oz/1 cup) buttermilk

200 g (7 oz) unsalted butter, melted

2 eggs, lightly whisked

1 tablespoon white vinegar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract OR vanilla essence

50 ml (1½ fl oz) red food colouring

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

375 g (13 oz) cream cheese, at room temperature

100 g (3½ oz) butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste OR vanilla essence

185 g (6 oz/1 ½ cups) icing (confectioners’) sugar

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 170°C (325°F) fan-forced. Line about 18 holes of two 12-hole standard muffin tins with paper cases.

To make the batter, combine the flour, cocoa, bicarbonate of soda, salt and sugar in a large bowl. Whisk briefly to mix the dry ingredients, then add the buttermilk, melted butter, eggs, vinegar, vanilla and food colouring (make sure you use the full amount, or the cake will turn out an underwhelming brown colour), and whisk until smooth. Fill each of the paper cases with the mixture until two-thirds full. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Turn out onto a wire rack, and cool completely before icing.

To make the frosting, combine the cream cheese, butter, vanilla and icing sugar in a medium mixing bowl. Using the paddle attachment of an electric mixer, beat together until smooth. Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a large star nozzle. Pipe a reasonable amount of the frosting on top of each cupcake. These store very well if refrigerated in an airtight container for up to a week, but they are much nicer to eat when brought back to room temperature.

NOTE

If you are ever in a spot trying to find buttermilk, make mock buttermilk instead. Combine 40 ml (1½ fl oz) white vinegar with 210 ml (7½ fl oz) milk to make 250 ml (9 fl oz/1 cup), allow to sit for mere seconds (it will curdle immediately), then use as you would a real buttermilk. The ratio is 1 part vinegar to 5 parts milk.