The secret to a good Red Velvet Cupcake lies in its quality ingredients – the best Valrhona Cocoa Powder and only the ORIGINAL Philadelphia Cream Cheese. The use of buttermilk reacts with the cocoa powder to give the cupcakes a distinctive texture.  Here’s a recipe which I personally use:

For the Red Velvet Sponge Cake

2 Eggs
170g Castor Sugar
110g Unsalted Butter
180g Cake Flour (sifted)
1/2 tsp Baking Soda (add into the flour)
1/2 tsp Salt (add into the flour)
30g Valrhona Cocoa Powder
165g Buttermilk
1tbsp Wilton Red Food Colouring (mixed into the milk)
2tsp Nielsen-Massey Pure Vanilla Extract

Steps:
1. Preheat oven to 180C. Line a muffin tray with 16 cupcake casings.
2. Sift the Cake Flour, Baking Soda, Cocoa Powder and Salt.
3. In a mixer, cream the Butter, Castor Sugar and Vanilla Extract on medium speed.
4. Add in the Eggs one at a time.
5. Alternate adding in the Flour mixture and the Buttermilk mixture (with red colouring). Whisk till the whole mixture is well-combined.
6. Scoop the batter into the cupcake casing about 2/3 full.
7. Bake in the oven for about 18-20mins.
8. Remove from oven and leave to cool on a wire rack.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting

250g Philly Cream Cheese (softened at room temp)
80g Unsalted Butter
2tsp Nielsen-Massey Pure Vanilla Extract
80g Icing Sugar (sifted)

Steps:
1.  Combine all ingredients in a mixer and cream until light and fluffy at medium speed.

To assemble the cupcakes:
1. Fill the piping bag with a piping tip.
2. Fill the piping bag with the Cream Cheese Frosting.
3. Pipe the frosting onto the Red Velvet Cupcake as desired. Decorate with festive toppers and serve.

Chugging along to Dinomama’s Festive Fare blogtrain

Tomorrow is Baby Hiroshi Mommy Irene’s turn to contribute a festive recipe. Irene laments it is amazing how much time & motherhood could change someone. She remember telling her hubby that she can neither do housework nor cook. Well, ten years later, she can do both and still handle 3 kids! Let this experimental chef who believes that all things are possible through a persevering heart (and google & youtube of course!) share with us how to cook a mean Roast Rack of Lamb. Yummy!