Hey there!
A Red velvet cake is a cake with a dark red, bright red or red-brown color. It is usually prepared as a layer cake with either a vanilla or chocolate flavor, topped with a creamy white icing. Common ingredients are buttermilk, butter, flour, cocoa, and beetroot or red food coloring (beetroot is traditionally used). The amount of cocoa used varies in different recipes. Cream cheese frosting is most commonly paired with the cake, as well as buttercream.
A couple of years ago I tried making a Red Velvet Cake for our Valentine's Day Ritual. It was my first attempt, and I think it came out alright. But each year I look for some new recipe for this yummy southern cake to try out. This is the one I will be trying this year. I think cupcakes will be a new take, and I can spread the offerings out over a few days! It looks totally yummy! For those less ambitious, Duncan Hines has a mix which is very good as well 🙂
Chef Jeff’s Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Icing
Las Vegas, Nevada
Makes 12 to 16 cupcakes
Red velvet cake has been a very popular dessert in the South for a long time. There’s a lot of controversy on how to make it best. Chef Jeff, who always wanted to be a baker, likes to keep it simple, using classic ingredients and just a bit of extra sugar. His family likes it sweet.
2 cups all purpose flour
1½ teaspoons baking soda
pinch of salt
1 cup buttermilk
2 large eggs
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon white vinegar
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
3 tablespoons red food coloring
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1½–2 cups granulated sugar
Cream Cheese Icing
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1½–2 cups powdered confectioners’ sugar
½ pinch salt
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cupcakes
Preheat oven to 350º F. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking soda and salt, and set aside. In a separate medium bowl, whisk buttermilk, eggs, vanilla, and white vinegar, and set aside. In a small bowl, whisk cocoa powder and food color until it becomes a paste. With a table top or hand-held mixer in a large bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar on medium speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl, then beat 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add half of flour mixture and beat on low speed about 45 seconds until incorporated, then add half the buttermilk mixture and beat until combined. Repeat, adding remaining flour mixture, then remaining buttermilk mixture. Beat until thoroughly incorporated.
Line cupcake pans with paper cupcake liners. Spoon batter into paper liners until ¾ full. Place pans in oven on center rack. Bake cupcakes until a toothpick can be inserted in the center and come out clean, 22–25 minutes. Remove pans from oven and let cool at room temp.
Icing
Using tabletop or a hand-held mixture, add all ingredients. Beat on medium-high until mixture is fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping bowl as needed. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Assembly
After cupcakes have cooled, remove cream cheese icing from refrigerator. Using pastry spatula or butter knife, spread desired amount of icing on each cupcake.
Happy Baking!
Sister Bridget
