RED VELVET CUPCAKES

I decided to keep making Valentine’s Day recipes, and, obviously, this classic one: red velvet.

There are a few tips to get perfect red velvet: first, use paste coloring and second, don’t add too much with cocoa powder or it will turn very dark.

Ingredients (15 regular):

For the cake:
150 g of sugar (5,3 oz.)
1 egg L
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
60 ml vegetable oil (I used sunflower oil)
220 g flour (7,8 oz.)
1 tablespoon of cocoa powder
120 ml buttermilk (or 120 ml milk+1 tablespoon of lemon juice, mixed 5 minutes before using it)
¼ teaspoon red food coloring
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon white vinegar

For the cheese frosting (recipe from Alma Obregón):
90 g of butter
90 g of cream cheese
210 g of icing sugar

Preheat oven at 170ºC (338ºF) and prepare paper liners in the baking tray.

Sift the flour and the cocoa, and reserve.

Beat the eggs with the sugar and vanilla extract. Add the oil and mix.

Add half of the flour and cocoa and integrate it, next pour the buttermilk and mix.

Add the rest of flour and cocoa.

Put the coloring ensuring it’s homogeneous.

Finally, mix the soda with the vinegar and when it’s bubbling add it to the mixture.

Distribute the dough and bake them for 10-15 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.

Meanwhile, prepare the frosting.

Put the butter in the bowl, well-chilled cheese and sifted icing sugar. Beat at high speed (covering the bowl) for 5 minutes. The cream has to be white and increase its volume.

Take the cupcakes out of the oven, let them in the tray for 5 minutes and place them in a rack until they are completely cool.

Finally, decorate them with the frosting and the toppings you want.