Oh how I love Red velvet cupcakes! They are so red, light and have the most fantastic subtle chocolate flavor, and the cherry on the top (there is no actual cherry on top 😉 ) is the most wonderful cream cheese frosting. It took me a while to find the perfect recipe but one day while traveling in London I visited Peggy Porschen’s Parlour where I finally tasted the perfect cream cheese frosting! I (almost) immediately ordered her book Boutique baking where I found the recipe amongst many other fantastic recipes. 

Based on The Hummingbird Bakery’s Red Velvet Cupcake recipe:
Makes 12 cupcakes

• 60g unsalted butter, softened
• 150g caster sugar
• 1 large egg
• 10g cocoa powder
• 20ml red food colouring (such as Dr Oetker)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla essence
• 150g plain flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 120ml buttermilk
• 1 1/2 tsp white wine vinegar
• 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

Preheat the oven to 170°C (325°F)

• Put the butter and the sugar in a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy and well mixed. Turn the mixer up to high speed, slowly add the egg and beat until everything is well incorporated.
• In a separate bowl, mix together the cocoa powder, red food colouring and vanilla extract to make að thick, dark paste. Add to the butter mixture and mix thoroughly until evenly combined and coloured (scrape any unmixed ingredients from the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula). Turn the mixer down to slow speed and slowly pour in half the buttermilk. Beat until well mixed, then add half the flour, and beat until everything is well incorporated. Repeat this process until all the buttermilk and flour have been added. Scrape down the side of the bowl again. Turn the mixer up to high speed and beat until you have a smooth, even mixture. Turn the mixer down to low speed and add the salt, bicarbonate of soda and vinegar. Beat until well mixed, then turn up the speed again and beat for a couple more minutes.
• Spoon or pipe the mixture into the paper cases until two-thirds full and bake for 20-25 minutes. Leave the cupcakes to cool slightly in the tray before turning out onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
• When the cupcakes are cold, spoon or pipe the Cream Cheese Frosting on top.

Cream Cheese frosting:

• 200g butter at room temperature
• 200g full-fat cream cheese ( I use Philadelphia cream cheese)
• 400g icing sugar, sifted
• Seeds of 1 vanilla pod

Method:

• Place the butter, icing sugar and the seeds from the vanilla pod in a mixing bowl and cream together until very pale and fluffy ( about 5 minutes)
• Add the cream cheese, a little at a time, to the butter mixture and mix at medium-high speed until the frosting is combined.

Enjoy your delicious cupcakes 🙂