Red Velvet cupcakes

Ingredients
Original recipe by Laurel Watson

• 340g caster sugar
• 300g plain flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 12g cocoa powder
• 230g buttermilk
• 300g canola oil 
• 1 tbsp vinegar 
• 1 tbsp good-quality vanilla essence 
• 2 tbsp red food colouring 
• 60g water 
• 2 eggs

Method

Pre-heat oven to 190C. Line with cupcake papers ( 20).

Sift all dry ingredients together in one bowl and mix all wet ingredients together in another.

  

Place all dry ingredients in the bowl of a cake mixer, then pour in wet ingredients. Mix on a slow speed to combine, then scrape down the bowl and mix again until just smooth. 

Divide batter into cupcake papers. Bake for 15 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean with no batter on it.

Cool on a wire rack, then ice with flavoured cream cheese icing.

Cream cheese icing 

Ingredients

• 100g butter, at room temperature ( warm) 
• 150g cheese, at room temperature 
• 3 cups icing sugar
•  pinch of salt 
• 1 tsp vanilla essence or Lorann flavour ( brand)

Method

Blend butter and cream cheese in a bowl ( hand mixer) or a food processor until smooth. Beat ( or blend) in icing sugar, salt and vanilla essence, adding a little icing sugar or water if necessary to achieve a spreadable consistency, Spread over cool cupcakes in a swirly patter or any pattern you want.

What I learnt
Do not put too much icing sugar in the icing or it will be way to sweet.The combination of the baking soda and vinegar makes a chemical reaction helps make the cake smooth and velvety so remember always put the exact amount of baking soda and vinegar to make the cake soft.  

For fun
You can make the cupcake different colours like blue, red, yellow, ect, you can also make the icing different colours to match just by adding food colouring, so you can these velvet cupcakes fun, colourful and delicious.