I’m seeing Red…Velvet Cupcakes

I’ve mentioned in this post how much a fan I am of Bake Happy and a while back, she posted this recipe for Red velvet cupcakes that I knew I just had to try. I am CRAZY about red velvet cupcakes! They were my mother’s favorite and every time I see them or taste them I am reminded of her. When I first started baking, red velvet cupcakes were the very first ones I started to make. Needless to say, I had a lot of failures and so, I was on the quest to look for the best red velvet cupcake recipe floating about. I’m happy to say the search has finally ended.
These red velvet cupcakes are divine! The old recipes I’ve tried produced dry cupcakes, dense cupcakes, bland ones or ones where you don’t really get that chocolate flavor. This recipe solves all those problems. The cupcakes that came out were very light, moist and had that chocolate-y taste to it that lingers in your mouth. They smell so good too!
The original recipe was posted on cupcakeblog.com and Aikko tweaked it by substituting Yakult for the buttermilk. I chose to use the buttermilk powder that I purchased at a local health store, I use it all the time for recipes that ask for buttermilk and so far it hasn’t failed me. I also doubled the amount of cocoa powder to really get the chocolate taste and I divided the recipe by three so I wouldn’t have to stay next to my oven for days.
For the frosting, I stuck with Bake Happy’s recipe for cream cheese frosting. Perfect combo!
Red Velvet Cupcakes
Ingredients:
1 and 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon liquid red food coloring
170 grams sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 egg

Procedure:
1. Combine buttermilk, red food color, vinegar and vanilla extract. Set aside.
2. In a bowl, sift the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix well and make sure there are no lumps.
3. In a mixer bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
4. Add eggs one at a time.
5. Add one third of the dry ingredients and mix slightly.
6. Pour in one half of the wet ingredients.
7. Alternate mixing the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients, end with your flour mixture and mix until everything is incorporated.
8. Divide batter into cupcake liners and place inside pre-heated oven, 350’F and bake for 15 minutes.
9. When toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, remove cupcakes from the oven and cool on a wire rack.

Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 cup cream cheese
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup shortening
454 grams icing sugar
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 cup milk

Cream butter, shortening and cream cheese until smooth. Add the vanilla extract. Gradually add the icing sugar. Add the milk and beat until smooth. *I put the cream cheese frosting in the chiller for several hours so I can pipe them on the cupcakes*

 

Bake Happy’s Chocolate Cupcakes

There are a gazillion recipes to be found on the internet and there are plenty that get rave reviews from hundreds of readers. Unfortunately for me, there are good recipes I’ve tried that produce results I’m not very happy with. So when I do find a recipe that I like, chances are all the other stuff they post are right up my alley and I’ll be following that baker/site like a crazy person!

I stumbled upon Aikko Aragon‘s blog when I was searching the net for local bakers. Bake Happy is packed with tutorials, recipes and great photos of Aikko’s baking adventures. I love how Aikko writes! She’s super funny and when you read her posts it’s like you have been friends for a long time. I tried her recipe for the perfectly moist chocolate cake and oh my chocolate! I have found the one. It’s got a secret ingredient that makes it extra fluffy and tasty in my opinion. Can you guess what it is?

 Mayonnaise!!!

I had to tweak the recipe a bit since my oven is really small and can only fit one 6-count muffin pan at a time. The original recipe can of course be found on the fabulous Bake Happy site.

Moist Chocolate Cake Recipe
Adapted from Bake Happy (bakehappy.blogspot.com)

Ingredients: (Yield: 16 cupcakes)

1 and 1/4 cup cake flour
1 and 1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup water
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp vanilla extract

Procedure:
1. Preheat oven to 350*F, assemble cupcake liners in pan
2. In a bowl, mix mayonnaise and sugar until smooth
3. Combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and baking powder
4. Add a third of the flour mixture to the mayonnaise mixture
5. Add half of the water
6. Repeat steps 3 and 4, end with the flour mixture. Mix well.
7. Add vanilla extract
8. Scoop into cupcake liners and bake at 350*F for 15 minutes
9. Insert toothpick after 15 minutes, if it comes out clean then it’s done!
If there are still crumbs sticking to the toothpick, bake for about 5 more minutes.

 They say that the true test of a good cupcake is if it tastes good “naked” or without any frosting, and this recipe – although its delicious with buttercream frosting and chocolate ganache –  it still tastes fantastic without!

Thank you Aikko, you’re the best! 😀