Irresistible Red Velvet Cupcakes

Servings

Makes 18 cupcakes

Difficulty

Easy

Prep Time

15 minutes

Cooking Time

18-20 minutes

Ingredients

• For the Cupcakes:
  • 250g caster sugar
  • 125g butter
  • 2 free-range eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 2 tablespoons red food coloring
  • 280g cake flour
  • 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • A pinch of salt
  • 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
  • 1 tablespoon vinegar
  • Strawberries, halved, for decoration
• For the Cream Cheese Icing:
  • 250g icing sugar
  • 250g cream cheese, at room temperature

Instructions

1. Preheat and Prepare:
   • Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F).
   • Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners or grease it well.
2. Cream the Butter and Sugar:
   • In a large bowl, cream together the butter and caster sugar until light and fluffy.
   • Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition until the mixture is smooth.
   • Stir in the vanilla extract, buttermilk, and red food coloring until well combined.
3. Mix Dry Ingredients:
   • In a separate bowl, sift together the cake flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.
4. Combine Ingredients:
   • In a small bowl, dissolve the bicarbonate of soda in the vinegar. It will fizz up.
   • Add this mixture to the wet ingredients and mix well. Don’t worry if the batter looks a bit curdled—it will smooth out when you add the dry ingredients.
5. Fold in Flour Mixture:
   • Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture. Mix until just combined—overmixing can make the cupcakes tough.
6. Bake:
   • Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pan, filling each cup about two-thirds full.
   • Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
7. Cool and Ice:
   • Allow the cupcakes to cool in the pan for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
   • Once cooled, use a piping bag to ice the cupcakes with the cream cheese frosting. If you don’t have a piping bag, you can make one by rolling a triangle of baking paper into a cone and snipping off the end.
8. Decorate:
   • Decorate each cupcake with a halved strawberry for a beautiful and tasty finish.

Cook’s Note

• Bringing the buttermilk and eggs to room temperature before mixing helps reduce the chance of the batter curdling. However, if the mixture does curdle slightly, don’t worry—it will smooth out once you add the flour.

Enjoy these delicious red velvet cupcakes as a delightful treat for any occasion!