Red Velvet Cupcake

February 12, 2011
red-velvet-cupcake

Valentine's Day... is just 2 sleeps away ... almost every blog I visited... there will be tributes to St Valentine. It tempt me to jump on the Valentine's bandwagon...

Since Valentine's Day falls in February (just in case... someone forgets... like my Mr H !!!) ... February is still summer in OZ... nearly the end of Summer... and Perth weather has the habit of turning up the heat to almost max before we could say Hello to Autumn... so I try not to use the oven as much... but ...

there is an exception for Valentine's Day this year... I baked 'Heart Shaped Red Velvet Mini Cakes'... actually I was trying out my new Heart Shaped silicon mould...

I was over the moon when my Red Velvet came out nice and moist... but  'sucks' at spreading the meringue icing!!!  experimented on few cakes ... and it turned out to be one BIG mess... eventually I gave up...  so I am left with big bowl of Vanilla Icing and Meringue Icing... most probably they are fated to meet Mr Bin...


will not showcase any close-up of my 'icing'ed velvet... embarassing!!!
I shall call this my 'Naked' Red Velvet Cake... just to add some naughty-ness on Valentine's Day ... and submitting this recipe to Aspiring Bakers #4: Love In The Air (Feb 2011)

Recipe (adapted from Donna Hay)
125g butter at room temperature
165g castor sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
185g plain flour - sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder-sifted
25g cocoa powder-sifted
125ml buttermilk - at room temperature
2 tablespoon red colouring
Vanilla Icing
125g butter at room temperature
160g icing sugar - sifted
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Meringue Icing
220g castor sugar
3 eggwhites
60ml water
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
  1. Preheat the oven 160C.
  2. Cream butter with sugar and vanilla extract until light and creamy.
  3. Gradually add the eggs and continue mixing...
  4. Add flour, cocoa powder, baking powder buttermilk and food colouring, and beat until just combine.
  5. Pour into lightly baking tin or heart-shape muffin silicon tray.
  6. Bake for 20-25 minutes until skewer comes out clean.
  7. Cool it on a wire rack.

Left: Split the cakes into 2 and spread with vanilla icing; Right: Vanilla Icing and Meringue Icing
Vanilla Icing: Cream the butter until pale and add sugar and vanilla. Beat further until light and fluffy.

Meringue Icing:
Mix sugar, water and cream of tartar in a small pot. Stir to dissolve sugar. Bring to boil and simmer for 3 minutes.
Meanwhile, using electric beater, beat the eggwhites until soft peak form. While motor is running gently pour in the sugar mix... continue beating until thick and glossy.

Assemble: Slice the mini cake horizontally, and spread the bottom layer vanilla icing, and top with the other half. Spread the outside with meringue Icing... which I failed miserably....

Have a wonderful Valentine's Day...

Comments

  1. So beautiful! Perfect for Valentine's Day.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I definitely prefer the mini version :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. I baked the same cake a few days ago. Great mind think alike :) Happy Valentine's to you and your love ones.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Perfect for Valentine's Day! Love your heart shape baking pan/cutter-one of the prettiest heart shapes I have seen around.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Ellie,
    Thank you :)
    Not even Valentine's yet... all gone... not even crumbs.. :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. tigerfish,
    Mini version ~ bite size :D
    At least I will not feel guilty in indulging :)

    ReplyDelete
  7. Gert,
    Absolutely... totally agree with your second statement... ;)

    Have a wonderful Monday.. I guess no one will be having Monday Blues tomorrow :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Shirley,
    Thank you :)

    I used silicon muffin mould(Willow)...

    ReplyDelete
  9. Great idea, these are so cute!

    ReplyDelete
  10. These will indeed be made tomorrow! They look so good and I love the bite sized hearts. Yum!
    www.olivebacon.com

    ReplyDelete
  11. Those are really super cute. very sexy cute:) I have an issue with red velvet cake though, ever since i learned they get the red food coloring from an insect.yup.lol.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Lisa, those mini heart cakes look so pretty!
    p.s The scarf just ARRIVED!! It's very beautiful. THANK YOU!
    Angie

    ReplyDelete
  13. ++MIRA++,

    Thank you.

    I have seen a doco about it, where the red colouring was extracted from some beetles, fish scales for nail polish and lipsticks... ;)

    ReplyDelete
  14. Angie,
    Thank you :)

    That's great... I was wondering yesterday :)

    ReplyDelete