Red Velvet Cupcakes

- February 24, 2011

It has been a habit for me to surf channels upon turning on the tv before I finally settle with one show. Just weeks ago, I chanced upon a tv plug of "Chuck's Day-Off" - a show by Chuck Hughes being aired at the Asian Food Channel(AFC). There was a moment during the plug where Chuck was placing a dollop of cream over red luscious cupcakes --- that gave me this lightbulb moment. =)

While AFC posts the recipes featured in all their shows in their website, (to which I managed to find Chuck's recipe for "THE CUPCAKE" I was craving for) I still used the power of Google and found alternate versions.
I have decided to use the recipe from McCormick simply because I felt the ingredients required were easier to find compared to the others.

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Red Velvet Cupcakes (McCormick's recipe)
Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup milk

1 bottle (1 ounce) McCormick® Red Food Color

2 teaspoons McCormick® Pure Vanilla Extract

Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe follows)

*Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting:

1pk/8oz cream cheese

1/4cup butter

2tablespoons sour cream

2teaspoons McCormick Vanilla Extract

1pk/16oz confectioner's sugar

How I did it:

After I pre-heated the oven at 350degF, I mixed the first four ingredients (flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt) in a bowl.

In another bowl, I beat the butter and sugar using an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy.

(***okay, I bought a 3d portable stand mixer for Php1400+ to replace my dead Moulinex hand mixer -- don't tell M! shhh...***)

I added the eggs in, one at a time then mixed in the sour cream, milk, food color and vanilla flavor.

Gradually beat in the flour mixture, on low speed until just blended.

***It is a must that we do not overbeat the cake batter especially once flour is added as this will toughen the cake (I've read about it somewhere --- that overbeating promotes gluten formation, hence the tough cake).

Spoon the batter into 30 cupcake cups, filling just 2/3 of it.

Bake for 20 minutes or until the toothpick inserted at the center comes out clean. (I extended the baking time for a minute or two by leaving the cupcake pan inside the oven even after I turned off the heat -- which created cracks/bursts on top of my cuppies -- but you may stick to the original 20minutes more-or-less time)

Cool on wire racks before putting the frosting.

The frosting is easily made by mixing together the softened cream cheese, softened butter, sour cream and vanilla extract in a bowl. When the mixture is already light and fluffy, gradually beat in the confectioner's sugar.

I transferred my beaten frosting into a piping bag, refrigerated it for a while before putting it over my cooled red cupcakes.

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My niece T turned 7 last Feb 16, but we celebrated on the 19th. I promised my Feb baby I'll bring cupcakes as another gift for her. I made the Red Velvet Cupcakes the day before and placed it on the lower rack in the fridge and took it out an hour before the party. My sister-in-law found ready-made icing toppers and we just placed them on the cupcakes. She also made additional cupcakes using store-bought banana and butter cake mixes and just added raisins and strawberry bits).