Red Velvet Cupcakes

     

Have I told you that I love to make cakes with vegetable oil rather than butter?  I find that the oil makes the cake lighter and very very moist.  I like it even better if it has yogurt or sour cream or buttermilk.  Fantastic ingredient there.  For this recipe, again, it's actually a sandwich red velvet cake but I convert it into cupcakes. This recipe is taken from my newly favorite book called 'Piece of Cake'. It is what it says it is..a piece of cake.  You don't need all the hassle of creaming the fat with sugar or beating the eggs separately.  You just dump everything in a big mixing bowl and beat it up with the mixer.  I'm quite lazy, so I just use a wooden spoon and mix all up..works fine..actually works really fine!

Texture of this cake? It's soft to the point that it's quite springy and very moist.  Not too sweet either.

Red Velvet with Cream Cheese Frosting
(yields 23 cupcakes)

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup red fool coloring (i used 2 tbsp)
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp white vinegar

Mix all ingredients together and beat with an electric mixer on medium-low speed and beat for 1 min.
Bake at preheated oven at 180d C for 20-30 mins or until done.

Cream Cheese Frosting (i made lemon cream cheese frosting)
makes 3 cups (750 ml)

2 1/2 cups icing sugar
500g cream cheese, softened
125g butter, softened
1 tbsp vanilla extract (for lemon version, omit vanilla and replace with 2 tsp lemon zest and 3 tbsp lemon juice)

Mix all together and beat with an electric mixer till combine. Spoon frosting into piping bag with rosettes nozzle, pipe a swirl on cupcakes.  This recipe definitely is a keeper! I have a feeling that there'll be a request to make this again.

My neighbour as usual, is very happy to receive some and a few of my colleagues will be happy as well when I bring this over to the office tomorrow...:D