Red Velvet Cupcakes - Second Attempt

My first attempt at RVC yielded a densed yet soft and very moist cupcakes with a tangy sweet taste.
In fact it tasted better after a couple of days. There wasn't a hint of raw beetroot being used.
The only setback was its colour which did not live up to its name - Red Velvet Cake!

This is my second attempt and I like not only the texture of the cake but also the use of sunflower oil instead of butter because it's healthier!


Ingredients: (makes 12 cupcakes)

A
100g beetroot, cubed and later to be pureed
 2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 cup buttermilk


B
130 g Self-raising flour
5 teaspoons beetroot powder
1 1/2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder


C
150ml sunflower oil
1 large egg
120g caster sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Puree beetroot, lemon juice and buttermilk together.

2. Sift all dry ingredients together in A.

3. Whisk egg and sugar at high speed until thick and creamy. Add in oil and vanilla extract at medium speed.

4. Add some flour to the egg mixture and mix well. Alternate with beetroot puree and flour.

5. Mix well and fill cupcake cases and bake in preheated oven 170deg C for 20 to 25 minutes or until skewer test comes clean. Batter is quite watery but no worries as it will bake well.

Anxiously waiting for the baking to be done!

The colour is a deep red, in fact it's  maroon!

Well I will definitely make this again and frost the cake the next time time!

Red Velvet Cupcakes (1st attempt)

RVC - most recipes use red colouring.
I decided to use beetroot and raspberries to get the colour.
Acidic ingredients play a part to stabilise the colour.
But many factors can cause the colour change!
I am no expert in chemistry, therefore I cannot explain further.


Ingredients:

A
140g cake flour
1 and 1/2 tablespoons cocoa powder (don't use dutch processed because of alkali)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

B
115g unsalted butter
200g caster sugar
1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 eggs

C
65 ml buttermilk
65g yogurt
65 ml raspberry juice
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
75g raw beetroot, cubed


1. Place all ingredients in C into a blender. Puree the beetroot until fine.

2. Sift all ingredients in A together into a bowl.

3. Cream butter and sugar until light and creamy. Add one egg at a time and continue creaming and then add vanilla extract.

4. Mix in dry ingredients and wet ingredients alternately.

5. Spoon batter into cupcases, 2/3 full.

6. Bake in preheated oven 170deg C for 20 to 25 mins or more. Test with skewer.

7. Cool and top with cream cheese etc.

They have a lovely red colour before baking!

They have a more brownish red colour after baking!

Cake texture is quite dense and wettish!

Tastewise is good - tangy sweet! No taste of beetroot!

Cupcakes full of Chocolate

My first bake of this new year and it has to be something chocolatey! Sheer indulgence!


Ingredients:

130g butter
160g caster sugar
3 eggs
125ml chocolate milk

170g plain flour
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
100g semi-sweet mini chocolate chips
Chocolate ganache for topping

1. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

2. Mix in one egg at a time.

3. Add in sifted flour, cocoa and baking powder. Mix well.

4. Mix in chocolate milk and then chocolate chips.

5. Bake  cupcakes in preheated oven 170deg C for 20 to 25 minutes.

6. Let cupcakes cool and spread ganache on the top.
 Then eat and savour and eat and .................