Sunday Bake Club: Red Velvet Cupcakes

So, I made these chocolaty cupcakes for my birthday party this weekend and, let me tell you, they went down pretty darn well!
I like to keep the cases colour-coordinated to the cakes and to decorate the cream-cheese frosting with white sprinkles and some edible glitter.
Oh, and I also found that the natural red food colouring I had in my cupboard just wasn't strong enough to give the cakes the deep red colour that I wanted (and to mask the brown cocoa powder) so I'm afraid that my cupcakes were probably loaded with e-numbers too, although it's obviously your call to make as to whether or not you want a deep, blood-red colour like I achieved!

Ingredients

For the cupcakes (Makes 12)

• 125g plain flour

• 25g cornflour

• 3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

• 1/2 tsp baking powder

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 125ml buttermilk

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1/2 tsp vinegar

• red food coloring - as you prefer!

• 185g cup sugar

• 60g unsalted butter, room temperature

• 1 egg, room temperature

For the Frosting (Makes 500ml)

• 375g cream cheese, room temperature

• 90g unsalted butter, room temperature

• 125g icing sugar

• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Method

• Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat oven 350F. Prepare cupcake pan with liners.

• Sift together cake flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt into a bowl (although I have to say that I tend to skip the sifting!)

• In a small bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, vanilla, vinegar and red food coloring; set aside. In another bowl, using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat the sugar and butter together until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Add the egg.

• Add the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with buttermilk mixture in 2 additions, beating on low speed until combined; scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

• Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, filling each about 3/4 full. 

• Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 20-22 minutes. Let the cupcakes cook in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Transfer the cupcakes to the wire rack and let cool completely, about 1 hour.

For the Frosting:
In a bowl, with an electric mixer on medium-high spped, beat the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla together until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Gradually beat in the sugar and mix until thoroughly combined; scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Use right away, or if the consistency is too soft, refrigerate until the frosting is spreadable, about 15 minutes. Optional: sprinkle with cocoa powder.

Adapted by Lexie Lou from the recipe by Shelly Kaldunski.