Red Velvet Cupcakes

This is one of my all-time favorites. The cupcakes are delicious yet light, I usually double the ingredients and make 36 because they’re gone so fast…

Prep time: 2.5 hours

Cook time: 15 minutes

Servings: 18 cupcakes 

INGREDIENTS:

Butter Base:

4 Tbsp unsalted butter (at room temperature)

1 Tbsp vegetable or canola oil

¾ cup sugar

1 egg

Dry Ingredients:

1 ¼ cup (150 g) all-purpose flour (sifted, spooned, and leveled)

2 Tbsp (12 g) cocoa powder

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

¼ tsp salt

Wet Ingredients:

1 cup (220 g) buttermilk or plain yogurt

1 tsp white vinegar

½ Tbsp vanilla extract

¼ tsp red gel food coloring

Cream Cheese Frosting:

2 cups powdered sugar (240 g)

1 stick (8 Tbsp) unsalted butter (at room temperature)

⅛ tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract

4 oz of cream cheese (at refrigerator temperature)

Fondant Topper:

4 Large marshmallows

½ Tbsp butter
½ tsp water
⅛ tsp vanilla extract
1 drop no taste red gel food coloring

¼ cup (30 g) powdered sugar

CUPCAKE INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 325°F.

Combine the butter base ingredients. Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or hand mixer), beat on medium speed for 5 to 10 minutes, until the mixture turns pale yellow and fluffy.

Meanwhile, combine and sift the dry ingredients. Keep in mind the proper way to measure flour is to sift the flour, spoon it into the measuring cup, and level it off with a butter-knife or any straight edge. I would highly recommend investing in a food scale and measuring in grams, it feels like a hassle but it's a lot more accurate and saves you from washing measuring cups ever again :) 

In a separate bowl, combine and mix the wet ingredients. 

When the butter base is ready, slowly add half the dry ingredients and half the wet ingredients into the butter base, then beat on low until everything is incorporated. Don’t overmix the batter to avoid deflating the air bubbles.

Add the other half of the dry ingredients and wet ingredients into the butter base and beat on low until everything is well-combined.

Line muffin tins with 18 cupcake liners.

Using a tablespoon scoop, distribute the batter evenly into the 18 cupcake liners. Each cup should be half full and contain approximately 2 tablespoons of batter. The batter will rise a lot during baking so make sure all cups contain the same amount of batter and DO NOT overfill the cups.

Bake for 15 minutes on the middle rack, then do a toothpick test. Cupcakes are done when a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cupcake comes out clean or with a just a little bit of crumbs.

You must cool the cupcakes completely before applying frosting.

FROSTING INSTRUCTIONS:

Combine the powdered sugar, butter, salt, and vanilla paste in a clean bowl. Using a stand mixer with paddle attachment, beat the frosting on low until everything is combined (to avoid powdered sugar bombs), then on medium high for 10 to 15 minutes until the frosting turns very pale and almost doubles in volume.

Cut the cold cream cheese into 4 cubes and add them into the frosting one at a time while the mixer is moving. Continue beating until everything is combined. This might seem a bit unconventional, but the cold cream cheese will solidify the butter just a little and allow the frosting to become even fluffier.

Make sure the cupcakes are completely at room temperature, then fill the frosting into a 16-inch piping bag fitted with a Wilton 4B open star tip, and pipe swirls onto the cupcakes. Start at the center, go around in a circle, and come back down into the center. Apply pressure at the beginning and end of each swirl. For visual references, look up “Georgetown Cupcake signature swirl demo” on YouTube.

FONDANT INSTRUCTIONS:

In a microwavable bowl, microwave the butter for 30 seconds, until they're somewhat melted. Take a spatula and coat the bottom of the bowl evenly with it. This is to prevent the marshmallows from sticking later. 

Place the marshmallows in the same bowl, and add the vanilla extract, water, and food coloring on the marshmallows. Microwave for 30 seconds, stir to see if the marshmallow have melted, and microwave for another 15 to 30 seconds if needed.

Fold in the powdered sugar. When the fondant is cool enough to touch, move it onto a work surface lined with cling wrap or a silicone mat, and work the fondant together with a scraper. Be sure to cover the hand you’re using to touch the fondant with some butter or canola oil to prevent sticking. If the fondant is still too sticky, add more powdered sugar ½ tsp at a time.

Roll the fondant out to ⅛ inch thickness and cut into desired shapes with a cutter and decorate the cupcakes with them.

You can use candy melt and food coloring of any color for the fondant, I’ve also done blue and pink. Enjoy!