Velvet Is the new Chocolate

I tackled a Red Velvet cupcake with a bit of apprehension. Prior to a week ago, I had never eaten a Red Velvet cupcake and never had much of a desire for one either. But, upon the request of someone at the gym, I thought I should give it a try. I started my cupcake exploration at a German bakery outside of town. And it sucked. More suck than eating last year's Halloween candy on Easter. Yes, that disappointing. I've never had a desire to eat Red Velvet cupcakes because I've never understood what it was meant to taste like. It seemed like this whole red drink purple drink issue but in cake form. This disappointing cake only fueled my decision that Red Velvet cake was a waste of flour. When my roommates took me to Yogurtland the next day, I tried the Red Velvet and realized how sad I was that I had missed out on this for 24 years.

I started searching online and figured my best option was to just dive right in. I stumbled upon this gem from the parsley thief and thought I would test it out. 

Spoiler alert, it was amazing.

Cake
1 cup plus 2 TBLS flour
1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 TBLS unsweetened cocoa powder
2 TBLS red food coloring
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 TBLS water
4 TBLS {1/2 stick} unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cups sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp distilled white vinegar

Preheat the oven to 350F and line out the cupcake pan. Combine the dry ingredients (flour and salt) and set them to the side.

In another small bowl, mix the coco powder, red food color, vanilla extract, and water with a spoon until it is smooth and looks like a very thin paste. If you run out of food coloring (like I did) you can substitute a little bit of yellow and use water as the rest of the filler. I think I ended up using a 1/2 TBLS red, 1/2 TBLS yellow and 1 TBLS water. Set this weird red paste to the side.

Beat the butter and sugar until it is light and fluffy then add the egg and beat until it is incorporated. Add the red paste to the batter and mix it on a medium speed until it is well combined. Add the buttermilk and dry ingredients, alternating half and half and beat until smooth. Add the baking soda and white vinegar, beat once more until smooth. I've never baked with these two ingredients, but I combined mine before adding them into the batter and it worked out pretty well. Follow the beat of your own heart.

Finally, divide the batter between the liners and bake for about 15-20 minutes, checking with a toothpick or knife to see if it comes out clean. Let them cool, despite the deep desire to ingest immediately.

Frosting
8 TBLS {1 stick} unsalted butter, room temperature
4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 to 1 TBLS vanilla extract

Add your butter and cream cheese to a bowl and beat until combined (about 5 minutes). SLOWLY add the powdered sugar and the vanilla extract to your liking. Beat until light and fluffy. I trust that most of you have made frosting and have full faith of your capabilities to make frosting.

Frost your cakes and decorate as you wish. Or just eat at 12 of them in your PJs and tell no one after, your choice.

Until Next Time

Vegan ventures

I decided to take on the challenge of making a vegan cupcake. Really, I wanted to thank the guys at my gym for hooking me up with such an amazing deal when I signed up. What better way to show my appreciation than with baked goods. So I was given the vegan stipulation and set to work.
Since it is Summer I really wanted to do something light, which then turned into I want to make something edible cause I have no clue how this vegan business is gonna work.

End result? Strawberry cupcake with Basil Lime buttercream.

Strawberry cake

4 C all purpose flour
3 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 C sugar
1/2 safflower oil
2 C pureed fresh strawberries
1/2 C coconut milk
2 tsp strawberry extract
2 tsp vanilla extract
Red or pink food coloring

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt into a bowl and set aside. In another bowl combine sugar and oil, then the puree. Add the remaining liquids (and yes, use the food coloring!) Once well mixed slowly add the dry ingredients and be cautious of over mixing. I threw in some sliced strawberries at the end for the texture and color. If you choose to, fold them in gently before dividing batter into cupcake tins.

Next, get your handy ice cream scooper and fill your lined cupcake tins with this epic pink gooey mess. Bake for about 12-15 minutes. *disclaimer, my baking times are all goofy in the altitude so just do a quick check at about the 12 minute mark using a knife or toothpick.

Basil Lime frosting

1/2 C vegan butter (room temperature)
2ish C powdered sugar
2 TBLS coconut milk (room temperature)
Fresh basil (to taste)
1 lime (squeezed)
splash of vanilla extract

Start with the butter soften in a bowl. Here it awaits the powdered sugar. SLOWLY add your powdered sugar to the bowl while beating the butter (just like regular buttercream). Alternate between adding the powdered sugar, coconut milk, lime juice and vanilla extract until you have a smooth creamy consistency for the frosting. Feel free to add or omit powdered sugar based on how you prefer frosting. Here is the "to taste" part. Fresh basil, roughly chopped, and folded into the buttercream awesome. I think total I used maybe 6-10 leaves, all in various sizes. This part is totally up to you, but don't be shy. It is a good contrast to the tart lime and sweet buttery sugar you have just whipped up.
*Another disclaimer, this was originally going to be a different frosting instead of a heavy buttercream but in my vegan fail I returned to what I knew. Hope to have an update soon with a non vegan version of this.

From here, you know the drill. Let the cakes cool and frost that cake top like it's your day job. USE A WIDE TIP, otherwise the basil gets stuck. And that is just no fun.

Till next time!