New recipe - Red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting...yum!

I wonder what took me soooo long to try this recipe. Red velvet is one of the most popular cupcakes in America. This recipe is courtesy of the Hummingbird Bakery cookbook. It was a lot quicker and simpler to make than I thought.

Ingredients
60g butter at room temperature
1 egg
150g caster sugar
10g cocoa
10ml red food colouring (preferably
Dr. Oetker Red Food Colouring
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
120ml buttermilk
150g plain flour
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp white wine vinegar

Frosting
300g icing sugar, sifted
50g butter at room temperature
125g cream cheese, chilled

Preheat the oven to 170°C (325°F) Gas 3.

Put the butter and the sugar in a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment (or use a handheld electric whisk) and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy and well mixed.  Turn the mixer up to high speed, slowly add the egg and beat until everything is well incorporated.

In a separate bowl, mix together the cocoa powder, red food colouring and vanilla extract to make a thick, dark paste. Add to the butter mixture and mix thoroughly until evenly combined and coloured (scrape any unmixed ingredients from the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula). Turn the mixer down to slow speed and slowly pour in half the buttermilk. Beat until well mixed, then add half the flour, and beat until everything is well incorporated. Repeat this process until all the buttermilk and flour have been added. Scrape down the side of the bowl again. Turn the mixer up to high speed and beat until you have a smooth, even mixture. Turn the mixer down to low speed and add the salt, bicarbonate of soda and vinegar. Beat until well mixed, then turn up the speed again and beat for a couple more minutes.

Spoon the mixture into the paper cases until two-thirds full and bake in the preheated oven for 20–25 minutes, or until the sponge bounces back when touched. A skewer inserted in the centre should come out clean. Leave the cupcakes to cool slightly in the tray before turning out onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

And here are the results decorated with mini oreo cookies and maltesers:

And thanks to Grace for the gorgeous cupcake stand....I love it.