Red Velvet Cake
Ingredients
- 170 g Plain white flour
- 45 g Cornflour
- 85 g Unsalted butter (soft)
- 225 g Caster sugar (normal or golden)
- 2 small Eggs (or 1 ½ large)
- ½ tsp Red food colouring gel or paste +
- 3 tbsp water
- OR 3 tbsp Liquid red food colouring
- 30 g Cocoa powder
- ¾ tsp Vanilla extract
- ½ tsp Salt
- 180 ml Milk
- 2 tsp Lemon juice
- ¾ tsp Cider vinegar (or white wine vinegar)
- ¾ tsp Bicarbonate of soda
Accompaniment
SponsoredLouis Jadot Macon Blanc - Featured BBC 2 What to eat now
Minerally, unoaked with lemon and apple fruit character, delicate and well balanced. Founded in 1859 this label has become the reliable stamp of quality and consistency. The Maconnais is located in the Southern part of Burgundy, close to the famous Cote d'Or a region ideal for growing Chardonnay. Buy this wine if you like: Chardonnay with mineral freshness and delicate friut.
Description
Light and delicious to eat, striking to look at. Decorate with vanilla buttercream, cream cheese icing or Swiss meringue buttercream.
Method
-
1
Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Line a standard muffin tin with 12 paper cases.
In a stand mixer or with an electric hand-whisk, cream the butter and sugar for about 5 minutes until very light and fluffy.
Meanwhile, add the lemon juice to the milk, then stir in the salt.
In a cup, lightly beat the eggs with a fork. Add half to the creamed butter and sugar, beat well, then add the rest and beat again.
Stir together the red food colouring, water (if using), cocoa, and vanilla to make a paste, then add to the mixture and beat well.
Sift the flour and cornflour together into a separate bowl. Add 1/3 to the bowl, mix, then add 1/2 of the milk and mix again. Repeat, and finish with the final 1/3 flour and cornflour.
Stir together the cider vinegar and baking soda, then add to the mixture and beat well until you have a beautifully smooth, deep red, fairly runny cake mixture.
Divide between paper cases, filling each one about 3/4 full. Bake for 20 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
Leave the cupcakes to cool in the tin for an hour then move to a wire rack. Ice when completely cool.
Chef's Tips
The original recipe uses buttermilk but as I always have milk and lemon juice on hand and it makes the perfect substitute, I use that instead. Use buttermilk if you prefer. It also uses 'cake flour', common in the US but not in the UK, so I use the substitute of plain flour + corn flour (it is not the same as self-raising). If you have cake flour, use 215 g.
Glad the tips are helpful.
Thank you for the tips alone - the info re cake flour and buttermilk will come in handy on any other US recipes...I always wondered what to use instead, will try the recipe too. Looks lovely.