Sunday, February 16, 2014

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

The weekends are the best for baking. Not only do I crave some home baking during these days, but I actually have some time on my hands to make it. These red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting are decadent and delicious. I am using a recipe from Nigella Lawson's cookbook "Kitchen". You can even make this ahead and freeze the un-iced cupcakes.

I love the icing here as well. It's very creamy and rich, but at the same time (and I guess that's because of the lemon juice) very fresh. I'm not big into decorating food, but here no matter what you do with them after you ice them, they will look great. I used an edible silver coated ball, to sit snugly on the top of the cupcake.

click on the images for a bigger view


The batter is very intense colored and looks great. I used two spoons to get it out, but I think an ice-cream scoop will do the job better. And just in case you were wondering, yes i did lick the spoons! :)


As you can see, I didn't use a muffin tin as Nigella's recipe calls for. I just put the individual cases on a big tin and put them into the oven, and they came out fine. But a muffin tin is the better solution if you have it.


On the left: a baked cupcake cooling and waiting to be iced. You could absolutely use any icing you want. Chocolate icing with a cherry on top would go well too. On the right: a proud iced cupcake, waiting to be bitten into.


Here is the complete recipe:

For the cupcakes you will need:
- 250 gr (1 and 2/3 cups) flour
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder (sifted)
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 100 gr (7 tbps) soft unsalted butter
- 200 gr (1 cup) sugar
- 1 tbsp red paste food coloring
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 175 ml (3/4 cup) buttermilk or runny yogurt (Nigella's recipe uses buttermilk, but since I didn't have it i used runny yogurt and it worked out fine)
- 1 tsp cider vinegar

For the cream cheese icing you will need
500 gr (1 lb) icing sugar
125 gr (4 oz) cream cheese
125 gr (1/2 cup) soft unsalted butter
1 tsp lemon juice

For the cupcakes:

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C / 325°F, and line your muffin tins with paper cases. (The amount of batter comes out to 2 tins)
2. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder and baking soda in a bowl.
3. In another bowl, cream the butter and sugar, beating well, and when you have a soft, pale mixture beat in the food coloring and the vanilla.
4. Into this colored mixture, still beating, add 1 spoonful of the dried ingredients, then 1 egg, followed by some more dried ingredients, then the other egg, followed by the rest of the dried ingredients.
5. Finally beat in the buttermilk/yogurt and the vinegar and divide this batter between the cases. Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes.
6. Leave them to cool on a wire rack and do not ice with the frosting until absolutely cold.

For the cream-cheese icing:

1. Put the icing sugar into a processor and blitz to remove any lumps.
2. Add the cream cheese and butter and process to mix. Pour in the lemon juice and process again to make a smooth icing.
3. Ice each cupcake, using a teaspoon or small spatula.

Un-iced cupcakes can be frozen, layered with baking paper, in airtight containers for up to 2 months. Defrost for 3-4 hours on a wire rack at room temperature. Frosting can be frozen separately in airtight container for up to 3 months; defrost overnight in fridge then bring to room temperature and beat briefly before use.

Thank you all for stopping by. I hope you will like the images and the recipe and if you haven't tried these yet that you will make them.

49 comments:

  1. Yummy cupcakes, Mersad! Thanks for sharing the recipe! Have a happy day!

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  2. Very tempting treat; thanks for the recipes. How long did it take you to eat all of them?

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    1. Well I didn't eat them all myself. I actually ended up sharing 12 with friends, and we had the remainder over the next days. But these are so tempting that it's hard not to eat a lot right away.

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  3. We have some red velvet cupcakes on the table as I speak. Good stuff!

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  4. Did you say at one time that you're a lawyer? I think you missed your calling: you should open a Bakery! LOL

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    1. Good one! :) Well if the law work doesn't pan out, I have always something to back myself up. :)

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  5. The Little Red Velvet Cake is going global, that's truly interesting!
    Nigella takes an American recipe that originated in New York City, went on to become a true Southern Lady, a close relative to Devil's Food Cake, and now it pays a visit to Bosnia and Herzegowina! It's a small world indeed.

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    1. It is. And thankfully that has been happening with cooking for a very long time. Only our imagination can set the boundaries now.

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  6. Mersad, this one is not for me. I drink beer instead of eating cake. They do look good though.

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    Replies
    1. But eating and drinking can't be compared. :) There must be something solid that tickles your fancy.

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    2. Yes Mersad your soured cabbage stuffed rolls. I will get the ingredients and do it. I'm living with people that love such things. I'm not living with people that would enjoy a cup cake.

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  7. HI Mersad Wow! My mouth is watering. They look lovely. I am going to the I.O.W. soon so I might make these with my grand daughter for a treat. Have a good weekend.

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    1. I hope you do. Thanks for visiting.

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  8. mouth watering... wish my hubby would have the desire to cook or bake on the week end or any day... i like the silver ball.... and that icing is what i would be licking the spoon from

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  9. Oh, yum, indeed!! And mouth-watering!! Thanks for the recipe, Mersad, I'm going to try these!! Hope you've had a great weekend and have a wonderful week ahead!!

    Sylvia

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  10. These do look delectable.

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  11. Danke dir für das tolle Rezept Mersad. Die schauen nicht nur klasse aus, die sind auch bestimmt lecker und mit dem Zitronensaft gefällt mir sehr gut. Ist dann erfrischend und nicht sooo süß.

    Also wenn ich könnte, dann würde ich jetzt reingreifen und mit einen mopsen *gg*

    Liebe Abendgrüssle

    Nova

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    Replies
    1. Der Zitronensaft balanziert alles aus.

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  12. Oh, my, that looks fabulous! :)

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  13. Thanks for the recipe. I can't wait to share these with my daughter in law..She is the cupcake queen.....
    They look delicious; wish you lived closer and I'd be knocking on your door....

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  14. Ich bin kein großer Kuchenesser und irgendwie diese Art Muffin mag ich überhaupt nicht. Schaut gut aus, aber nicht mein Ding. :-) Liebe Grüße

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    1. Wenigstens hast Du spaß an den Bildern :) Danke dir.

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  15. Lovely. Yes, I'll have two with a cup of coffee, please.

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  16. Oh my. These sound wonderful. Thanks for sharing.

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  17. The flavor of my wedding cake! They look yummy!

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    Replies
    1. This is a really popular wedding cake combo.

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  18. Good thing I live half a world away. You would wreck havoc on my waistline if I were your next door neighbor!!! These look so yummy.

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    Replies
    1. The French have a saying: Everything in moderation, including moderation. :)

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  19. They look delicious, Mersad. Although I would have omitted that little silver ball at the top. Biting down on that can really send shockwaves through one's teeth!

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    1. It's a soft decor ball. I made sure of it, because I share your sentiment. :)

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  20. You are a man of many talents, Mersad. Baking is certainly one of them. Your cupcakes look delicious, I'm ready for some baking now!

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  21. I absolutely LOVE red velvet cake! I will have to try your recipe. It looks super yummy!

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  22. These look wonderful, my friend! Made with tender, loving care.

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  23. i really like nigella and your cupcakes look yumm-o!

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  24. De merveilleuses photos! et une belle recette en prime!
    Merci pour ce joli partage!

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  25. I need to make these again. :)

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