Red Velvet and red wine cupcakes
I love making red wine cupcakes – and I also love red wine. So here is my combination! I would advice you to get a decent set of measuring cups, not expensive ones, but ones that have the measurements clearly marked and that can’t wash away. Then also! The best equipment which took me forever to buy where silicone mixing spatulas – get a good quality pair of those. They are great for mixing (I hardly use my wooden spoon anymore) and also making icing – even plopping the icing on the cake.
RED VELVET CUPCAKES WITH RED WINE
INGREDIENTS:
2 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup cocoa
1 1/3 oil
1/2 cup red wine (I used a chocolately berry flavoured Cabernet Savignon)
1 1/2 sugar
2 large eggs
4 tablespoons red food colouring ( I use the cheap stuff – liquid colouring)
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
3/4 cup buttermilk ( I usually just add a whole cup!)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar (find the right vinegar)
METHOD:
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celsuis. Get to know your oven well! I put the tray as much in the middle of the oven shelves – also make sure your oven is properly preheated.
1. Add together the dry ingredients of flour, cocoa and salt in a bowel.
.2. In a separate bowel beat together oil, sugar, eggs, food colouring and vanillla essence. I just beat this by hand with a whisk but you can use a mixer too! By hand is the old school way – it’s also a good work out. Make sure all of the oil is combined and the mixture looks combined together.
3. Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. I usually fold the ingredients with a a silicone mixing spatula until it’s all combined with no lumps – or use a wooden spoon. If you have an electric mixer then use that!
4. Then fold in the buttermilk.
5. In a small separate bowel – mix the baking soda and vinegar together. Mix it together and then add it to the main bowel of the mixture. Fold that in.
6. Mix the ingredients so everything’s combined! Then use a spoon to fill up the baking tray.
7. Bake for around 15mins – best way to tell if they’re ready is to first smell them, look at them and that they’ve risen and looked cooked, then I use a toothpick and place it in the middle of the cupcake – them withdraw it and see if any batter sticks to the toothpick. If it doesn’t then they’re done!
8. I take the cupcakes out of the tray and place them on the corners of the baking tray to cool down (so I don’t put cupcakes on a cooling rack) I just put them on the edges of the baking tray and leave them for about 30 minutes until cool to the touch – completely cool! I used to make the over-eager mistake of icing them when they were a bit warm. Don’t!
Icing:
4 cups icing sugar
2 tablespoons wine
1 tablespoon hot water
230g cream cheese – one whole tub! (DO NOT BUY SMOOTH COTTAGE CHEESE!)
happy baking (and experimenting!)
xkathcake
