Saturday, April 14, 2012

Red Velvet Cupcakes (Recipe)



Ingredients:

Cake:

2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder (Droste)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup butter (2 sticks) softened to room temperature
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 cup Greek yogurt
1/2 cup milk
1 ounce natural red food coloring
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Icing:

4 cups of powdered sugar
8 ounces of softened cream cheese
1/4 cup softened butter
2-3 tablespoons of milk, yogurt or sour cream (each will give a slightly different taste to the icing)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract


Directions:

preheat oven to 350 degrees

Mix together sifted flour, cocoa powder, salt and baking soda in a medium sized bowl.

In a separate large bowl, cream (electric mixer works well) together butter and sugar. Add one egg at a time mixing thoroughly. Then add yogurt, vanilla, and milk- continue mixing. Add red food coloring. Slowly mix in the cocoa mixture until just blended together- do not over mix. The batter will be quite thick.

Spoon batter into lined cupcake tins, approximately 2/3 full. Bake for 20 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool in tins for 5 or so minutes then transfer cupcakes to wire rack to cool completely.

While cooling, prepare icing.

In a large bowl, beat together until fluffy the cream cheese, butter, milk (or yogurt or sour cream) and vanilla. Then slowly add the powdered sugar until blended and smooth.

Place icing into a piping bag or a sandwich bag and cut tip. Pipe onto the cooled cupcakes.

Store cupcakes in a sealed contact in the refrigerator- cream cheese can and does go bad if left out, even with the addition of the sugar. Better safe... This is presuming that they aren't all immediately consumed, which is a possibility.

Enjoy your lovely cupcakes.

Sunday, April 1, 2012

Polar Plunge (A photo diary) 2012