Red Velvet Cupcakes

A red velvet cupcake is a red chocolate cake. It smells like real chocolate cake. I suddenly had the urge to do it since the colour of the cupcakes is so special.

Ingredients:
125g sifted cake flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
10g cocoa powder
57g unsalted butter
110g granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
120ml buttermilk (60g yogurt + 60g milk)
1 tbsp red coloring (or beet root)
1/2 tsp white distilled vinegar
1/2 tsp baking soda

Cream Cheese Frosting:
125g cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 tsp vanilla essence (or lemon)
30g icing sugar, sifted
80ml cold heavy whipping cream (double cream) (35-40% butterfat)

Red Velvet Cupcakes:
1.) Preheat oven to 175 C and line 10 muffin tins with paper cupcake liners.
2.) In a large bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cocoa powder.
3.) In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter until soft (about 1-2 minutes). Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes). Add the egg and beat until incorporated. Add the vanilla extract and beat until combined.
4.) In a measuring cup whisk the buttermilk with the red food coloring. With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk to the butter mixture, in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour.
5.) In a small cup combine the vinegar and baking soda. Allow the mixture to fizz and then quickly fold into the cake batter.
6.) Working quickly, divide the batter evenly among the 10 muffin cups and smooth the tops with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon. Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 18 - 23 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cupcakes comes out clean.
7.) Cool the cakes in their pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes and them remove from pan. Let cool completely before frosting. Either spread the frosting with a knife or offset spatula, or use a large 1M Wilton open star decorating tip to pipe the frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting:
In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese. Add the vanilla and confectioners sugar and beat until smooth. Using the whisk attachment, gradually add the heavy cream and whip until the frosting is thick enough to pipe. Add more sugar or cream as needed to get the right consistency.