Red Velvet Cupcakes
Makes 12 cupcakes
Ingredients:
• 2 large eggs, separated
• 1 2/3 cups cake flour (see note)
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 Tbsp plus 1 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil (or avocado oil)
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
• 3 tsp red food colouring (or more to your liking)
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners.
In a medium bowl, whisk or sift together the cake flour, baking soda, cocoa powder, and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
With a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat 2 egg whites on high speed in a medium bowl until soft peaks form, about 2-3 minutes.
Remove and replace with another bowl and the paddle attachment. If you don’t have two bowls for the stand mixer, use a handheld or regular whisk to whip the egg whites.
Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add butter and whip on high speed until smooth and creamy – about one minute. Add the sugar and beat on high speed until creamed together.
Scrape down the sides and then add the oil. Beat for another minute.
Add 2 egg yolks and the vanilla, beat until combined and then add the vinegar and food colouring until the colour you like is achieved. Then turn down the speed to low and gradually add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk until just combined. Do not overmix.
Remove the bowl from the mixer and fold in the egg whites until just combined.
Spoon batter into cupcake liners and bake for 18 minutes or a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.
Do not overbake!
Allow to cool in the pan for two minutes and then transfer the cupcakes to a rack to completely cool before icing.
Ice with your favourite cream cheese frosting. We added a few drops of ube extract to achieve the lovely violet colour.
Note:
Cake flour can be purchased but if you want to concoct your own at home, here is the simple combination for this recipe: sift together 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour and 1/4 cup cornstarch.
Wine pairing: Bliss Sparkling Cherry Honey Wine
Meadow Vista Honey Wines is located in Southeast Kelowna. This buzzing little operation creates amazing mead-style drinks utilizing local ingredients and honey made by their own worker bees.
Pretty, pink and very spring, this lovely honey wine is a wonderful libation to serve at your Easter celebration.
Dark, juicy Okanagan cherries were added to give BLISS a beautiful blush colour, with notes of cherry, plum and pinot noir.