Valentine's Day Special : Red Velvet Cupcakes!

Red Velvet is just the perfect cupcake for Valentine's Day. It's not to chocolatey and over powering, light enough for you to indulge yet sinful enough to make it a decadent V-day treat. Since V-day is this weekend, i thought i'd share my go to recipe here. This recipe is an adaptation from Georgetown cupcakes' Cupcake Diaries. As usual i've edited the recipe to suit me; no food coloring and lesser sugar. Have a go at it this weekend. It just might be the best V-day gift you've ever given.

Ingredients

(The recipe says it makes about 24. But if you are using a ice cream scoop as a measure for dividing the batter you will be getting about 30 pieces)

• 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour ( not self raising)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 170g unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups castor sugar
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 4 tablespoons natural cocoa powder, sifted
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

For the cupcakes:1. Preheat oven to 180C and line muffins tins with paper liners.
2. In a small bowl, whisk flour and salt together. Set aside.
3. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and the sugar together and cream on medium speed until it is light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
4. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
5. In a small bowl, whisk cocoa powder, and vanilla together until throughly combined and no lumps remain. Very slowly add to the mixer, and mix at low speed until well combined.
6. Add in one third of the flour mixture, mix until combined, then add in one third of the milk. Mix until combined and repeat adding in the flour then milk, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition.
7. In a small bowl, add the baking soda to the vinegar. Mix well and add to the batter. Mix until just incorporated, about 10 seconds.
8. Scoop batter  using an ice cream scoop into the muffin tin, filling them two-thirds full. Bake for 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool for at least 2 hours.

For the frosting

• 225g unsalted butter, room temperature ( not too runny)
• 4 cups confectioners sugar
• 500 grams cream cheese (2 Philly bars),  cut into 8 pieces and chilled
• pinch of salt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract ( Madagascar is the best.)

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, cream butter and confectioners sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
2. Add in the cream cheese, 1 piece at a time, until well blended, about 30 seconds. You may need to scrape the bowl after every other addition. Add in the salt and vanilla extract. Whip the icing on high speed for about 1 minutes to make it light and fluffy.
3. Use immediately, or refrigerate until ready to use.

Enjoy!