Chateau Gateau

Roopa

After what felt like ages, I’ve had the opportunity to bake something! I had finals through April, and a practicum (and subsequent lack of kitchen) through May, and then some travelling around at the start of June. For my first foray back into baking, I wanted to try something new! I found this recipe for red velvet cupcakes from Sprinklebakes, and was immediately intrigued; apparently it is the gold standard pastry school red velvet recipe. I followed the cupcake recipe almost exactly – I used (about half as much) purple food colouring instead and cheaper chocolate – and added some cinnamon to the cream cheese icing. I wanted a fun decoration piece on top of the cupcake, so I ended up running to Michaels and buying a heart silicone mold. I made the toppers out of dark chocolate to balance the sweetness of the icing.  

“This is the best cupcake I’ve ever eaten” 
                    -My (completely and totally unbiased) boyfriend

PURPLE VELVET CUPCAKES (makes ~24 large cupcakes)

INGREDIENTS 

Let the buttermilk, butter, and eggs get to room temperature before using them

• 2.25 cups flour
• 1.5 tsp. baking soda
• pinch of salt
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 large eggs
• 1.25 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp. white vinegar*
• ¾ cup (170 g) unsalted butter
• 1.5 cups granulated sugar
• 2.25 tbsp. cocoa
• 2.25 tbsp. gel food colouring **

*I used apple cider vinegar because that’s what I had at home…I’m kind of lazy

** I used closer to 1 tbsp. of purple food colouring

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350F and line cupcake tins
2. Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt in one bowl. Combine buttermilk, eggs, vanilla, and vinegar in another bowl. 
3. Cream the eggs and butter (in stand mixer). 
4. Sift the cocoa into a bowl and add food colouring. Stir for a few minutes. If you use more food colouring it will form a paste.
5. Add the cocoa mixture into the butter mixture and combine well.
6. Alternate adding the flour mixture and the buttermilk mixture to the creamed butter, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Scrape down the bowl and be careful to not overmix. 
7. Fill the liners about 2/3 full, and bake for about 15 minutes (until a toothpick comes out dry). Rotate pans partway through baking. 

CREAM CHEESE ICING

INGREDIENTS

• ½ cup softened butter
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese (I warm it slightly)
• 4 cups icing sugar
• ½ tsp. cinnamon
• pinch of salt

DIRECTIONS

1. Beat the butter and cream cheese until fluffy.
2. Add cinnamon and salt. Gradually add icing sugar.
3. If icing is too runny add more icing sugar. If icing is too stiff a little bit of milk or cream.