Red Velvet Cupcakes
In the past few months, I've gotten into baking
cupcakes. Lots and lots of cupcakes. So far, I think my favorite recipe would be Red Velvet. They are light and fluffy, and the ermine icing is to die for. I chose to skip the expected cream cheese icing, and went with the traditional ermine icing (boiled milk). This icing is different from the heavy cream cheese icing that most people are used to.Ermine butter-cream icing is similar to it's French, Swiss, and Italian counterparts, but instead of using egg yolks or egg whites to create the emulsion, it uses boiled milk and flour to create a suspension. It's similar to a roux, but the lack of a fatty medium, prevents it from technically being called a roux.
How is it different? Well, French and Italian butter-creams are smooth, very very smooth. The ermine icing is a little more dense, but the suspension of the milk and flour makes it unexpectedly smooth, while having a bit of texture at the same time. The recipe is a classic that has fallen out of use in the last 20 to 30 years. I personally think the ermine icing is superior to the heavy and dense cream cheese icing you typically see on red velvet cake. I feel the cupcakes should have an icing that compliments the airiness of the cake. not one that overpowers the cake and brings so much strong flavor to a delicate cupcake.
The Neighbors LOVED these cupcakes and have even asked for them to be made into a birthday cake. I brought them to work up in DC and I think I was almost mugged on the metro getting to my building.
The Icing can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator or icebox, just make sure to bring it to room temperature and beat it in the mixer before you pipe the icing out. The consistency of the icing is made to be piped. It held up quite nicely with the two tips I used.
The Red Velvet recipe comes from the cookbook: Martha Stewart's Cupcakes The cupcakes are light and fluffy, there is a nice chocolate flavor in them, and, with the addition of food coloring, they come out nice and red. I tried making the cupcakes without the food coloring first, but the cocoa powder and vinegar gave it a weak, almost sickly, brownish red color. There was no taste difference with the addition of the food coloring, so I say go for it. Side Note - This cookbook is amazing. I don't care if you hate Martha - the recipes in here are gold
Recipe after the break
Red Velvet Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups cake flour
- 2 tbsp Dutch process cocoa
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs, room temp
- 1/2 tsp red gel-paste food coloring
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp distiller white vinegar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
Cooking Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees, Line muffin tins
Beat sugar and oil together, add eggs, one at a time, then vanilla. Scrape down and
beat in food coloring. Mixing until combined between each ingredient addition.
On low speed, mix in dry and wet ingredients in 3 batches (dry-wet-dry-wet-dry)
Mix the baking soda and vinegar (will fizz up), add to batter and mix for 10 seconds
Fill each cupcake 3/4 full, bake for 20 minutes, let cool in pan for 10 minutes, remove
to wire rack for cooling.
Let cool fully before icing.
Ermine Icing
Ingredients
- 1 cup Whole Milk
- 3 TB AP - Flour
- a pinch of Salt
- 1 cup unsalted Butter (room temp)
- 1 cup Sugar
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
Cooking Instructions
Cream the butter and sugar together.
In a small saucepan, whisk the milk and flour together over heat until it has thickened.
You will need to continually whisk the milk, or it will burn. Once thickened, remover
from heat and let cool.
Add the vanilla and salt to the sugar and continue mixing.
Once the milk has cooled to around room temperature, add the milk mixture to the
icing one tablespoon at a time. Beat the icing until it is soft and fluffy. Check to see if
the sugar is fully dissolved before applying to cupcakes. Continue beating icing if you
can feel sugar granules in your teeth.
This icing will pipe quite well, it can also be applied with a spoon or spatula.
Since this is a milk based icing, you will need to refrigerate it after applying. Let come
to room temperature before eating.
This icing can be frozen.
0 TrackBacks
Listed below are links to blogs that reference this entry: Red Velvet Cupcakes.
TrackBack URL for this entry: http://www.sketchyskitchen.com/blog/mt-tb.cgi/99
Search
Leave a comment