Ok, so I’m new to red velvet, not having grown up in a country that celebrates thanksgiving. I saw them on a site last holiday season (sorry, I can’t remember which site for the life of me) with their brilliant colour, cream-cheese frosting & just had to try them out.

I’ve since tweaked the recipe beyond recognition & may find myself updating the post with more variations still as I try it out again. The baking soda & vinegar rising-agent method was great. The consistency was spot on.

I’d love to try the traditional recipe with beets as the food-dye, but y’know..they’re yucky those beets.

Fetch:

• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 T cocoa
• 2 T red food coloring
• 1 cup milk (buttermilk if poss)
• 1 t vanilla
• 1 t white vinegar
• 1 t baking soda

Preheat the oven to 170C.

Cream butter and sugar.

Add eggs and blend well.

Make a paste of cocoa, vanilla and food coloring, then add to the butter mixture..

..Sift flour and salt together into this mixture.

Add milk & keep mixing…

In a small bowl, combine the vinegar and baking soda. Fold it into the cake batter. Make sure it’s incorporated, but don’t beat it.

Pour the batter into the cupcake papers & bake for 15 – 20 minutes/ until the cake springs back when touched.

(This photo does not do the brilliant-red justice)

I don’t know why but I missed the frosting stage again when it comes to taking photos. I get totally distracted when it gets to the decorating stage, but I’ll make sure I get some piping pictures next time.

…Anyhow, I used a similar mixture for a cream-cheese frosting that I used for the matcha cakes, although decided to use less sugar- 1 cup cream cheese, 2 T butter, 1 1/2 cups icing sugar.

Put a chocolate-coffee bean on top & sprinkle with cocoa & icing sugar..

And suddenly, tada!