Red Velvet Cupcakes

Ello Ello chums,

Anyone who knows me knows that i love love love to make Red Velvet cake especially cupcakes, Red Velvet cake is just one of those different cakes that doesn't taste like a normal cake and  the colour if you can get it right is so vibrant you're eyes are just drawn to it. I'd like to think that over the years i have conquered the art of Red Velvet Cake making lol . So when my friend asked me to make him some cupcakes for his birthday I was happy because I haven't made Red Velvet in a while.

Red Velvet cake is an easy enough cake to make as long as you follow the recipe exactly at first only once you get used to it you can start altering things. I originally used the Hummingbird Bakery Recipe as most people do as its one of the best but now i've altered it and changed some of the ingredients to suit me.
* the link to the recipe will be at the end

RED VELVET HACKS and TIPS:

• Make sure the butter is at room temp before making the cake, it makes everything much easier, try not to take the easy route and warm the butter in a microwave. I can't lie we all have our lazy days and i too have done this :( lol
• DO NOT USE DR, OETKER RED NATURAL FOOD COLOURING - unless you want a brown velvet cake lol, I would suggest never ever use this red food colouring I used it once and as I said my cake was nowhere near red and because its natural it has a very funny taste to it .
• When adding the cocoa powder regardless of the recipe do not add too much as the more cocoa powder you add the darker of a red your cake will be, I try to get my cake a very light brown so I can add more depending on the colour that the colouring turns the mixture .
• Try to use Gel food colouring or paste as they are so pigmented you do not have to use as much and they colour turns out soo much better.
• Bicarbonate of soda is not the same thing as Baking soda so trust me don't try to substitute one for the other.
• UNSALTED BUTTER is key even though buying a tub of butter like stork may make more economical sense and be easier to buy, I find that unsalted butter gives the cake a different better taste and it turns out fluffier when I have used Unsalted butter instead of Stork
• Fill the cupcake cases above half way as Red velvet does not rise like a normal cake 

CREAM CHEESE ICING HACKS and TIPS

• Make sure the butter is room temp but not too soft otherwise it can make the icing sugar stick together I have found 
• Regardless of the recipe do not add too much icing sugar add a bit less than the recipe at first and if once you have added the cream cheese you find it is not sweet enough add more. It's always better to have less at first and be able to add more.
• Try to use Philledelphia Cream Cheese even though it is alot more expensive than a supermarket generic brand brand the consistency and taste is alot better with phillidelphia. However if you do want the icing to taste more cream cheesy I occasionally buy some cheap cream cheese or soft cheese i think it is called in the UK aswell and add that to the icing as it adds a more cheesy flavour which phillipdelphia lacks. 
• Do not over mix the Icing, unlike butter cream and other icings it will not get thicker but the icing will start to thin out. 
• If you prefer Thick icing you can make the icing and then put it in the fridge or i prefer to just make the icing thicker by adding less cream cheese but just enough for a great flavour but not too much sugar till its sickly.
• I always add a dash of vanilla paste in my icing Neilsen Massey is THE BEST. 

*exhales* lool . Well hopefully now i've given you all my tips and tricks that work with me when i'm making Red Velvet your Cupcakes should turn out awesome

Link to recipe

Red Velvet Hummingbird Recipe