Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Icing

I am writing this blog post in haste as a few people have asked me how to make this delicious dessert. To me, its the cupcake of all cupcakes. If you are going to cook something naughty, you might as well make it good. And by gosh... red velvet cakes are GOOD! This recipe is inspired from Sweet Pea's Kitchen Blog, who in turn was inspired by Martha Stewart's recipe. 

(ps. I don't think too highly of this first picture. I think I might have to re-make them during the day so I can post a nicer looking cupcake. I'm sure my colleagues, who seem to score the left overs, won't be too devastated about it). 

Makes 18 cupcakes | 45 minutes

Ingredients

2 cups plain flour (sifted)

2 Tablespoons cocoa powder

1 teaspoon salt

1½ cups caster sugar

1½ cups vegetable oil

2 large eggs (at room temperature)

2 Tablespoons Queens Box Pillar Red food colouring

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup milk

1½ teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar

(for the icing)

220g Philadelphia cream cheese

3 cups icing sugar (sifted)

2 teaspoons vanilla extra

1. Preheat oven to 180°C and line muffin pan with paper liners. Mix together plain flour, cocoa and salt; set aside.

2. Beat sugar and oil using a mixer (with paddle attachment preferred) until well combined, then proceeding to  add eggs one at a time. 

3. Alternate in adding the flour mixture as well as the milk and food colouring in two to three batches.

4. In a separate bowl, stir together the baking soda and vinegar which will foam up. Add this to the batter and mix in. 

5. Fill the cupcake papers with batter. Ensure the batter is distributed evenly and is three-quarter's full. Place the muffin tray into the oven and cook for 20 minutes, rotating the tray half way through to ensure consistent baking. 

6. Pierce the centre of the cupcake with a toothpick; if cooked, the toothpick should come out clean. Transfer muffin pan to wire racks to cool completely before removing the cupcakes.

7. Combine the icing ingredients and mix together until smooth. Spread or pipe the icing onto the cupcakes.