Cupcakes are certainly all the rage at the moment, and who could resist these red velvet cupcakes with luscious cream cheese icing? Mine are slightly different from other versions as I prefer to use sour cream and chocolate rather than buttermilk and cocoa and much less red food colouring than most recipes require. I also add cranberries — but if you prefer you can leave these out.
Its quite fun to wrap your cupcakes in beautifully designed cupcake wrappers (take a look at www.squires-shop.com). These would make any tea party a special event.
Suitable for freezing without the icing. Makes 12 cupcakes
Ingredients
● 55g Bournville chocolate
● 55g softened butter
● 65g dark brown sugar
● 2 large eggs
● 4 tbsp soured cream
● 80g self-raising flour
● 1 tsp baking powder
● Pinch of salt
● 30g dried cranberries, tossed in a little self-raising flour to coat
● 2 tsp red food colouring
For the frosting
● 2 vanilla pods
● 200g softened butter
● 250g cream cheese
● 400g sieved icing sugar
Method
● Pre-heat the oven to 200˚C fan 180C.
● Melt the Bournville chocolate in a bowl over a pan of just simmering water until melted.
● Put the remaining ingredients into the bowl of an electric mixer and mix together until just combined. ● Then fold the cranberries into this mixture before adding the melted chocolate.
● Spoon into 12 muffin cases in a muffin tin lined with paper cases. Bake for 20 minutes until risen and firm to the touch.
● Leave to cool in the tin for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
● To make the frosting, slit the vanilla pods with a sharp knife and crape the seeds from the pods into a bowl, then add the butter and cream cheese.
● Beat well, then gradually add the sugar 4 tablespoons at a time until the icing is smooth.
● Once the cakes are cool, pipe the icing on top of the cakes using a large star nozzle.
● If you like you can decorate them with mini heart shaped cookies and redcurrants.
