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.
Annabel Karmel has written 19 books on feeding babies, children and families including the Complete Family Meal Planner. www.annabelkarmel.com
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