Red velvet cupcakes with white chocolate cream cheese icing!

Red Velvet always reminds me of my dad he makes the best red velvet cake!. I decided to make red velvet cupcakes with white chocolate cream cheese icing to make the cupcakes that little bit more indulgent.

For the sponge I used this recipe:

120g (4oz) unsalted butter, softened

300g (10½oz) caster sugar

2 large eggs

20g (¾oz) cocoa powder

40ml (1½fl oz) red food colouring (such as Dr Oetker)

1 tsp vanilla essence

300g (10½oz) plain flour

1 tsp salt

240ml (8½fl oz) buttermilk

1 tbsp white wine vinegar

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

For the icing:

100g (3½oz) unsalted butter, softened

600g (1lb 5oz) icing sugar

250g (9oz) full-fat cream

cheese (such as Philadelphia)

Coloured sprinkles, to decorate (optional)

One or two 12-hole deep muffin tins

100-200g white chocolate this really depends on how rich you want the icing to be!

Method 

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F), Gas mark 5, and line a muffin tin with muffin cases.

2. Using a hand-held electric whisk or a freestanding electric mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. Break in the eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition and mixing in the scrapings from the sides of the bowl.

3. In a separate, small bowl, stir together the cocoa powder, food colouring( in the recipe food colouring liquid is used i perosnally use the concentrated gel as the colour comes out a lot darker using gel)and vanilla essence to form a paste. Add the paste to the batter, mixing thoroughly until the paste is completely incorporated.

4. Sift together the flour and salt in another bowl, then add the flour to the batter in two batches, alternating with the buttermilk and mixing thoroughly after each addition. Lastly, in another bowl, mix the vinegar and bicarbonate of soda together by hand and add it to the cake batter, mixing it in until it is fully incorporated.

5. Spoon the batter into the paper cases, so that they are two-thirds full, using any remaining batter to fill up to four more cases in another tin. Place in the oven and bake for 18-20 minutes or until the sponge bounces back when lightly pressed. Allow the cupcakes to cool for a short while in the tin, then place on a wire rack to cool completely before you frost them.

6. Using the electric whisk or freestanding mixer with the paddle attachment, and mixing on a low speed, beat the butter and icing sugar together until no large lumps of butter remain and the mixture is sandy in texture. Add the cream cheese and mix together slowly until everything is incorporated, then increase the speed to medium and beat the frosting until it is soft and fluffy.Melt the chocolate and add slowly to the mixture mix thoroughly.

7. Cover all the cupcakes with the icing I like to use a open star nozzle to pipe the icing on but its up to you!

8 Finally decorate with sprinkle and eat, preferably with a nice cup of tea
Enjoy!