So.. can I still call it red velvet??For years, I've been searching for my go-to red velvet cupcakes. Countless failed recipes later.. and hours upon hours of searching the internet for "sprinkles red velvet cupcake recipe".. or.."best red velvet recipe" ... I found a keeper... for the moment. I started to get the impression that red velvet today was starting to just be a marketing scheme... I just thought everyone just dyed all their chocolate cakes bloody red and marketed it as red velvet... everything is red velvet.... from cookies.. pancakes.. and even red velvet lattes! I've struggled to describe what exactly is the red velvet flavor... I still don't know.. but the best red velvet cake that I always go back to is... from Sprinkles... yep.. hate all you want.. I love Sprinkles.. I've tried so many other cupcakes/ cakes out there and nothing has really compared to sprinkles... (although the Deep Fried Red Velvets at Prime One Twelve in Miami ... is basically right up there... but that's a bit too far for me to get and it wasn't on their menu permenantly... I mean.. it should.. it really should...come on now.. it's like a warm donut encasing a red velvet cupcake.. with cream cheese frosting oozing out of it.. served with vanilla ice cream... why haven't more restaurants caught on to this?! :) )
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| Prime One Twelve- Fried Red Velvet Cupcakes |
A few months ago, I continued my search for red velvet cupcakes again...I hate the feeling of defeat... I knew that there had to be a recipe out there that was the red velvet flavor that I know and love... and then I found this recipe... I thought I've tried all the variations out there.... butter, oil, shortening, sour cream, yogurt, regular cocoa dutch processed, special red cocoa... yeaaaa... those were the slight variations on the recipes I'd find.. I am SERIOUS when it comes to get a good recipe for this cake... but this recipe... is.. wow..... I think the thing that set it apart is.. surprisingly... COFFEE. I never really thought that red velvet had a coffee taste, I knew it tasted like a light chocolate... with a ever so slight tang... but.. nothing that would involve actually putting coffee into the batter.. but somehow.. it worked.. and this cupcake recipe (my second time making it)... although... untraditional.. has finally satisfied my red velvet craving... phew...
The last recipe that had this flavor was probably my first recipe that I tried out by Martha Stewart... it was good... but I overtime I realized.. that it just wasn't... amazing... and it was just way too greasy.. but then again I've never had a good red velvet that wasn't greasy...
I didn't dye this cake red because... I couldn't find my red dye because I moved ... and ...why bother? red velvet taste should have nothing to do with the red color... right?? ... or.. is the flavor all in our heads?? These cupcakes out of the oven were excellent, they stayed moist the next day, however just like many of my chocolate cupcakes recipe.. the chocolate flavor seemed to have developed a bit overnight.. the red velvet taste wasn't as pronounced as the day before (more chocolate-y).. : ( .. and yea.. this cake is very greasy (half cup of oil for 12 cupcakes!)... it is also quite sweet.. I reduced the sugar content by 1/4th... I made look into cutting the oil as well but the crumbs were so moist and tender !
Also... I didn't use a mixer... I just used a whisk and two large bowls... SO SIMPLE!!! :)
EDIT: 2 days later... verdict - still a good cupcake.... but not red velvet (out of the oven it tasted like red velvet) :( chocolate flavor really developed in the last few days... it's more of a light mocha cake... if anything? .. and yes.. cake is still ridiculously oily... it's still super spongey and moist.. but... ahh the oil!!! Roughly 2 tsp of oil in each cupcake... that's 80 cals... JUST IN OIL.. for a small cupcake! :(
Red Velvet Cupcakes
Adapted from : http://divascancook.com/2009/11/the-best-red-velvet-cake-recipe-easy-homemade-moist-with-southern-flair.html
Makes 9-12 depending on size
Dry:
- 1 cup AP flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp cocoa powder ( I used Guittard Cocoa Rouge, have used Ghirradeli in the past and that worked well too)
Wet:
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup oil
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup buttermilk ( I put 1/2 tbsp vinegar into a measuring cup and filled the rest with milk to the 1/2 cup line, stir and let sit for at least 5 minutes)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (I used Nielsen Massey)
- 1/2 tsp vinegar
- 1/4 cup HOT strong coffee (I used my cold brew heated in the microwave for 30 seconds, but have used regular strong brewed coffee before and that worked well)
- Food coloring - My go to is usually No Taste Red Gel Coloring by Wilton
1. Preheat oven at 325 , whisk dry ingredients in one bowl,
2. In another bowl, whisk sugar and oil together until sugar is moistened add egg, whisk until combined, slowly whisk in buttermilk, and vanilla, then add vinegar and hot coffee, mix well (make sure your coffee isn't boiling hot, as that might cook your egg)
3. Pour in dry ingredients into wet... mix until combined, don't over mix!
4. Portion out cupcakes into lined tins, bake for 20 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean
Cold Brew Recipe - I always have this on hand during the summer... best part of waking up.. has been drinking this cold brew + a bit of sugar + crushed ice + a splash of half and half... ohh yes... SO good..
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