Joy the Baker » Red Velvet

Red Velvet Christmas Cupcakes

joythebaker — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 04:09:35 +0000

Dear Santa,

Let’s have some real talk. If you’ve been listening to my podcast you know all about what I want for Christmas. You’ve heard me blabber on and on about glitter nail polish, sequin tops, Tina Fey, and bourbon. Yes… I want Tina Fey for Christmas.

Actually though… I want none of these things. Well, except chocolate. Did I mention chocolate? I could also use a generous dose of patience, a few more hours in the day, and enough energy to never have to sleep. Basically I want you to turn me into a patient and kind superhero… and I want to keep my glasses. They make me look smarter (and see better).

As a trade for such gifts, I offer you these cupcakes. I’ve fashioned them into a haphazard Christmas tree (or pointed arrow… whatever) in an effort to please you.

Please say it works!

Sweet…

Joy

These cupcakes were the first thing I thought about when I woke up this morning at 6:51am. By 9:04 they were being baked. Forty minutes later they were being frosted.

Sometimes the morning just required cupcakes.

Like sometimes the morning requires fried chicken… I dunno. Inexplicable.

Oh. There’s a thing you should know about Red Velvet Cupcakes. Red dye.

If you sneak off to eat a cupcakes worth of batter… you’ll have a stained red mouth when you’re trying to deny licking the beaters. Not slick.

Silky smooth Cream Cheese Frosting is the perfect topping to these simple red cupcakes.

I tinted some frosting green for some extra holiday spirit. It’s probably what Santa would be down with.

Please consider these to be super simple holiday cupcakes. They’re no fuss. They’re not demanding. They’re simple little darlings. They’re super heros.

The red velvet cake is moist and perfectly proportioned. That means it’s not too light and not too dense. Red food coloring is the key to the color of these cupcakes, but cocoa adds a lovely kick of flavor. Vinegar is important too. It makes the red redder and helps to activate the baking soda. If you don’t have white vinegar… you can totally use apple cider vinegar too. No fuss. Let’s keep it simple.

Cream Cheese frosting? Be proud and pile it high! This frosting is speckled with vanilla beans and tinted with green dye. Sure… I also went a little nutso with the yellow sprinkles. No biggie.

Enjoy the holiday with some simple little cakes.

Red Velvet Christmas Cupcakes

makes 2 dozen cupcakes

Print this Recipe!

For the Cupcakes:

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2 1/2 tablespoons red food coloring

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 cup milk (I used 2 percent milk)

2 teaspoons white vinegar

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 (4-ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, or scrapings of 1 vanilla bean

1 tablespoon milk

3 cups powdered sugar, sifted

green food coloring

Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two muffin pans with cupcake papers and set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together vanilla extract, food coloring, and cocoa power. The mixture will become a thick paste. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together butter and brown sugar. Beat on medium speed until slightly more pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes.

Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating for one minute between each addition. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary.

Beat in the red cocoa paste. Incorporate well, beating on medium-high speed.

Add half of the flour mixture. Beat batter on low speed while adding half of the milk. Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl. Add the remaining flour and beat on low speed while adding the remaining milk.

Add the vinegar. Beat well.

Divide the batter between the 24 cupcake tins. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a cake skewer inserted in the center of the cupcake comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before placing on a wire rack to cool completely. Cupcakes should be completely cooled before frosting. While the cupcakes cool, make the frosting.

To make the Frosting:

In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, add softened cream cheese. Beat on medium speed until cream cheese is extra soft and pliable, about 1 minute.

Add softened butter and continue to beat on medium-low speed until butter and cream cheese are thoroughly combined. Add 2 cups of powdered sugar, vanilla extract or beans, and milk. Beat of medium speed until well incorporated. Add remaining powdered sugar and beat until smooth and fluffy.

Add more powdered sugar or milk depending on your desired consistency.

Remove about 1/4 of the frosting and place in a small bowl. That’s the frosting that will stay white. Add several drops of green food coloring to the majority of the frosting.

Place frosting in the fridge for an hour before frosting if you’d like to firm it up a bit before frosting cupcakes.

Frost cupcakes by piping with a pastry bag, or by spooning a big dollop of frosting onto the top of the cupcake and spreading evenly. Top with sprinkles and arrange like a christmas tree if you’d like.

Cupcakes will last, well wrapped in the refrigerator, for up to three days.

Red Velvet Black and White Cookies

joythebaker — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 04:06:08 +0000

I’m dusting this recipe off, shining it up and throwing it in your general direction. It would just be a shame for these cookies to languish in the Joy the Baker archives when they absolutely must be included in your holiday baking.

Let’s make a deal. You jump in the kitchen and throw a batch of these together, and I’ll pop in the kitchen and crank out a few cranberry recipes. It’s teamwork. Delicious, delicious teamwork. Let’s do it.

Sweet. Cakey. Clever. Wrapped up as gifts or piled on a platter, these cookies are always crowd pleaser. Love!

Red Velvet Black and White Cookies

recipe by Rachel Ray

Print this Recipe!

makes 10 large cookies

1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 Tablespoon cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

5 Tablespoons butter, at room temperature

3/4 cup sugar

1 egg

1 Tablespoon red food coloring

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup buttermilk

For Vanilla Glaze

2 cups powdered sugar

1 Teaspoon light corn syrup

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 Tablespoons hot water

For Chocolate Glaze

4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate

3 Tablespoons butter

1 Tablespoon light corn syrup

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper, or grease and flour the pan well so the cookies don’t stick. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt.

Using a mixer, 5 Tablespoons of butter with the granulated sugar until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the egg, food coloring and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk until smooth.

Place 1/4-cup scoops of batter 2 inches apart of the prepared baking sheet, spread the batter out with a butter knife, so they’re not completely flat but spread out a bit. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out dry, 12 to 15 minutes. Let the cookies sit for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool.

To make the glazes-

In a bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon of corn syrup and 2 tablespoons hot water, until smooth. That’s your vanilla glaze.

In a seperate bowl, melt the butter and the chocolate in a microwave for about 1 minute. Add the corn syrup and stir until smooth. That’s your chocolate glaze!

Once the cookies are cooled, face them all bottom side up of a clean surface. Spread half of the cookie with vanilla glaze and the other half with chocolate glaze. Refrigerate for 20 minutes to set. And…

Yum!

Cupcakes as Far as the eye can see

joythebaker — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 05:03:06 +0000

I feel like I’ve had cupcakes coming out of my ears lately. I probably have. But there are worse things, right?

Friends… we need to talk. It’s about me, and how I need a vacation. And how I’m actually taking a small vacation, making my July 4th weekend extra long and glorious. There will be a pool, a bikini, sunglasses and… mojitos. I’ll take pictures and share, promise.

Please allow me to leave you with these double chocolate and bright red velvet cupcakes. Take good care of them while I’m gone.

Have a wonderful holiday weekend! Don’t eat anything I wouldn’t eat…

Thank You! Want a Cookie?

joythebaker — Fri, 02 May 2008 02:11:26 +0000

Please allow me to take a break from the usual photo and recipe post to tell you all how fabulous you are!

I only started Joy the Baker about 5 months ago. In those short months, I have connected with fellow food lovers from around the world. The response has been truly heart warming. The praise, support and inspiration has really changed my life.

Thank you! Thank you for visiting so loyally. Thank you for reading, drooling and commenting. Thank you for trying my recipes and telling me about your successes and oopsies. Thank you for all of the laughs and inspiration that you have unknowingly provided me.

The only real way to say thank you is with cookies. These Red Velvet Black and White Cookies have gone off the charts in their popularity on this site. So, three lucky Joy the Baker readers will find these little beauties in their mail boxes- a thank you from me to you! All you have to do is a leave a comment on this post, and I’ll pick at least three random names, ship them off, and you’ll enjoy cookies! Go on, leave me a comment. Tell me something good.

Thanks again for all of your support! It means so much to me!

Red Velvet Black and White Cookies

joythebaker — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 08:43:35 +0000

Ok, you might need to sit down for this one. This is going to be good. I don’t know where to start with these cookies. Red Velvet Black and White Cookies- they brilliantly combine the tradition of black and white cookies with the near religion that is red velvet cake. The cookie is soft, moist and cakey, and the frosting… shut up! They were SO incredibly good… and this is coming from me… I practically eat cookies for a living!

When it comes to Black and White Cookies, I think I have a problem. They are absolutely my favorite cookie in the world. I like Black and White Cookies more than I like…. I dunno: puppies. Yea, and who doesn’t like puppies!? So it’s pretty serious.

I can’t take credit for the cleverness of this delicious cookie. The idea is from Rachel Ray. I know… she seems to be everywhere these days, even a dog food cooking show. Crazy.

Onto the cookie.

Seriously. Please understand me when I say that YOU MUST MAKE THESE COOKIES! They’re brilliant! They’ll instantly make you more popular (if you share) and they’ll reduce the fine lines and puffiness under your eyes (if you use them like spa cucumber slices). I wouldn’t lie to you. Go. Make!

Red Velvet Black and White Cookies

recipe by RayRay

Print this Recipe!

makes 10 large cookies

1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 Tablespoon cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

5 Tablespoons butter, at room temperature

3/4 cup sugar

1 egg

1 Tablespoon red food coloring

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup buttermilk

For Vanilla Glaze

2 cups powdered sugar

1 tablespoon light corn syrup

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1-2 tablespoons hot water

For Chocolate Glaze

4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate

3 Tablespoons butter

1 Tablespoon light corn syrup

Place 1/4-cup scoops of batter 2 inches apart of the prepared baking sheet, spread the batter out with a butter knife, so they’re not completely flat but look like the pictures below. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out dry, 12 to 15 minutes. Let the cookies sit for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool.

To make the glazes-

In a bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon of corn syrup and 2 tablespoons hot water, until smooth. That’s your vanilla glaze.

In a seperate bowl, melt the butter and the chocolate in a microwave for about 1 minute. Add the corn syrup and stir until smooth. That’s your chocolate glaze!

Red Velvet Whopper- the cupcake

joythebaker — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 15:51:34 +0000

How do I describe the taste of Red Velvet cake? Well, it’s not vanilla cake, but it’s certainly not all chocolate. Red Velvet cake, for lack of a more creative vocabulary, tastes like sweet red cake. Without rich and decadent frosting, this cake is light, moist, quite tasty and yes, red. My favorite Red Velvet cake is relentlessly smothered in brown sugar cream cheese frosting. The recipe for both just a jump away.

Buttermilk Red Velvet

adapted from Demolition Desserts

Print this Recipe!

8 Tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temp

1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar

2 large eggs, at room temp

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups cake flour

2 Tablespoons cocoa powder

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

3/4 cup buttermilk

scant 2 Tablespoons Red Food coloring

1. Preheat the oen to 325. Sift together flour, cocoa, baking powder and baking soda. Add the kosher salt after sifting and set aside. Measure out the buttermilk and red rood coloring. Add the die to the buttermilk for easier incorporation later.

2. Cream the butter and the sugar using an electric mixer, until the mixture is pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, letting the eggs beat for 1 mintue in between additions. Scrape down the bowl in between additions.

3. Add the dry ingredients alternately with the wet ingredients. Start by adding one third of the flour mixture. Mix just to incorporate. Add half of the buttermilk. Add another one third of the flour mixture. Mix to incorporate. Add the last half of buttermilk, followed by the last third of flour.

4. Spoon into paper lined cupcake pans. Check the cupcakes after 12 minutes. Makes 12 cupcakes.

The cupcake recipe should be doubled for the amount of frosting the below recipe produces. The make 24 cupcakes, or a two layer 8-inch or 9-inch round cake, double the cake recipe above, and use the frosting recipe below as is.

Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting

1 1/2 cups butter, softened

8oz cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2-4 tablespoons milk

4-6 cups powdered sugar

depending on desired consistency

Cream the butter and cream cheese together in an electric mixer. (Be sure that the two are at room temperature. Cold cream cheese or butter can make your frosting lumpy.) Add the brown sugar and vanilla extract, and beat for about 2 minutes. Turn off mixer and add 2 cups of powdered sugar. Turn the mixer on a low speed so the sugar doesn’t fly out of the bowl. Slowly add more sugar alternately with the milk until you reach your desired consistency. I like my cupcake frosting to be slightly more thick than cake frosting, so it can hold its shape on the cupcake.

Red is the new Vanilla

joythebaker — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 04:48:13 +0000

These little beauties are the answer to any of life’s little hiccups. Really. Say, for example, you fall asleep with a candle burning in the bedroom of the apartment you share with four other people. Say, you wake up with the blankets on top of you up in flames… serious flames. Say, in fear and shock and sleep, you flee your room and run to your roommate’s room. You knock furiously. You knock like your bedroom is on fire, because it is. You knock, wondering why you’re knocking when your bedroom is on fire. Say, your roommate answers the door is just her underwear, hears your plight through sleepy ears, and follows you in disbelief to your bedroom, which is as you left it, on fire. Say, your brave roommate tries to help you put out the flames with the smother technique, using all of your clothes and pillows as fire extinguishers. It works, no thanks to you. You were fanning the flames, not smothering them. Say you and your roommate open your bedroom window and shove the charred remains of your blankets, clothes and pillows out, and watch them drop the three floors to the ground. How would you thank your brave, kind, talented roommate? How would you ensure your continued friendship help in future life threatening events? Red Velvet Cupcakes. They work. I have the friend and the blackened ceiling to prove it.

There are many, many recipes for Red Velvet Cupcakes out there these days. I’m always experimenting with new formulas. Sometimes I want more a darker, sexier cake with more chocolate. Other times I want a bright red vanilla bean cake. This recipe falls somewhere in the middle. I’ve adapted this recipe from one of my new favorite cookbooks from the always delicious Citizen Cake in San Francisco.

Print this Recipe!

Buttermilk Red Velvet

adapted from Demolition Desserts

8 Tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temp

1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar

2 large eggs, at room temp

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups cake flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

3/4 cup buttermilk

2 Tablespoons Red Food coloring

1. Preheat the oen to 325. Sift together flour, baking powder and baking soda. Add the kosher salt after sifting and set aside. Measure out the buttermilk and red rood coloring. Add the die to the buttermilk for easier incorporation later.

4. Spoon into paper lined cupcake pans. Check the cupcakes after 12 minutes. Makes 12.

I topped these cupcakes with cream cheese frosting and chocolate ganache. Those recipes to follow.

Red Velvet Cupcakes. They’re all the rage now for a reason… because they taste delicious, and can help you thank a friend after an apartment fire. The candle on top of the cupcake… well I guess that’s just ironic.