Red Velvet Cupcakes
Ask someone what, exactly, red velvet is, and chances are they’ll stare back at you blankly. Nonetheless, red velvet remains the top-selling cupcake in America (“America” means BabyCakes NYC, of course). As I’ve come to understand it, the name dates to the time when people carried books with a belt and wore bonnets, and cocoa powder was still all natural and reacted with the acid in buttermilk and baking soda by turning it a reddish brown, an effect some precolonial marketing genius dubbed red velvet. You might be sad to hear that, historically, red velvet cake was appreciated primarily for its neutral (you can say it: bland) flavor and supple texture, which served primarily as a vehicle for frosting. While I obviously have nothing against frosting, I believe the cake should be more than a booster seat, so I’ve gone ahead and fixed that little problem for you. Thank me by baking these by the thousands.
Recipe information
Yield
makes 24
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line 2 standard 12-cup muffin tins with paper liners.
Step 2
Pour the rice milk and apple cider vinegar into a small bowl, but do not stir; set aside to develop into “buttermilk.”
Step 3
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the oil, agave nectar, and vanilla to the dry ingredients and stir to combine. The batter will be thick. Using a plastic spatula, add the “buttermilk” and mix just until combined. Slowly add red food coloring by the tablespoon until the batter is the desired color. Do not exceed 6 tablespoons, as this will make the batter too wet.
Step 4
Pour 1/3 cup batter into each prepared cup, almost filling it. Bake the cupcakes on the center rack for 24 minutes, rotating the tins 180 degrees after 14 minutes. The finished cupcakes will bounce back slightly when pressed, and a toothpick inserted in the center will come out clean.
Step 5
Let the cupcakes stand in the tins for 20 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack and cool completely. Using a frosting knife, gently spread 1 tablespoon vanilla frosting over each cupcake. Store the cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
