Bake A Cake For Valentines

Bake a cake for valentines and decorate it with love …

Here’s the perfect cake recipe to romance your sweetheart, taken from the Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook

Red Velvet Cupcakes

60 g unsalted butter,
at room temperature
150 g caster sugar
1 egg
10 g cocoa powder
20 ml red food colouring (preferably
Dr. Oetker Red Food Colouring)
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
120 ml buttermilk
150 g plain flour
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1½ teaspoons white wine vinegar
1 quantity Cream Cheese Frosting

Preheat the oven to 170°C (325°F) Gas 3.
Put the butter and the sugar in a freestanding electric mixer
with a paddle attachment (or use a handheld electric whisk)
and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy and well mixed.
Turn the mixer up to high speed, slowly add the egg and beat
until everything is well incorporated.
In a separate bowl, mix together the cocoa powder, red food
colouring and vanilla extract to make a thick, dark paste. Add
to the butter mixture and mix thoroughly until evenly combined
and coloured (scrape any unmixed ingredients from the side
of the bowl with a rubber spatula). Turn the mixer down to slow
speed and slowly pour in half the buttermilk. Beat until well
mixed, then add half the flour, and beat until everything is well
incorporated. Repeat this process until all the buttermilk and
flour have been added. Scrape down the side of the bowl
again. Turn the mixer up to high speed and beat until you have
a smooth, even mixture. Turn the mixer down to low speed and
add the salt, bicarbonate of soda and vinegar. Beat until well
mixed, then turn up the speed again and beat for a couple
more minutes.
Spoon the mixture into the paper cases until two-thirds full
and bake in the preheated oven for 20–25 minutes, or until
the sponge bounces back when touched. A skewer inserted
in the center should come out clean. Leave the cupcakes to
cool slightly in the tray before turning out onto a wire cooling
rack to cool completely.
When the cupcakes are cold, spoon the Cream Cheese
Frosting on top.

Makes around 20 cupcakes or one big cake, we hope you enjoy them all … we did