Hummingbird Bakery.. Red Velvet Cupcakes

Recently LC was sent an amazingly delicious... cookbook from her friend J that lives in the UK, the cookbook is the Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook, if it's not on your shelf yet LC recommends putting it on your wish list for your next birthday. The Hummingbird Bakery was first opened in 2004 on Portabello Road, London. Tarek Malouf (the author) came up with the idea when he spent thanksgiving in North Carolina, after indulging in cupcakes, brownies and banana cream pie he wondered why no London bakery ever excelled at these.. and the idea was born..

This is LC's's favorite recipe from the book.. Red Velvet Cupcakes..mmmm.. 

PS - these are naughty recipes!

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Ingredients

60g unsalted butter at room temperature

1 egg

150g caster sugar

20g cocoa powder

40ml red food colouring

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

120ml buttermilk

150g plain flour

1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 1/2 tsp white wine vinegar

Frosting

300g icing sugar, sifted

50g butter at room temperature

125g cream cheese, chilled

12 Hole muffin tray lined with paper cases

1. Preheat the oven to 180C.

2. Cream the butter, egg and sugar until light and fluffy.

3. In a separate bowl mix the cocoa powder, food colouring and vanilla extract. Once mixed add to the creamed mixture.

4. Mix carefully until combined and then add half the buttermilk, mix further and add half the flour and the baking powder. Mix thoroughly before adding the remainder of the buttermilk and flour and mixing further on high speed until you have a smooth even mixture,

5. Add the white wine vinegar, bicarbonate of soda and mix on low speed, turn he speed up again and beat for a couple more minutes.

6. Spoon the mixture into the muffin cases and bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 mins or until the cupcakes spring back slightly when touched.

7. Allow the cupcakes to cool slightly before turning out onto a wire cooling rack.

8. In the meantime, to make the frosting cream the icing sugar and butter together until well mixed.

9. Add the cream cheese and mix until it is incorporated. Continue beating until the frosting is light and fluffy for at least 5 mins.

10. Use a spatula to layer the frosting on top of the cupcakes.

The Lemon Canary x