Red Velvet Cupcakes

How is my red velvet cupcake recipe different from every other red velvet recipe out there? Well for starters I triple the amount of cocoa, then I replaced the white flour with 100% whole wheat pastry flour and I took out the high calorie buttermilk and substituted soy milk for half the calories. If that was not enough, I made the cream cheese frosting cream cheesier by cutting back on the things that are usually used to dilute the frosting such as butter and sugar.

Makes: 24 mini cupcakes or 8 regular cupcakes

Preparation time: 20m
Cooking time: 20m
Total time: 40m

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter (at room temperature)
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened organic soy milk
  • 1 tablespoon red food coloring (yes, it's a ton of food coloring)
  • 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 8 ounces cream cheese (at room temperature - for frosting)
  • 3 tablespoons unsweetened organic soy milk (for frosting)
  • 1/3 cup powdered sugar (for frosting)
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (for frosting)
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine salt (e.g. table salt)

Equipment: electric hand mixer (recommended)

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350ºF/175ºC.
  2. In a medium-sized bowl mix together flour, baking powder, salt and cocoa powder
  3. In large bowl beat together the butter and sugar until it is lighter in color and completely comined. Mix in the egg and 1/2 tsp vanilla until well blended.
  4. In a small bowl combine the 1/2 cup soy milk and red food coloring together.
  5. Now take the bowl with the butter and sugar mixture and add a quarter of the dry flour mixture to it. Whisk it until it is almost incorporated and then add a third of the soy milk mixture and whisk until combined. Continue this way alternating with dry and wet until all of the flour and soy milk mixtures are combined with the egg mixture.
  6. In a small bowl or cup combine the vinegar and the baking soda. Quickly fold it into the batter.
  7. Divide the batter into 8 muffin cups, or 24 mini muffin cups and bake at 350ºF. If using muffin cups this should take about 20 minutes, if using mini muffin cups it should be 15 mins.
  8. Let them cool completely before frosting.
  9. To make the frosting combine the room temperature cream cheese, 3 tablespoons soymilk, powdered sugar and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract in a medium-sized bowl with a whisk. Keep whisking until it is smooth. If you get small lumps in the frosting it means the cream cheese was not warm enough. Keep mixing and the friction from the whisk will eventually warm it up enough. Then frost your cupcakes and enjoy!