Red Velvet Cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache

Now a red velvet cake has been on my to bake list for sometime so on thee weekend when I got the urge to bake I decided to make these.

I also pulled out all the stops I used my special cupcake cases that I had been saving for a "special" day.

Normally these have a cream cheese frosting, but as I didn't have any in the fridge and I couldn't be bothered to drive into town I made a chocolate ganache. which to be honest just made these cupcakes all the more delectable.

Mr CLI loooooooooved them and could have quite easily eaten all of them in one go. Miss Fish also requested that I make them again.

I didn't have red food coloring so I used mu winton pink coloring you still got the effect of the red velvet but the color was more subdued.

If you don't wish to use food coloring you can still make these but they will be chocolate in color. The taste and texture of these is very similar to a devils food cake. all dense and moist.

Most recipes state to use dutch cocoa which I did, I think it would still work with normal cocoa but you would need to use more for the deep chocolate color.

Red Velvet Cupcakes
1/4 cup butter softened, 1 1/2 cups caster sugar, 2 eggs, 1 tsp red food coloring gel, 2 heaped tbsps dutch cocoa, 1 cup buttermilk or greek yogurt, 2 1/4 cups SR flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1 tsp white vinegar and 1 tsp bi-carb soda

Chocolate Ganache
100gms chocolate. 1/4 cup cream & 1 tsp instant coffee powder

In a glass bowl over simmering water place all ingredients and when the chocolate starts to melt stir until all the chocolate has melted and it is smooth. Ice cakes while ganache is hot. Then leave to set.

Preheat oven to 180.c and line a 12 cup muffin tray with paper cups.

Sift together the flour, cocoa and baking powder. Mix together the buttermilk/yogurt with the food coloring.

Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of your electric mixer. Beat together until soft and creamy 3- 5 minutes. Add the eggs 1 at a time, beat well after each addition. Add the vanilla, mix in.

On low speed and the flour and buttermilk/yogurt alternatively, starting and finishing with the flour (IE 3 parts flour + 2 parts buttermilk).

When mixed together remove from the machine stir the bi-carb into the vinegar add immediately to the mixture and using a spatula mix together.

Using a large spoon place equal amounts into all cases.

Bakes 15 - 18 minutes until cooked or a skewer comes out clean.

Remove from the oven when cool enough to handle place onto a cake rack. Once cold drizzle with hot ganache. Top with any decoration you wish.