Red velvet cupcake

To make the red velvet cupcakes, start by placing half of the granulated sugar and the softened butter in a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment 1 (or you can use electric beaters); turn on the machine and whip the ingredients for a few minutes until a creamy mixture is obtained. Add the room temperature egg 2 and the yolk, then incorporate the other half of the sugar 3.

Continue whisking until you get a light and fluffy mixture 4. At this point, incorporate the sifted unsweetened cocoa powder 5 and a teaspoon of vanilla extract (or the seeds from a vanilla pod) 6.

Dissolve the powdered food coloring in the milk (7-8) and pour the mixture into the batter. Turn on the machine to combine the ingredients; you should obtain a bright red mixture 9.

In a separate small bowl, dissolve the baking soda in the apple cider vinegar by stirring with a teaspoon. Combine the obtained mixture with the buttermilk (alternatively, you can use whole plain yogurt) 10, add the salt and pour the buttermilk into the stand mixer bowl 11; lastly, add the sifted flour 12 and mix with a spatula.

Transfer the cupcake batter into a disposable piping bag 13, cut the tip with scissors, and squeeze the mixture into a cupcake pan lined with appropriate single-serving paper cups 14, filling the molds up to 3/4, this way they won’t overflow during baking. Bake the cupcakes in a preheated static oven at 350°F for 15 minutes (or in a convection oven at 320°F for about 10 minutes). Meanwhile, prepare the buttercream: place a saucepan with water on the stove, add 7 oz of granulated sugar 15

and heat the syrup until it reaches 250°F; to verify the temperature, use a food thermometer 16. When the syrup reaches 240°F, pour the egg whites into a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment 17 and start beating them; when they begin to become frothy, incorporate the remaining 1.8 oz of granulated sugar 18

and continue whisking. As soon as the sugar syrup reaches 250°F, pour it in a thin stream into the egg whites 19, continuing to beat with the whisk 20 until the cream is completely cold. Meanwhile, place the butter pieces in a bowl, flavor it with the seeds from a vanilla pod, and work it with a whisk 21

until a creamy consistency is obtained 22. Gradually incorporate the creamy butter into the egg whites 23, keeping the mixer running. When all the butter is incorporated into the cream, stop the mixer, transfer the cream into a bowl, cover it with plastic wrap 24, and place it in the refrigerator.

Take the cooked and cooled cupcakes 25, remove them from the pan, transfer the buttercream into a piping bag with a large star tip, and decorate the surface of the cupcakes with plenty of buttercream 26. Finally, decorate with small colorful sprinkles: we used heart-shaped ones 27. Your red velvet cupcakes are ready to be enjoyed!