Red Velvet Cupcakes

Awhile back (make that a long way back), my friend Anne asked me what a red velvet cake is. And I think for about 5 seconds, I just stared at her. Awkward moment there.

The fact is, I don't know. The name didn't give much of a clue (at least for me) of what it is. Unlike Chocolate Cake where just one look you know what it is. Or these Seven Up Guava Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting - I know the name is a mouthful but straight up, you know what to expect. 

And so I looked deeper into what red velvets are all about. And wow, there are lots of recipes of it all over the internet. And generally it has cocoa, buttermilk, vinegar and red food color - lots of it. The one that I tried best is Cheryl Porro of the Cupcake Blog's recipe. Do visit her site for some unique cupcake ideas you can try out. I digress. Anyway, her red velvets are crumbly, moist and not too sweet. For me, hers is the best red velvet cake recipe. Ever.

I just have one teensy weensy problem, buttermilk is not really that available here is Manila. So I just tweaked the recipe a bit and used... yes... Yakult :)

Red Velvet Cupcakes
Adapted from Cheryl Porro's Cupcake Blog
350F/makes 36 cupcakes

What we need:

3-3/4 cups flour (I use all purpose flour)
1/4 cups cocoa
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cups yakult
3 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 bottle red McCormick food color
2 cups sugar
3/4 cups butter
3 eggs

Here's how:
(1) Combine yakult, red food color (yep 1 whole bottle :) ), vinegar and vanilla extract. Mix well. Set aside.

(2) Combine all dry ingredients - flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Dry whisk or sift, it's up to you, just make sure everything is well combined. Set aside.

(3) Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

(4) Add eggs one at a time.

(5) Add in one third of the dry ingredients. Mix slightly.

(6) Add one half of the mixture from step #1 - otherwise known as the wet ingredients.

(7) Repeat until the last of the dry ingredients are added into the batter. Make sure to just barely mix, only until everything is combined.

(8) Bake for 15 minutes at 350F. 

And here are our finished cupcakes. Redder than red could ever be :) 

To finish it off, I whipped up some Cream Cheese frosting and topped it with red sugar crystals. Also, note that this  recipe can also be used for cakes, yeah?

Malted Yakult Cupcakes

This post is brought to you by the number "two". Why two? Read on -

• Two - number of k's on my name. Yep, it's Aikko, not Aiko or Aico or Iko :)
• Two - that sunny day in April when I was born. For 29 years I believed I am an Aries but apparently I am really a Pisces... one thing's for sure... I am confused.
• Two - number of pairs of boxing gloves under my name that I haven't used in a while. I thought having a pair in hot pink will keep me motivated to keep on boxing. I was wrong. 
• Two - flavors most blogged about in Chocolate Happy. Uh... I mean Vanilla Happy. Wait, it's Bake Happy.

•  Two - number of times I had to experiment on these Yakult cupcakes to get it right.

Yep, you heard it right! Yakult Cupcakes. 

I first blogged about it here. As part of my Pinoy Cupcakes series, only it's just half Pinoy because, well, Yakult is really a Japanese product. And it tastes sooo dang good! So good it deserves a re-cake. 

Hope you guys like it!

Malted Yakult Cupcakes

350F

Makes 20 cupcakes

Ingredients:

1 ½ cup sugar

1 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

2 tsp baking powder

1 tablespoon malt (optional - it just gives the cake an extra caramel-y taste)

1 ½ cup milk

Yakult (5 85 ml bottles or more)

Whipping cream for topping 

Cinnamon for garnish

 Here's How

(1) Combine mayonnaise, sugar and vanilla.

 (2)  Mix well until sugar is almost dissolved.

 (3) Combine all dry ingredients and add a third to the mayonnaise mixture.

 (4) Add 1/2 of the milk

 (5) Repeat until all is combined. Place into paper liners and bake until golden brown, about 15 - 20 minutes.

 To Assemble
(6) Remove from cupcake from liner and put into a candy cup. 

Now now now... you are probably asking, why didn't Aikko bake the cupcakes in the candy cups? Saves time, liners and lots of washing the dishes. The thing is, I used to bake in candy cups until I heard about the great party nut cups (another term for the candy cups) debate over at Wilton. Is it safe to bake in candy cups? Some say yes, some say no. Some say it's not advisable because the wax might melt when subject to high temperatures, some say it might cause fire. 

So, just to be on the safe side, I stopped baking in them. But they're just too darn cute not to use! Right?! So what I do is bake them in traditional cupcake pans and just transfer them. Better be safe than sorry. 

How about you? What's your take in baking in Candy Cups? I'd love to hear it :)

(7) Anyway, back to the cupcakes. Using cocktail sticks, poke holes into the cuppies and pour a generous amount of Yakult over it. Ahhhh....

 (8) Top with whipped cream and sprinkle with Cinnamon.

I have tried this on an 8-inch pan, on mini cupcakes, and on regular cupcakes but I must tell you, they taste better on mini cupcakes. 

If you want a quick fix, ditch baking the cupcakes, go to your nearest bakery, splurge on mamon, taisan or sponge cake, soak it in Yakult and cover in whipped cream. Quick fix yet same delicious result :)

ps: although we're on the subject of number two, I am hoping in your heart, Bake Happy is number one :)

Love you!

Bake Happy Supports Jessica Sanchez!

I am casting my vote for Jessica Sanchez. If blogs can vote, I am asking (err... demanding Bake Happy to vote for her too)

But unfortunately, I can't :( (location issues). So I am asking your support (if you're in the US)  to vote for her to be the next American Idol.


Seriously, with a voice as powerful, magnetic and so far beyond her 16 years as hers, she deserves to be called the next American Idol come Thursday. 


See one of her best performances here:

When she hits the high notes (and holds it evenly), I get goosebumps. Everytime. 

And to inspire you to vote and vote and vote (as if her video singing still hasn't), I "Bake Happy-fied" Jessica and made Jessica Sanchez Cupcakes :)

On her background are microphone cupcakes I made from cake and ice cream cone plus silver dragees. An idea I got from Hello Cupcake. If you seriously want to have fun with cupcake decorating, this is THE book to read.

Anyway, back to Jessica, I hope we all take time out from our busy schedules and vote for her. See the American Idol site for more details.

Don't forget to watch Jessica's final performance today and the American Idol finale on May 24th!

Good luck, Jessica! You've rocked our worlds, now its time we rock yours. 
Let's keep on voting guys! 

Sugarcane Chai Tea Cupcakes

Would you like to play in the Bake Happy Kitchen with me?

Yeah, play. Nothing serious. Just you and me, an oven and a recipe.

I'll let you do the mise en place if you let me choose what we'll bake today.

So, is that a yes? I'll even let you operate my cherished (as old as me) hand held mixer while I sift the flour and spices.

No? How about we watch Xian Lim in My Binondo Girl while baking? 

What? Still a no? Yeah, that might distract you (not me).

How about if I tell you, we will be baking with Chai Tea?

Can I see a gentle nod there? Yes! 

I got it from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes. Her recipe is paired with a Condensed Milk Icing, I decided (I mean.. we) we decided to pair it with another flavor. Sugarcane buttercream sounds interesting don't you think?

So shall we start?

Chai-Tea Cupcakes

adapted from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes

350 F / makes 18 (or so - I forgot to count) cupcakes

3/4 cup milk

2 bags chai tea

1 bag black tea (such as Ceylon)

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup cake flour, sifted
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon course salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground crdamom
Pinch of ground cloves
Pinch of freshly grated nutment
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup packed dark-brown sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature

(1) Line cupcake pans with cupcake liners. Bring milk to a simmer over medium heat.  Remove from heat; add tea bags, and let steep, covered, 15 minutes. Remove tea bags, squeezing the bags over the pan, and discard.  Allow milk to cool completely.

(2) Whisk together both flours, baking powder, salt, pepper and spices.

(3) With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and brown sugar until pale and fluffy.

(4) Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping sides of bowl as needed.  Reduce speed to low. 

(5) Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of tea-infused milk, and beating until just combined after each.

(6) Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full.  

(7) Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until tops spring back when lightly touched and are pale golden, 15-18 minutes.  

(8) Turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.  Cupcakes can be frozen up to 1 month in airtight containers.

Sugarcane Buttercream Frosting


I used Italian Buttercream as base. The rule is for every 2 cups of Italian Buttercream, mix in 1/4 cup sugarcane juice. 


Italian Meringue Buttercream
from MarthaStewart.com



Ingredients


1 1/4 cups sugar
5 large egg whites
Pinch of cream of tartar
1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter, chilled
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring sugar and 2/3 cup water to a boil. Continue boiling until syrup reaches 238 degrees on a candy thermometer (soft-ball stage).

Meanwhile, place egg whites in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and beat on low speed until foamy. Add cream of tartar, and beat on medium-high speed until stiff but not dry; do not overbeat.

With mixer running, add syrup to whites in a stream, beating on high speed until no longer steaming, about 3 minutes. Add butter bit by bit, beating until spreadable, 3 to 5 minutes; beat in vanilla. If icing curdles, keep beating until smooth.

Aren't you glad you spent sometime in my kitchen? Erm... now who will wash the dishes in the sink? :)

Applesauce Spice Cupcakes

Dear Fate, 

I broke a cake plate today. Please don't hate me. 

Really. There's no rhyme or reason as to why it happened. Sometimes, it just does. That's life. I am sad about it, you know. It was a pretty cake plate, with a curvy base, beautiful cream color, and swirly red side borders - a cake plate every baker is proud to have. So please, no bestowing of bad luck okay? Here's my peace offering, Martha Stewart's Applesauce Spice Cupcakes. Trust me, it's good. 

Applesauce Spice Cupcakes
from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes
350ºF / makes 18


Ingredients 
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup lightly packed light brown sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups unsweetened apple sauce

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.


In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, cream butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. On a low speed, add applesauce and then the flour mixture, beating until just combined.


Fill each cup 3/4 full with batter. Bake 20 minutes. 

Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting


1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup packed light-brown sugar


In a bowl, mix cream cheese with 1/2 cup butter and 1 cup light brown sugar until smooth. Spread cream-cheese frosting on cupcakes. Cupcakes can be refrigerated in airtight containers up to 2 days.

So, Fate? We're good now, right? Sweet.