Red Velvet Cupcakes With Fluffy Meringue Icing Recipes

MINI RED VELVET CUPCAKES WITH ITALIAN MERINGUE FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease 24 mini muffin cups or line with paper.
• In a large bowl, whisk together cake and pastry flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder and baking soda; set aside.
• In another small bowl, whisk together buttermilk, melted butter, egg, food colouring and vanilla. Pour over flour mixture and whisk until smooth and well-combined. Divide batter among prepared muffin cups.
• Bake in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes or until toothpick in centre comes out clean. Remove from pan and let cool completely on rack.
• Italian Meringue Frosting: In a small saucepan, bring sugar and water to boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Let mixture boil for 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat egg whites with cream of tartar until soft peaks form. While beating, add the hot sugar syrup in a steady stream and beat for about 5 minutes or until glossy stiff peaks form. Beat in vanilla.
• Frost the cupcakes and sprinkle with gold flakes or sugar as desired.

RED VELVET CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in medium bowl. Set aside.
• Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed 5 minutes or until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Mix in sour cream, milk, food color and vanilla. Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed until just blended. Do not overbeat. Spoon batter into 30 paper-lined muffin cups, filling each cup 2/3 full.
• Bake 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted into cupcake comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire rack 5 minutes. Remove from pans; cool completely. Frost with Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting.
• Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting: Beat cream cheese, softened, butter, sour cream and McCormick® Pure Vanilla Extract in large bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until smooth.

FLUFFY BOILED ICING

Steps:

• In a heavy saucepan combine sugar, water and cream of tartar. Slowly bring mixture to a boil, stirring sides of the saucepan with a brush dipped in water to remove any sugar crystals. Cover and boil for about 3 minutes or until a candy thermometer registers 245 degrees.
• Beat egg whites with pinch of salt until glossy and peaked. Slowly pour in syrup as you continue to beat the whites. Beat until cool and frosting is soft and fluffy. Fold in vanilla.

RED VELVET MERINGUE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
• Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt into a large bowl. Whisk together the buttermilk, oil, sour cream, food coloring, vinegar, vanilla and egg together in medium bowl.
• Add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture and stir until just combined. Divide evenly among the cupcake liners. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out with a few moist crumbs, 18 to 20 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from the tin and cool completely on a wire rack.
• Bring a few inches of water to a boil in a saucepan that can hold a bowl comfortably without touching the water. Whisk the sugar, lemon juice, cream of tartar, salt and egg whites in the bowl. Set the bowl above the boiling water and continue whisking until the mixture is hot to the touch and the sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes. Remove the bowl from the water and whip with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until the meringue is cool and holds a stiff peak, about 7 minutes.
• Spoon or pipe the frosting decoratively and generously on the cupcakes.

RED VELVET CUPCAKES WITH FLUFFY MERINGUE ICING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line the muffin tin with pink or white cupcake liners
• In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder and salt.
• In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Occasionally turn off mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Reduce the speed to low, add the eggs, 1 at a time, and mix until incorporated after each addition. Add the food coloring and vanilla and mix well.
• With the mixer on low, alternately add the flour mixture and sour cream in 3 additions, beginning and ending with the flour, waiting until each addition is well incorporated before adding the next. In a small bowl, combine the vinegar and soda, and once fizzing has stopped, add to the batter and mix well.
• Divide the batter evenly in the tin, filling each liner about 3/4 full. Bake until cupcakes are set and spring back when touched, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
• For meringue icing: Bring a few inches of water to a gentle simmer in a saucepan large enough to hold a standing mixer bowl above the water. Whisk the egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar, and salt together in the bowl until combined. Set the bowl over the simmering water and whisk constantly until sugar is completely dissolved and mixture is smooth and hot to the touch, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to the standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat at medium-high speed until meringue is cool and holds a soft peak, 4 to 5 minutes. With the speed on low, add the vanilla and almond extracts; increase speed to medium and continue whisking until mixture is glossy and holds a stiff peak, 1 to 2 minutes more.
• To decorate: Using a spoon or offset spatula, spread about 1/2 cup meringue over each cupcake and sprinkle with nonpareils. Cupcakes are best served the day they are made.
• Cook's Note: If you're unable to find gel food coloring, add drops of liquid food coloring until the desired shade of red is achieved.