RED VELVET CUPCAKES

(27.1.2020)

Red Velvet Cake is very popular across the world but by the name of Red Velvet Cake, especially during Christmas and more in demand on Valentine's Day celebrations. The name Red Velvet Cake is attributed to its smooth and soft texture with a reddish hue. It can be called the Cousin of Chocolate Cake as both these cakes use Cocoa Powder as their basic ingredient. The difference comes when Vinegar is mixed with Cocoa Powder while preparing the Velvet Cake along with a generous amount of Butter Milk. The chemical reaction of Vinegar with Cocoa gives it a Reddish Hue but that is not sufficient and Red food color is used not in drops but in tablespoons.

This Cake is neither purely Red nor Maroon, it has a unique color and texture of its own. Its reddish hue comes from the acidic nature of the Cocoa which then reacts to the Butter Milk and Vinegar. This Chemical reaction also makes this cake more fluffy, soft, smooth, and moist.

The History of this cake is disputed but the hints are there that it is being prepared since 1800. Before it, Cocoa Coffee Cakes were made and their color was Mahogany in 1900. The first proper written account of this cake came in 1943, during World War.  The scarcity of Sugar during that period of War made Bakers use Beet Root Juice and its Pulp.  It gave a good red color to the Cake.

In the USA, the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel of New York claims to be its birthplace, though their claim has no authentic means to prove it. It is sold at 100 and 200 dollars a cake by this hotel.

As I have mentioned in my introduction, I tend to experiment with different methods and ingredients to judge their result and outcome without any type of FEAR OF FAILURE, so I have plans for trying other colors i.e., Green, Pink, Purple, Yellow, and Orange for this Cake.

I have attempted this cake on last Eid ul Fitr and now I am giving you its smaller version in the shape of Cupcakes.  The result is s great as it was with the bigger version and comes out to be one of the excellent cakes I have made, as I have no prior experience of baking or cooking, the result is breathtaking for me.  I am sure this is because I never think of failure.  The FEAR OF FAILURE always hinders the urge to try new things, so I must again request all my viewers to please throw away this fear, heaven will not fall if you try does not to succeed. Try again and again, this is part of life.

I must clarify here that I am not writing this introduction entirely again but as I've written it with the recipe of the Red Velvet Cake, way back about 2-3 years ago so I've just done copy and pasting of that introduction here. Moreover, the ingredients and the method are almost the same except for the utensils, instead of a Baking Pan, the Cupcake liners have been used this time, similarly, the baking time has changed and the Cupcakes would take lesser time than the bigger version requires. Let us start preparing our Red Velvet Cupcakes with the name of ALLAH. 

 

 

 

Equation:

• Preparation time:                            20 minutes
• Baking time                                     25 minutes
• Yield                                                24 Cupcakes
• Expenses                                        Rupees 400 (about 2 US Dollars)

 

WHAT WE REQUIRE:

1.  3 Cupcake Liners of 6 cups each.
2.  2-1/2 Cups All-purpose Flour (Take out 2-1/2 Tablespoons of Flour and replace it with   the same amount of Cornflour)
3.  1 cup Butter (Softened)
4.  2 Cups Sugar
5.  1-1/4 Cups Butter Milk
6.  2 Large Eggs
7.  1 Tablespoon Cocoa Powder
8.  1 Tablespoon Vinegar
9.  1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
10.  2-3 Tablespoons Red Food Color (Liquid-based)
11.  1 Teaspoon Salt
12.  1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

 

HOW WE PREPARE:

• Preheat oven to 180C, 350 F, or Gas Mark 4 for 15-20 minutes
• Prepare the Cupcake liners with paper cups and set them aside.
• Sieve together Flour with Corn Flour and salt, set aside.
• In a separate bowl beat Butter or Oil and Sugar until fluffy and creamy
• Now add Eggs one by one and continue beating
• Start adding Flour Mixture and Buttermilk,  by alternating one after one, start and end with the flour and fold it into the wet mixture.
• Add Vanilla Extract.
• In a small bowl mix together Liquid Red Food color in Cocoa Powder till it becomes a paste.
• In another small bowl mix Vinegar and Baking powder, it will instantly start foaming, mix it, and immediately put it into the batter, and beat it on medium speed.
• Also, add Food color and Cocoa paste.
• The batter will be thick.
• Pour it into the paper cups about 3/4th of their depth.
• One liner will take about 20-25 minutes in baking.
• Check it by inserting a knife or a toothpick in the center of any of the cupcakes, if it comes out a little moist then take it out of the oven or just press a few with your fingers and if it pushes back, that means the cupcakes are ready.
• Our Cupcakes are perfectly baked now.
• Cool them on Wire Rack or any other wire mesh available n the Kitchen until completely cool.

I understand that making these cupcakes is a bit more time-consuming for me than what its bigger version takes because a smaller quantity of only 6 cupcakes are baked at a time, as my Oven can accommodate just one pan, you can use bigger cupcake liners if your Oven has the capacity but when you'll taste it, the time consumed will be worth it. 

Try it after throwing away your FEAR OF FAILURE into The Dead Sea. No harm if you fail on the first try, failure makes us try hard and achieve what we failed, at least it gives me a boost to do more and with more concentration and effort. Nothing can stop you from trying in the privacy of your home and Kitchen. The problem with us in our country is that the women here are destined to cook, launder and clean for the family, and more than everything they also have to look after the kids. It is her prime duty. Now while she is performing all these duties and cooking food at the same time, misfortune hits her sometimes as she forgets to add salt or had made the curry spicier than what her husband likes. All hell breaks loose now, everybody at home grumbles as she has committed an unpardonable sin. Now, in this scenario, only a stupid woman should try something new as she knows that she can not try it more than once and the once failed try will remain as a black spot for her entire life. So who will try and achieve? No one, yes NO ONE dares in our society to face the onslaught of the family and inlaws who name her as the Dumbest of all girls they've ever seen or heard about and also extravagant as she has waisted hard-earned money of her husband by trying something which is meant for the Chefs and Professional Cooks.

So, I must request all except the housewives to please, please, please, place themselves in the character of that housewife and think for a moment what they'll feel if they forgot to add salt, etc. Let her try something new, let her innovate. She is not a Concubine, she is not a hired hand, she is doing all odd jobs without any remuneration. If she is such a nincompoop in every aspect then why do you ask her to make or prepare such and such dishes?

Give her due respect and the place she deserves to be perched on. Encourage her and then enjoy her culinary skills again and again. Believe me, Women are not created by a lesser God.

 

 

Thanks,

thine eternally,

 

NOVICE

Karachi, February the 3rd, 2020.