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Loading...Red Velvet Cupcake has a rich red hue & it’s irresistible. Period. I like the vibrant red colour & would go on & on simply admiring their beauty.
These cupcakes are smooth, soft, spongy & velvety. Trust me. You will fall in love with them once they are out of the oven. But now, there’s a small secret behind getting this stunning red velvety finish. Continue reading further to know what the secret is.
Why Do We Call Red Velvet Cupcakes?
The reason is the red colour that is as soft as velvet fabric. In the native Indian language, we call it मख़मल. Like the velvet fabric, our cupcakes are plushy, having a smooth & shiny finish. Now that’s the story behind the identity of these cupcakes. Refer to the gallery images of red velvet cupcakes & you will know it.
How To Get the Red Velvet Colour?
Alone the red food colour won’t be able to pull this off. Trust me, I have been there & I know how exactly you can get the red velvet texture. So first thing first, use gel-based food colour. Water-based food colour won’t give you the red velvet hue. Instead, it will provide you with a plain red shade that won’t be deeper & dense.
Cocoa powder & gel-based red food colour will give a deep red shade. When mixed with red food, the light brownish chocolate colour gives the red velvet finish. Hence, do not skip the cocoa powder. Look out for cocoa powder at an essence store in your city.
Extra Shots for Red Velvet Cupcakes
Cupcakes are both easy & challenging to bake simultaneously. They are easy because you know the exact time & temperature settings. You also know which two items will pair appropriately.
The challenging part lies in the beginning when you are a novice. A couple of failures will help you understand the science behind baking. So to help you bake your first batch of red velvet cupcakes, here are some tips.
Oil, Sugar & Curd
Use the exact quantity of oil and nothing more than that. Too much oil will burn your cupcakes rapidly while baking. Powdered sugar melts fast compared to whole granules. Thus, use sugar powder only. Curd is a substitute for eggs. For eggless cupcakes, use curd; otherwise, use eggs. All three of them must mix well until sugar dissolves completely.
Gel Food Colour for Red Velvet Cupcake
Gel-based food colours give excellent colour shades. It doesn’t matter whether you are making cupcake batter or whipping cream-gel food colours are always best. If you have water-based food colour, test it before using it because you will have to add a little more to get the exact shade.
Powdered Food Colour
The food colour in powder form is intense. Yes, the powdered food colour is potent compared to water & gel-based food colour. Therefore, refer to the user guide mentioned on the packing before using. Be precocious while using food colours.
Milk in Red Velvet Cupcake
Milk is an essential item here. You can bake cupcakes even if you skip the milk, but then they won’t be soft & spongy. Milk helps retain moisture & creaminess in the batter. I would urge you not to skip the milk. You will love your cupcakes if using milk.
Cocoa Powder
For red velvet cupcakes, we need a dark & deep red shade. The brown cocoa powder and the food colour will help you get the same. One more thing, don’t swipe cocoa powder with any other flour.
Vanilla Essence
Essence is for aroma. When you bake your cupcake, observe the soothing fragrance of vanilla from the OTG or microwave. You will love it. Besides, you can swap it with rose water or kevda essence. Remember, the essence is strong & highly concentrated. Therefore, be careful with the quantity.
Since you know what items you need & how to use them, let’s move on to the next section.
List of Kitchen Tools You Need
Here’s a list of tools & other stuff that you will need to bake your cupcakes. This stuff is pretty important. Go through the list below.
- Mixing Bowl – Plastic or glass bowls will do. Nothing fancy about the bowls.
- Spatula – You need a silicone spatula to mix everything & scrape the walls of the bowl.
- Whisker – If you don’t have a spatula use a whisker. It works better than a spatula.
- Baking Tray – Use a non-stick-coated baking tray to bake. Ordinary material might react differently under high heat.
- Cupcake Liners – The liners must not stick, burn or melt under intense heat. Hence, use good quality ones.
- Ice-Cream Scoop – 1 ice-cream scoop batter equals one red velvet cupcake. Fill only 2/3 of the cupcake liners.
- Wooden Skewer – To check whether or not your cupcakes are baked properly. You can use long match sticks too.
- Gloves – Use oven gloves to pull the tray. Avoid pulling it with bare hands to prevent burns.
So far, we have accumulated more details about the red velvet cupcakes. I guess you are pretty much confident about making them right away. Are you?
Now it’s time to resolve some doubts. Here’s the list of probable questions & their answers.
FAQs for Red Velvet Cupcakes
Answer some of the common questions about baking red velvet cupcakes. Post them in the comment section if you find your queries still unresolved.
Can I use butter instead of oil?
Yes, you can swap oil with unsalted butter. Even salted butter will do. A step further, you can also use melted butter. If the butter is solid, wait until it becomes soft; otherwise, you won’t mix.
Is it confectioner sugar that you have used?
No, it is plain white sugar in powder form. Confectioner sugar contains a small amount of cornstarch. But you don’t need confectioner sugar here. Finely crushed white sugar in your grinder will work fine.
Is brown sugar permissible in red velvet cupcakes?
No, only white sugar is permissible in powdered form. Although the sweetness level of both white & brown sugar is the same, they act differently. For example, brown sugar will change the red velvet colour of your cupcake.
Where do I find gel-based food colours?
Gel-based food colours are readily available online, especially on Amazon. If there’s an essence store near you, you will get the same from there. Read the instructions before using.
Can I swap lemon juice with vinegar?
No, don’t swap lemon juice with either vinegar or similar stuff. Lemon juice is the most acidic natural ingredient that helps cupcakes rise correctly. Vinegar might act differently in this process under intense heat.
Is vanilla essence necessary in this recipe?
Essence is always replaceable. For instance, you can skip vanilla essence in this red velvet cupcake recipe. You can also replace it with rose water or kevda essence. Don’t add coffee powder because its taste & aroma is altogether different.
Can I use heavy cream instead of milk?
Yes, you can use but provided you know the exact proportion of heavy cream instead of milk. Do not attempt to switch items with similar or other ingredients without proper measurements. I would suggest using milk only.
Where do I find cocoa powder?
Cocoa powder isn’t available at local grocery stores. Besides, they are rarely available at supermarkets. If you have an essence store in your city, you can get it. However, use Amazon for anything you can’t do easily in your locality.
Can I replace the all-purpose flour with wheat flour?
No, because wheat flour cupcakes require a minor modification in the items. Moreover, the baking time & temperature settings will also change.
Are these cupcakes eggless?
Yes, the red velvet cupcakes are eggless. Instead of egg, there’s curd in it. So in a way, you can say these cupcakes are vegan.
How many eggs do I need to replace for curd in these cupcakes?
For every 1/4th cup of curd, you will need one whole egg. Therefore, you will need one whole egg to make these cupcakes instead of curd.
Which oven have you used for baking?
I have used an oven, toaster & griller, aka OTG of the Bajaj brand.
What is the ideal temperature to bake cupcakes in an OTG?
The OTG used to bake my red velvet cupcake is of 22-litre capacity. Further, the ideal time & temperatures for baking are 12 to 15 minutes & 160°C to 180°C. First, however, one has to preheat the oven for 10 mins at 160°C.
Are OTGs safe for baking?
Yes, they are safe. OTGs are not only safe for baking but you can even toast & grill in them. Above all, it is 100% secure to use an OTG.
What are the microwave oven settings for baking?
The individual microwave oven settings highly depend on the appliance. You must read the user manual to find the ideal baking temperature & time. My Bajaj OTG user manual had the primary info about baking settings.
How do I know whether or not my cupcakes are baked?
Insert & a wooden stick or skewers in the middle of an already baked cupcake. If it comes out clean, then your cupcakes are baked. If you see batter on the stick or skewer, it is unbaked. Put them back in the oven.
Do I need to grease my cupcake liners before baking?
Not necessary. The batter has enough moisture & moreover; it is greasy; hence the cupcake won’t stick to the liners. However, if you insist on doing so, then go ahead. Just don’t put too much oil in the liners.
Where can I find quality cupcake liners?
Search for quality cupcake liners at stores selling baking materials. You can also check on Amazon. Your cupcake liner must be oven friendly no matter where you buy them from.
Why does my red velvet cupcake have cracks on the surface?
Baking at high temperatures is the prominent reason for cracks on the surface of cupcakes. At high temperatures, the cupcakes rise faster than usual. As a result, the gas escapes from the air pockets speedily, leaving gaps on the surface.
Why my red velvet cupcake is dense & not spongy?
The main reason behind cupcakes being dense is over-mixing the batter. When you overmix the batter, the air pockets get destroyed & they don’t rise while baking. As a result, you get dense cupcakes instead of soft & spongy ones. Thus, don’t overmix.
