"Red Velvet" Cupcakes

Red Velvet cupcakes seem to have a bit of a varied reputation. Some people absolutely love them; others simply don't see the point and find them bland and boring. So I decided to jazz them up a bit by adding some strawberry jam.

I also didn't have any cocoa powder, so I used hot chocolate mix *blushes* - so I don't think you can properly call these Red Velvet cupcakes - more like "Red Velvet".

Turns out that adding the jam was the best happy accident I've ever had. Not sure if it's the pectin in the jam or what, but replacing 1/4 C of milk with jam make an absolutely beautiful and fluffy cake with an incredible crumb. It honestly doesn't seem gluten free - but it is!

However, I made the mistake of trying out some new cupcake cases. They didn't quite fit my cupcake trays, with the end result being that most of my cupcakes had hemispherical bottoms, which, let's face it, is not the most practical shape! (Although they looked very pretty in their cases!)


125 g butter (room temperature)
1/2 C hot chocolate powder
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp red food coloring
2 eggs
1 1/4 C self raising gluten free flour
1/4 C milk
1/4 C strawberry preserve

1. Preheat the oven to 180 C. Line a 12 hole cupcake tin with cupcake cases.
   
2. Cream butter until light and fluffy.
3. Mix in hot chocolate powder with a wooden spoon until combined. (Trust me - or you'll end up with a face full of powder if you try and cream it straight away!) Cream until pale. Beat in vanilla.
4. Beat in 1 egg. Scrape down the sides. Beat in the second egg and scrape again.
5. Mix in the flour in 3 additions, alternating with the milk and jam in 2 additions, mixing continuously.
6. Stir through red food coloring.
   
7. Divide evenly into cupcake cases.
8. Bake for 25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
62 g butter (or 1/2 a stick to Americans)
5 Tbsp hot chocolate powder
250g tub light cream cheese

1. Cream butter and hot chocolate powder together until light and fluffy (note: it's a good idea to mix it with a spoon until all the powder has been wetted with the butter or you'll end up with a face full of powder).
2. With the mixer on low speed, beat in the cream cheese until just combined (if you overmix, it will go weird and liquid...)
3. Spread or pipe onto cooled cupcakes.