Daily Cupcake Recipe

Recipe for Monday, May 9th, 2011:
Red Velvet/Cheesecake Marbled Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Recipe via Restless Chipotle

Prep time: unknown
Bake time: 20-25 minutes

Serves: 12 cupcakes

Ingredients [Orange Cheesecake]:

• 1 four oz package of cream cheese (not low fat)
• 2 tablespoons of  freshly grated orange peel
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp vanilla

Ingredients [Red Velvet Cupcakes]:

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 3 tablespoons Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa
• 4 tablespoons food grade red food color
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup whole milk buttermilk (do not get skim or low fat)
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons white  vinegar

Ingredients [Cream Cheese Cupcakes]:

• 4 cups confectioners sugar
• 1/3 cup  unsalted butter
• 8 oz cream cheese
• Pinch of salt

(A conversion table can be found here.)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F and put muffin papers or silicone cups in 12 muffin cups.

Make cheesecake batter: Beat together cheesecake ingredients until creamy and well blended. Do not whip because you don’t want to incorporate air.

Make red velvet batter: Cream the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and beat well. Use a rubber scraper to pull any remaining butter mixture off the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl. Mix again until well blended. In a separate bowl mix the food color and the cocoa until it makes a paste. Add the cocoa mixture to the butter mixture and mix until it is evenly blended. Spoon through to check for streaks. Add 1/4 cup of the buttermilk and beat on low speed until blended. Add half of the flour and blend. Add the remaining buttermilk, blend and then add the remaining flour. Stir in the baking soda and vinegar until blended.

Fill muffin cups about 3/4 the way with the red velvet batter. Add a tablespoon or so of cheesecake batter to the top. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until cupcakes are firm to the touch. Don’t overbake. Cool completely.

Make frosting: Mix butter, salt, and confectioners sugar until crumbly. Add the cream cheese and beat until creamy, add a little cream if you need to to get the right consistency.

Swirl a good layer atop the cooled cupcakes. Sprinkle with cocoa, edible glitter, or orange zest.