#7: Red Velvet Minis

It's Valentine's day! I was completely sick last week so I didn't make cupcakes so as to not infect my coworkers. They probably wouldn't appreciate Disease Flavour all that much anyway.

In honour of VD, and because three separate people sent me links to Red Velvet cakes, (subtle hints) I made some. I don't like red velvet cake. The last time I had it, all I could taste was food colouring, which is not a pleasant taste. I did some looking, and they actually sell red colour with 'no flavour' which tells me normal red colour has a flavour, so at least it's not in my mind. (Who would buy red colour with food colouring flavour if they know there's a non-flavoured version available?)

All in all, these came out really good. They have that nutty red velvet flavour, but almost no colouring flavour, and they're a really RED red, which I'm pleased with. I topped them wit chocolate instead of white, cos the chocolate was already made, and it really goes well with the slight chocolateyness of the cake. Two thumbs up from me.

Cupcakes
(makes 36 teeny cupcakes)

1 c. heavy cream (all I had, probably better to use milk, soy milk, or something that's not whipping cream!)
1 tsp raspberry balsamic vinegar (again, all I had, probably best to use apple cider!)
1 tsp cream of tartar
2 tbsp. cocoa
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 c. oil (I used olive, use whatever)
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/3 c. cake flour
3/4 c. sugar
An entire thing of red food colouring

Add vinegar to cream, allow to curdle.
I just tossed the rest of the ingredients in the mixer kindof willy nilly. It was late, I was tired.

Chocolate Ganache *Left over from Wasabi Cakes and frozen.

1c. heavy cream
9.7 oz. dark chocolate
1/2 c. sugar
bit of butter
bit of vanilla extract

Boil cream, pour over chocolate, melt together. Add sugar, add butter, add vanilla. Cool completely before using as icing.