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Birthday cake

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Birthday cake

Any-colour-you-like velvet cupcakes

20 minutes

Any-colour-you-like velvet cupcakes

By Sam Woulidge

Serves Makes 18 to 24

Difficulty Easy

Prep Time 25 minutes

Cooking Time 20 minutes

Ingredients

For the cupcakes:

300 g cake flour
300 g sugar
1 t bicarbonate of soda
1 t cocoa powder
1 t salt
1 cup buttermilk
2 free-range eggs, at room temperature
1½ cups canola oil
1 t white vinegar
½ t vanilla extract

For the cream-cheese frosting:

250 g plain full-cream cream cheese
250 g butter, softened
260 g icing sugar, sifted
½ t vanilla extract
pink, or any colour you like, food colouring (optional)

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line 2 muffin pans with 18–24 paper cases (depending on how big you prefer your cupcakes).

Sift the flour, sugar, bicarbonate of soda, cocoa and salt into a mixing bowl.

In a separate large bowl, combine the buttermilk, eggs, oil, vinegar, food colouring and vanilla extract. Gradually add the flour mixture to the buttermilk mixture.

Divide the batter evenly between the paper cases and bake for 18–20 minutes. Allow to cool on a wire rack before icing.

To make the frosting, beat the cream cheese and butter in an electric mixer using the paddle attachment until light and fluffy. Add the icing sugar and beat well. Add the vanilla extract and beat until just combined. Allow the frosting to rest for 20 minutes in the fridge before using. Ice the cupcakes and decorate wildly.

Cook's note: This recipe was given to me by my friends Callie Maritz and Mari-Louis Guy – both brilliant bakers and fabulous food stylists. Please note that they are in no way responsible for the garish colours I use when baking these.

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Any-colour-you-like velvet cupcakes

Ingredients

Method