Red Velvet Cup cakes

I had been pining to bake these cup cakes since some time. My baking experiments off late has been sporadic.I am not satisfied with my microwave oven and I keep procrastinating baking in the hope of getting my dream oven. I was also waiting for an occasion to bake and finally it came my way.My cousin from Austria visited us yesterday. He is a health food junkie (if ever on can term someone so he is it). He is twice my age but in great shape and health that I did not want to indulge him with dollops of desi ghee or gluten. So I decided to go for this buttermilk flavoured cup cakes with lemon cream. I did not have sour cream which is the frosting recommended for red velvet cakes.And I hate some leftover lemon cream from my hubby's birth day tucked in the freezer. Since they were tangy enough I thought it would complement the velvet cake.This cake was a total new experience for me. It had ingredients I would never associate with a cake like vinegar for instance. It turned out better than I expected especially since I was baking it in a hurry with a heavy lunch buffet. This is the first recipe I have tried from the joy of baking site and I must say I am impressed.The buttermilk is responsible for the moist crumbs.Something I did not pay much attention to and was wrong to me is the vinegar and soda part. The recipe said soda would start acting immediately so once mixed the batter should be in the oven immediately. I left the batter lying around for 30 minutes since I was cooking other dishes, and this I think gave the batter time to act. The cup cakes were too soft to me and I guess I could have got a firmer batch had I put them in the oven. But they tasted great and had a buttermilk- vinegar flavour that made it distinct. My cousin felt the cream was right and complimented the cake well. I did not have any  heavy cream to whip up and make the lemon cream thicker but I guess that can be experimented the next time. So I would give me a 7/10 for this experiment.And maybe some other day I will come with the ultimate red velvet cup cakes.

Ingredients for Red Velvet cup cakes

Flour-125 grams

Baking powder- 1/4 tsp

Salt- 1/4 tsp

Cocoa powder- 1 tbsp

Butter- 57 gm

Sugar- 150 gm

Egg- 1

Vanilla- 1 tsp

Buttermilk- 120ml

Red food colour- 1 tbsp

Vinegar- 1/2 tsp

Baking soda- 1/2 tsp

Directions

Sieve the flour, baking powder, salt and cocoa powder in a bowl. Cream the butter and sugar in another bowl add egg, vanilla essence, buttermilk and cream well. When the mix is creamy add the sieved flour and food colour and whip up the batter. Line the tray with paper cases for cup cake and get ready to pour the batter. Just before pouring the batter into the cases, mix the soda and vinegar in a shot glass and let it react. Now add this mixture into the cake batter and mix well. Spoon the batter into cases as the soda starts reacting to the cake mix.

 Bake the cup cakes at 180 degrees for 25 minutes. Insert a toothpick after 25 minutes and if you find your cup cakes uncooked cook them for 10- 15 more minutes and they should be done.

I baked mine in a microwave oven so I am not sure about other standard ovens.But the joy of baking site recommended 18- 22 minutes so I guess that should be fine for ovens.