For my birthday recently, the good people at Sasko Flour sent me a box of red velvet cupcakes complete with Hello Kitty decorations – perfection!

They were divine, especially the icing, and were bright red too (my previous red velvet cupcakes have always been more pink than red). And I have THE recipe… enjoy! They’re easy to make. Don’t forget to send some my way for quality control purposes…

Here goes…

1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vinegar
1 cup sugar
1 1/4 cup Sasko Cake Flour
1/3 cup oil
2 Tablespoon cocoa powder
1- 2 tablespoons liquid red food colouring (can adjust to your desired colour)
2 teaspoons vanilla essence (or one teaspoon vanilla extract)
1/2 teaspoon Moir’s Baking Powder
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.
Combine buttermilk and vinegar in a bowl and set aside.
Combine sugar, oil and extracts/essences in a large mixing bowl. Add the buttermilk mix and combine thoroughly.
Add the rest of your dry ingredients, mix until all lumps are gone. Lastly add your red liquid food colouring. Mix thoroughly
Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full.
Bake for 17-19 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of a cupcake comes out clean.
Wait at least 30 minutes, or until completely cool to frost.

Recipe will make 12 regular-sized cupcakes, or 24 mini cupcakes.

Butter cream icing
75 Grams butter
3-4 cups icing sugar, sifted
2-3 Tablespoons milk
1 Teaspoon vanilla essence

Cream butter, milk and vanilla essence. Gradually add icing sugar until smooth and creamy and forms peaks. Decorate cupcakes as desired.