Creating a blog was out of the question for a long time for me, as measuring everything in the kitchen was like biting into an eggshell. I enjoy cooking and don’t want to waste even a slightest bit of enjoyment in that small world of mine. But little did I know that everything will change, when my husband came home with the Oscar nominated film ‘Julie and Julia’( a real life story) where Julie Powell (part played by Amy Adams) challenged herself to make all the 524 recipes from Julia Child's cook book ‘Mastering the Art of French Cooking’ and blogging all her experiences (The Julie/Julia Project). It was an inspiring movie. A few days later when we were discussing this casually with a friend of ours over tea…everything changed dramatically…..” How about you making at least half of it in one year? Not French but your own. 262 recipes that will inspire others and present it as a blog?” For a minute my mind traveled faster than light… With an experience as a helper in my mother in laws kitchen for 6 years followed by a three year everyday struggle to satisfy the palate of my foodie husband, if I cannot do it then why should I cook? But on the other side with an experience in English literature extending no more than expanding outline stories in English grammar class when I was 18 and two small kids that come in handy at times, will a commitment for the next one year work? Anyway my ‘cook's ego’ didn’t allow me to say no...

So my friends …here I am opening my recipe book, trying to perfect and present 262 recipes in the coming 365 days….A Challenge that will of course tastes good. Come.. Have a walk with me along my journey.. Cheering and inspiring….Forgiving and tolerating…Testing and tasting….for ‘A Tasty Challenge’

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Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Red Velvet Cup Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Recipe No: 19
This is a kind of chocolate cake that happened to be my son’s favorite. It’s one of the few cakes that use a combination of Baking soda and Vinegar as the leavening agent.  Apart from the striking color of this cake, it’s mildly flavored with a real good frosting.  The Red Velvet Cupcake tastes the best with the Cream Cheese frosting. It can be made easily without any fancy electric equipment.
Ingredients For The Cake
  • All purpose flour………………1 ¼ cup
  • Sugar……………..………………..3/4 cup
  • Baking Soda……………………..1/2 Teaspoon
  • Salt…………………………………1/4 Teaspoon
  • Cocoa Powder…………………..2 Tablespoons
  • Vegetable Oil……………..…….1/2 Cup
  • Thin Yogurt……………………..3/4 cup (Combine ½ cup Yogurt with ¼ cup                                                                                                                 water) 
  • Egg………………………………….2 Large
  • Red Food Coloring…..………..1/2 Tablespoon (Beet juice from a can also works                                                                                                    perfect)
  • White Vinegar…………….……1/2 Teaspoon
  • Vanilla Extract…………..…….1/2 Teaspoon
    Method of Preparation
    1. Preheat the oven to 350˚F/180˚C.
    2. Line a large Muffin/Cup Cake pan with baking cups. (Paper cups that usually holds cup cakes) Spray all the cups with a non stick spray (butter or canola oil based) evenly.
    3. Sift flour. Combine together Flour, Sugar, Baking Soda, Cocoa and Salt and keep aside.
    4. Beat together Oil, thinned Yogurt, Eggs, Vinegar, Vanilla Extract and Food Coloring.
    5. Combine both Flour and Oil mixture till just combined without any lumps. Don’t over mix. The cake will become dry and tough.
    6. Pour equal amounts of the batter into the prepared cups. Don’t fill more than 3/4th
    7. Bake till a toothpick inserted into the middle of each cupcake comes clean.
    8. This will take 18 to 22 minutes depending on your oven.
    9. Let the cakes cool before applying the frosting.
    Cream Cheese frosting
    Ingredients
    • Cream Cheese………………….One 8 oz packet (at room temperature)
    • Butter……………………………..1 Stick/ 8 Tablespoons (at room temperature)
    • Vanilla Extract………………….1 Teaspoon
    • Powdered Sugar………..………2 cups (sifted)
    Method of Preparation
    1. Beat together Cream Cheese, Butter and Vanilla Extract till light and fluffy.
    2. Add the powdered sugar slowly. When the sugar is almost combined, beat everything on a medium speed until fluffy.
    3. Spread the frosting on the cooled cupcakes and decorate as you wish.
    4. Serve it at room temperature.
    Notes: Always use room temperature ingredients.
    After adding flour don't beat too much. That will develop Gluten in the flour which makes the cake more bread like.
    This will yield around 15 Cupcakes or one 8 inch cake.
    Don’t put this cake in a refrigerator. It will stay at room temperature for at least 3 days. Try to finish it before that. In case if you chill it, let it come to the room temperature before serving.

     



    Make it, enjoy the deliciousness and 
    serve it to your family with love....

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