Red Velvet Cheesecake Cupcakes-A birthday Surprise

I’m not sure when or how this happened but both my sister Anh and I developed an obsession for Red Velvet cake at about the same time a couple years ago. We’ve gone to various restaurants around Houston (including Ruggles Green, coffee shops, Fountainview Cafe), searching for THE BEST red velvet cupcakes! I’ve had my oldest baker sister make me an awesome red velvet cake for my 25th birthday. Anh’s made a bunch of boxed red velvet cupcakes.  My favorite cupcakes so far are the mini red velvet cupcakes from Hotel Zaza in Houston which are not advertised anywhere.  You can call and request for some and they’re like $3 a pop but SOOO good! The cake is moist with the absolute perfect red velvet flavor which is really vanilla-y with a slight hint of cocoa.  But the smooth and rich cream cheese frosting is what makes them irresistable…I can eat like 5 or 6 without blinking. Then, there’s the infamous “Stephanie’s Red Velvet Cheesecake” from The Cheesecake Factory. Imagine the best, most dense, rich red velvet cake layered with the most dense, rich, cheesecake then topped off with some amazing whipped cream! I don’t care what anyone says about this large chain restaurant…they make some damn good cheesecake! Especially the cake ones. This is where my inspiration came for these cheesecake cupcakes. So i made these in honor of my sister’s love for this cake for her birthday party. My first red velvet cupcakes ever…

I researched around and found Paula Deen’s recipe on food network to be acceptable though I added more cocoa powder since I wanted more of a chocolatey taste.I have been using butter as the “moistener” in my cake recipes but this one called for oil which I liked since I didn’t have to bring butter to room temperature.

For the frosting, I like the basic cream cheese frosting with butter, cream cheese, vanilla extract and powdered sugar. However, since I had some heavy cream, I mixed my two favorite frostings to come up with a super fluffy, light, and not so sweet “heavy cream cheese frosting”.

For the “cheesecake layer”, I researched a couple different recipes but liked the one from Bliss Tree contributer Marye Audet whose recipe for Red Velvet/Cheesecake Marbled Cupcakes looks yummy too though I haven’t tried it. Basically, you take cream cheese, eggs, sugar and vanilla and optionally add lemon, lime or orange zest. I added the first 2 and it had a nice subtle citrusy flavor. The only thing I’d do next time is fix the cupcake to cheesecake ratio. I didn’t have enough cheesecake for the amount of batter.

Technique Tips: To layer these cupcakes, I used an ice cream scoop for the batter and used a piping bag for the cheesecake. I’d fill 1/3 batter, 1/3 cheesecake, and 1/3 batter. You can also do 1/2 batter then 1/2 cheesecake. I noticed that when the cheesecake batter is on top, it can burn fast or crack so keep a watchful eye on the time!

Decorations: Chocolate chocolate chocolate. I used white and dark chocolate and spread it out on a plastic board to about 1/8 inch thick. I put it in the freezer for just 3-5 minutes. The trick is to get the chocolate pliable enough so that when you cut into it with a cookie cutter, it doesn’t crack because it’s too cold. Chocolate is very temperamental and can be hard to work with so you may want to decorate with something else like hard candies or different color icings.

The cupcakes came out superb! They were my favorite so far of all the ones I’ve baked. I used two types of cupcake linings…paper and aluminum and I’d definitely use aluminum. It held so much better and because the cupcakes are for a lack of better words…so greasy, the grease seeped through the paper linings.

Grade: A+++

Reviews: everyone at the birthday party loved them. Anh, the birthday girl ate 3 of them! I, the baker, had 4 and I usually only allow myself 1 sample cupcake just to make sure they are serve-able. I just couldn’t resist my two favorite cakes…

Red Velvet Cupcakes (Paula Deen)

Notes on these cupcakes:
Baked for 22 minutes because baked in muffin cupcakes so it was bigger.

Recipe courtesy Paula Deen, 2007

Prep Time:20 min

Cook Time:20 min

Level:Easy

Serves:24 frosted cupcakes(12 cupcakes)

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour( 1 1/4 cup flour)
• 1 1/2 cups sugar(3/4 cup sugar)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda(1/2 tsp baking soda)
• 1 teaspoon salt(1/2 tsp salt)
• 2 teaspoon cocoa powder (1/2 tsp cocoa powder) i added 1 tsp. extra
  
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil(3/4 cup veg oil)
• 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature(1/2 cup buttermilk)
• 2 large eggs, room temperature (1 large egg)
• 2 tablespoons red food coloring (1 tbsp red food color)
• 1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 (12-cup) muffin pans with cupcake papers.

In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. In a large bowl gently beat together the oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla with a handheld electric mixer. Add the sifted dry ingredients to the wet and mix until smooth and thoroughly combined.

At this point, make the cheesecake filling in a separate bowl and then place into piping bag.

Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake tins about 2/3 filled. Bake in oven for about 20 to 22 minutes, turning the pans once, half way through (forgot to do this). Test the cupcakes with a toothpick for doneness. Remove from oven and cool completely before frosting.

Cheesecake Filling

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 8 oz cream cheese
• 1/2 tsp or so of lime grate
• 1/2 tsp or so of lemon grate
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 egg

Layer the cake batter with a ladle or ice cream scoop, then use piping bag to squeeze cheesecake layer about 2 tablesppons and then more cake batter.

“Heavy Cream Cheese” Frosting

Note: I used an 18 star tip to pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes. The frosting held well but needs to be refrigerated since it has so much dairy products in it.

Heavy Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2.5 tbsp white sugar

Mix these ingredients in one bowl with a hand mixer until fluffy.

• 8 oz cream cheese
• 1 stick butter
• 1 cup powdered sugar

Mix these ingredients together in a separate bowl until fluffy.

Fold both together and mix for light and fluffy frosting.