Ruby Rouge Cupcakes

Total Time: 55 mins Preparation Time: 35 mins Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• 125 g unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup caster sugar
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 1/4 cups plain flour
• 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder, sifted
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons red food coloring
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 250 g cream cheese, softened
• 60 g butter, softened
• 1 cup icing sugar, sifted
• 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice

Recipe

• 1 preheat the oven to 180c.
• 2 beat the butter and sugar for 5 minutes until light and creamy. add the eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition.
• 3 add remaining cupcake ingredients and beat for 1 minute until mixture is smooth and even in colour.
• 4 two thirds fill 12 x paper lined muffin pans with the mixture and bake at 180c for 20 minutes or until cooked through. remove from pans and cool completely on a cake rack before decorating.
• 5 for icing: beat the cream cheese and butter until light and creamy. add the icing sugar and lemon juice and beat well until completely smooth.
• 6 to decorate cupcakes: cut a small sliver off the top of each cupcake and reserve. spoon the icing into a thick snaplock bag, snip off the corner and pipe icing in thick swirls onto cooled cupcakes. crumble the reserved cupcake over the icing.