Red Velvet Cupcake with Mascarpone Frosting
INGREDIENTS:
For the red velvet cupcake
- 2 tbsps. unprocessed and unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1¼ cups all purpose floor
- 2 tsps. baking powder
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- ¼ tsp. salt
- 2 pcs. medium-sized sugar beets
- 1/3 cup fresh calamansi or lemon juice
- 1/3 cup canola oil
- 1½ tsps. vanilla extract
- a handful of chocolate chips for toppings (optional)
For the mascarpone frosting
- 1 cup commercialized or homemade mascarpone cheese
- ¾ cup chilled all purpose or heavy cream
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
For the homemade mascarpone cheese
- 1 cup heavy cream or ¾ cup all purpose cream mixed with 3 oz. (85 grams) softened butter
- ½ tbsp. fresh calamansi or lemon juice
PROCEDURE:
Red velvet cupcake
- Thoroughly wash the sugar beets. Make sure to rinse off all the dirt residue left on the peelings. Cook the beets in a double broiler or microwave oven until they are very soft and easy to mash.
- Peel the beets and slice them into small pieces. Crush the beets in a food processor or heavy-duty blender. Add 3 to 4 tablespoons of water and continue to grind until the beets achieved a smooth and thick semi fluid consistency. This should yield at least 1 cup of beets puree. Set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF (175ºC).
- In a large mixing bowl, sift together the cocoa powder, all-purpose flour, baking powder, granulated sugar and salt. Mix with a whisker until well blended and set aside.
- In a separate mixing bowl, combine the pureed beets, calamansi/ lemon juice, canola oil and vanilla extract. Stir until mixed well.
- Gradually pour the puree mixture into the dry ingredients. Lightly whisk just enough to combine.
- Line a standard-sized cupcake pan (2-½-inch-diameter cups) with cupcake papers. Fill with batter each paper liners about ¾ of the way full. Leave a small allowance to avoid the cupcake from overflowing as it expands and fluff up during the baking process.
- Bake for 20 to 30 minutes. Test the doneness of the cupcakes by inserting a wooden toothpick into the center. If the toothpick comes out clean, then the cupcakes are done and ready to go.
- Take the pan off the oven and let the cupcakes stay in the pan for 5 to 10 minute before transferring them into the cooling rack. The cupcakes are too fragile and may tend to break or deform when very hot.
- When the cupcakes are completely cooled, top them with mascarpone frosting and chocolate chips. You may chill them or serve right away as a dessert or as an accompaniment to coffee or tea.
Mascarpone frosting
- Whip the chilled cream until firm and stiff peaks begin to form.
- Put the granulated sugar and vanilla extract and whisk until well blended.
- Break the lumps in the mascarpone cheese and add this to the whipped cream. Gently beat the cream mixture until the ingredients are well-incorporated.
- Transfer the mascarpone cream frosting into a piping tube and decorate the cupcakes as desired.
Homemade mascarpone cheese
- Place the heavy cream or the mixture of butter and all purpose cream in a medium saucepan over moderate heat to a low simmer. Continuously stir the cream and maintain the heat at a controlled temperature to avoid the cream from burning and sticking on the pan.
- Add the calamansi or lemon juice and cook for 5 more minutes. The mixture will thicken to a consistency similar to gravy.
- Remove from heat and allow to cool for 20 minutes. Line a strainer with several layers of cheesecloth or tea towel and place it over a bowl. Pour the thickened cream mixture in the lined strainer and cover the top with a plastic wrap. Refrigerate to culture overnight (8 to 24 hours).
- Transfer the cultured mascarpone cheese in an airtight container. It can now be used for the mascarpone frosting or can be stored in the fridge for 5 days.
**This yields 12 to 15 standard sized cupcakes.
TIPS FROM ENZ:
- You can adjust the cocoa if you want the cupcakes less or more chocolatey.
- The cupcakes are best consumed when chilled for at least one hour.
- The mascarpone frosting pipes very well but stays soft, so it would be best to refrigerate it until ready to be served.