Red Velvet Cupcakes

MAKES 24

625 ml cake flour
375 ml sugar
10 ml bicarbonate of soda
20 ml cocoa powder
5 ml salt
250 ml buttermilk
2 extra-large eggs
330 ml oil
30 ml red food colouring
5 ml vanilla extract
10 ml white vinegar

ICING
60 g soft butter
250 ml icing sugar
250 g medium fat cream cheese
5 ml vanilla extract
30 ml cream

METHOD: Line two 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake cups. Sift together the cake flour, sugar, bicarbonate of soda, cocoa powder and salt. Sift a second time. Beat the buttermilk, eggs, oil, food colouring, extract and vinegar together. Add to sifted mixture and mix until combined. Do not overmix. Using an ice cream scoop, fill cupcake cups with cake batter (to about 2/3 full). Preheat oven to 180˚C. Place muffin tins on the middle rack and bake for 20 to 22 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the centre. Do not overbake. Leave cupcakes to cool for 10 minutes in the muffin tins before turning out onto a wire rack. Allow to cool completely before icing.

ICING:
Beat together butter and icing sugar until pale yellow. Add the cream cheese and vanilla
extract and mix well. Ice the cupcakes and decorate with sprinkles and fresh raspberries.