By now, you will know what you’re doing Tuesday. Traditional roast, seafood, BBQ, going Greek like Kat, or maybe you’re one of the growing number of Australians who are dining out on Christmas Day.
So our Weekend Recipe is something different. A real festive treat that looks like Christmas, tastes great and is fun to make. But a word of warning from the foodie/cook, Perre Coleman Magness, from Memphis Tennessee.
“First, you really do need a whole bottle of food colouring to get the vivid red, otherwise it will be a muddy, dull shade.
These Red Velvet Surprise Cupcakes are perfect to make ahead, an impressive party gift, and can be stored for days in an airtight container. They’re also pretty enough to serve as decoration on their own.
Makes 16 cupcakes
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
11/3 cups sugar
1 large egg
1 cup white chocolate morsels
11/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 small bottle red food colouring
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.
Line 16 muffin cups with paper liners.
Beat the cream cheese with an electric mixer until creamy and smooth. Gradually beat in 1/3 cup sugar until thoroughly combined. Add the egg and beat until smooth. Fold in the white chocolate morsels. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the remaining 1 cup of sugar, the flour, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients. Stir together the water, oil, vinegar and vanilla and red food colouring in a measuring jug, then pour into the well. Stir just until the batter is mixed. Spoon the batter evenly between the 16 muffin cups, filling each half-full.
Spoon a heaped ablespoon of the cream cheese filling over the batter in the cups.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until you’re satisfied the cupcakes are cooked and the cream cheese filling is set.
Cool for 5 minutes in the tins, then remove to cool completely on a wire rack.
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