Whether you celebrate it or not, Valentine’s Day is around the corner. A time for ridiculous price hikes in roses; bombardment of lovely dovely teddy bears, chocolates and heart-shaped balloons; table for two line restaurants offering special “romantic” menus; female rivalry in the office showing off their prized possessions and for those who are single, a time of animosity perhaps?
I’m not normally a cupcake baker (maybe because of this event), but when I saw this post about creating heart-shaped cupcakes, I knew I just had to make them and share them to you for an idea for Valentine’s Day. Deciding on what base to make for the cupcake was no brainer; it had to be Red Velvet Cake, I just love the deep red colour of the cake.
So how was the cupcake? It was moist and dense without it feeling too heavy, and there’s a slight hint of chocolate. I was quite please at how some of them turned out and how easy it was to achieve this shape; just a few ceramic baking beads and ta-da, heart-shaped cupcakes! Please excuse some that look more like kidneys than hearts :p
Over the weekend, I got together with my dear friend Isis of Deer-Robin; a DIY/craft blog. We had thought about doing a collaboration between the two blogs and this project just fell into place quite naturally. I had originally baked these cupcakes the day before and it was just a mattter of decorating them and making the decorative bunting with washi tape for these cupcakes whilst she was over. A fun day was had by all, I love the creativity that we both bounced off one another to produce something beautiful.
It was Isis’ idea to have a star of sprinkles on the cupcake, so I’d cut a star stencil to place on top of the cupcake for ease of placing the sprinkles on. I then took this idea and decided on having a heart of sprinkles, simple but oh-so-cute!
Head over to Deer-Robin for step-by-step instructions on how to make the bunting for these cupcakes.
Recipe
Recipe from here
Makes 9 cupcakes
Red velvet cupcakes
1 cup cake flour, sifted (or add 2 tbsp corn flour into a cup and then fill it up with plain flour)
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup canola (or vegetable) oil
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
2 tbsp red food colouring
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp white vinegar
Sprinkles, for decoration (optional)
Cream cheese frosting
55g butter, softened
125g cream cheese
1 cup icing sugar, sifted
For the red velvet cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 180C (350F). Line cupcake tins with cupcake cases.
- Whisk cake flour, cocoa and salt in a bowl.
- Beat oil and sugar at medium speed until well-blended.
- Beat in egg.
- Slowly add red food colouring. Add vanilla.
- Add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk in two batches, beat until just combined.
- Place baking soda and vinegar in a small dish and mix, then add this mixture to batter and beat for 10 seconds.
- Fill 3/4 of cupcake cases and bake for 25-30 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean. (For heart-shaped cupcakes, see below)
- Cool for 20 minutes before placing on wire rack to cool completely.
For the cream cheese frosting
- Whisk the butter until smooth.
- Add cream cheese and icing sugar until well combined.
- Spread on cooled cupcakes.
- Decorate cupcakes with sprinkles (if using).
To create the heart shaped cupcakes
- Stack 2 small marbles/ceramic baking beads/ 1cm (1/2-inch) balls of aluminum foil between each cupcake liner and tin (you may need more to give them a pointier notch).
- Fill cupcake cases.
Now these are sexy! Love what you have done here! Happy Valentine’s Day Phuoc!
I had so much fun doing this with you <3
What a brilliant idea with the baking beads, and they came out beautifully. I bet they make for a lovely Valentines Day.
What a nifty idea to make heart shaped cupcakes Phuoc! 🙂 Happy valentines dayyyyyy!
Gorgeous!!! I love how you’ve used pie weights to make the heart shape! So much better than buying a specific heart shaped cupcake pan. I love the adorable bunting too!
Adorable, despite my anti St V’s Day stance 😉
I hate the commercialism of Valentines but these are way too cute to resist 😉 Love it!
They are gorgeous! That is such a clever idea of using the baking beads. Okay don’t whack me next time you see me, but the ready to put in the oven cupcakes with the beads look like pacmans ;p Hehehe.
Such a clever and cute idea. And I love the bunting effect. So festive!
How adorable are your heart shaped red velvet cupcakes! I’ve made them once before and now I think I need to make them again soon. SO tasty!
Saw so cute 🙂 I love red velvet! Its my fave. That bunting is awesome
Stephen doesn’t like Valentine’s Day, but I bet I can shove one of these in his mouth next time he starts ranting about the commercialism, lol!
Peter: Thanks Pete, I hope you have a fabulous one too
Isis: Me too <3 <3 <3
Tenille: Thanks! Good for any day I think 🙂
Tina: Cheers! So simple and without a special pan too
Jennifer: Thanks 🙂
Tina: I'm with you there, I don't like the commercialism associated with it
JJ: So true, these should be made any time
Sara: Thanks! Hehehe you're right, geek!
Helen: Cheers!
Catty: Oh I know hey? I'm surprised it wasn't extremely red though, but that's ok, you can decrease the cocoa powder (and proportionally increase flour) and increase the amount of red food colouring for a more vibrant red cake. It's the cream cheese that makes it 🙂
Nic: Thanks!
JasmyneTea: I don't blame him, I also see it as Hallmark Day so I tend to stay away from all that and bake things instead 🙂
ooh hehe that’s such a neat trick to make hearts xD
YOU . ARE . A . GENIUS!
Very cute and I love the mini bunting on top of the cupcakes! 😀
i’m a sucker for heart shaped food!! for a moment i thought the white buds used to shape the cupcakes were mini marshmallows…
I love how you used regular round cupcake cups and made them into heart shapes – saves getting a new set for very little use!
this is SUCH a clever idea!! i love little tricks like this, so great! gorgeous cupcakes.
Cute as! Not that the husband and I celebrate Valentine’s Day as such…
Too many deserts!!!!
Vivian: And it’s too easy too 🙂
Rhonda: HAHA thanks dear!
Lorraine: Thanks 🙂
Excusemewaiter: Now that would have been interesting if they were marshmallows
Martyna: Exactly!
Lannie: Thank you 🙂
Rita: I guess you can make them any other day then 🙂
Paul: There’s nothing wrong with that 😛
gosh i havent visited in ages, look very cute and delicious 🙂
What a great idea. They look gorgeous. Love the presentation.
Muppy: Thanks!
Hotly Spiced: Thanks 🙂
Love this idea! These are gorgeous 🙂 The bunting is also a beautiful touch!
Anna: Thanks Anna