Award-winning red velvet cupcakes

Winning red velvet cupcakes

Note from Beth – Have you ever tasted a red velvet anything that is not a winner?? This seems like an awesome dairy recipe. See my note to make it a bit healthier. How about serving these with a nice glass of chilled low-fat milk (think calcium!!) or scroll back to my iced tea or iced coffee blog for more suggestions.

Katie Rousonelos of Madison, Wis., submitted the winning recipe for the first-ever Duncan Hines Red Carpet Cupcake Challenge held on July 29 in New York City. Her “Red Carpet Glamour” (dairy) cupcakes, using Duncan Hines Red Velvet Cake Mix, OU certified kosher/pareve on the box, and Duncan Hines Buttercream frosting, OU certified kosher/dairy, was chosen from over 200 entries. Duncan Hines is the official dessert sponsor of this year’s 62nd Primetime Emmy Awards and Creative Arts Awards Governors Ball, where performers and guests will sample her cupcakes on Aug. 27.

Red Carpet Glamour

By Katie Rousonelos

(Editor’s note: recipe can be modified to a healthier option by substituting reduced or low-fat sour cream and cream cheese and perhaps half & half instead of heavy cream)

Ingredients

Cupcake batter

1 package Duncan Hines Red Velvet Cake mix
1 1/4 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
3 tsp. raspberry flavoring
1/2 cup sour cream

Chocolate ganache filling

4 oz. bittersweet chocolate
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tbsp. confectioners sugar

Vanilla bean frosting

1 container Duncan Hines Buttercream frosting
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and insides scraped out
1 tsp. vanilla extract
4 oz. cream cheese

1. Add the ingredients for filling in a medium microwave safe bowl. Heat until mixture is warm (20-30 seconds on high). Whisk until smooth, put in refrigerator to stand until just chilled, no longer than 30 minutes.

2. Preheat oven to 350Â°F. Grease muffin pans or line with paper baking cups.

3. Blend dry mix, water, oil, and eggs in large bowl at low speed until moistened (about 30 seconds). Then add sour cream and raspberry flavoring. Beat at medium speed for 2 minutes. Spoon batter into muffin pan or paper cups.

4. Place one rounded teaspoon of filling on the top of each cupcake.

5. Bake cupcakes for 19-22 minutes. Add 3-5 minutes to bake time for dark or coated pans. Cupcakes are done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

6. Cool in pan on wire rack for 15 minutes. Cool completely before frosting.

7. To make the frosting, add the canned frosting, cream cheese, vanilla bean, and vanilla extract together. Beat until mixed, about 1 minute. Refrigerate filling for 30 minutes. Frost and decorate cupcakes as desired.

Cooking with Beth

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