Perfect for Halloween or for a black and white event, these spicy, chocolaty black velvet cupcakes are moist perfection. Any frosting or filling can be used to make them appropriate from a Halloween party to sophisticated Valentines Day!
1 ½teaspoonsvinegarI used balsamic but any will do
1teaspoonvanilla extract
¾cupsugar
¾cupbrown sugar
½cupbutterroom temperature
2eggsroom temperature
For Filling and Frosting
8ozPhiladelphia cream cheese
¼cupbutter
½teaspoonvanilla extract
1teaspoonorange flavoring
Orange food color(or yellow and red)
1teaspoonorange zest
2cupsConfectioner’s sugar
Pinch of salt
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350
Line muffin tins with cupcake papers
Mix the sifted cake flour, cocoa, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, chipotle, baking powder and salt in a bowl
Beat the butter with sugars until light and fluffy.
Add eggs, one at a time
Add vanilla
Beat until well blended
Mix vinegar the black food color, the baking soda, and the buttermilk in a bowl
Add the dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour
Spoon into cupcake papers and bake for 20 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out with just a little crumb on it
Let cool
Meanwhile mix the remaining butter and cream cheese
Add orange flavor, vanilla, salt and orange zest
Beat in confectioners until smooth and creamy
Add orange food color until it is the color you desire
Cut the center out of the cupcakes and use a pastry tube to fill the hollows with the cream cheese
Frost tops with remaining frosting.
Refrigerate if not using within a few hours
Notes
Storage:Store, covered with plastic wrap, at room temperature for a day or so and refrigerate for longer storage. These cupcakes freeze well, too.Tips:
Scoop the flour into the measuring cup lightly and don't pack in.
Preheat your oven early on, especially if it's an older model. Even though it may "ding" and let you know it's heated up, sometimes it still takes a bit after that to consistently hold the correct temperature.
Let your cold ingredients (like the eggs and cup of buttermilk) come to room temperature before baking. It helps the batter to combine better and more quickly.
When mixing black velvet cake batter, whisk the dry ingredients together very well. Then, when combining the dry with the wet ingredients in the final step, only mix until everything comes together. Overmixing at this point can cause your cake to come out a bit dry.
However, make sure to beat the sugar and butter together very well. It can take up to five minutes. "Light and fluffy" means that the mixture visually appears lighter in color and fluffier (less dense) than at the start.