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Meaning heavy on the chocolate…and the roses!
You know how yesterday I was talking about the tomboy in me? Well today, I am kind of kicking that part of me to the side and going all girly on you guys. Well, not that girly, but I did make cupcakes flavored with roses and while these picture have sort of a dark and moody feel, I can’t help but feel happy just looking at them.
It’s the roses.
Flowers are the one girly thing that suck me in every time. I am not big on make-up (mascara and chapstick is about it for me), I really do not like the color pink, I’d rather drive a stick shift car than an automatic and I’d rather spend the day in the snow, maybe even hanging out with my brothers, than in the mall (BUT I do like the mall…on a rainy day…my grandma did pass that gene onto me). Also, just thought I should mention that my younger sister Asher (she’s six) and I could not be more different. She is the ultimate girly girl and pink is her all time favorite color.
And now that we got that all sorted out, let’s talk about all things Deep Dark and Rosy, like these Red Velvet Cupcakes.
This was my first experience with baking red velvet cupcakes. Normally, I am not that into red velvet because food coloring freaks me out a bit and well, there is really just not enough chocolate in them for my liking. So while I still used the food coloring, I did end up adding kind of, sort of, a lot more chocolate. Hence the “Deep Dark” part to this recipe.
Oh, and rose water!! Some of you may think it’s weird to be flavoring cupcakes with roses, but I promise you, it’s not and it’s so perfect.
If you don’t have rose water on hand… nor does your neighbor, your mom or your sister, and you simply must make these today, you can leave the rose water out.
But really, the flavors all compliment each other really well, so try to find the rose water first!
The standouts from greatest to least are chocolate, rose and vanilla. When mixed in with a little sugar and a little butter, magic happens. No really it does.
I know that a lot of people only associate red velvet with Christmas, but for me, red velvet is definitely a February thing. And for some reason this year, I really went full force with the V-Day eats. No idea why, but it was fun (so umm, check back next week because there is a lot of good food coming your way).
These cupcakes were just the start, I loved them. I haven’t said that yet, but I really did love them. The chocolate flavor is awesome and subtle light flavors of the roses balance the chocolate out. AND that cream cheese frosting. Whoa.
That’s maybe the best thing ever. Seriously, so good.
The good thing, no awesome thing, about these cupcakes is that you can make them anytime of the year. For a particular occasion…or for no reason at all, which really is the best.
Oh, and sorry about all these pictures. I can’t help but take loads photos when things are pretty…
And, expect more of these roses. I paid forty bucks for them, so you know I used them till their death. Actually, they are not dead yet, maybe I can color them green for March – just kidding.
Deep Dark and Rosy, Red Velvet Cupcakes.
Servings: 24 Cupcakes
Calories Per Serving: 434 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 2 cups flour*
- 1/2 cup cornstarch*
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 1/2 cups canola oil
- 2 eggs at room temperature*
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons rose water*
- 2-4 teaspoons red food coloring
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoons white vinegar
- 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate chopped
Frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1/2 cup salted butter softened (or unsalted with 1/2 tsp salt), 8 tablespoons
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 vanilla bean seeds removed
- 2 teaspoons rose water*
- 1-2 tablespoons heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 standard muffin tins with paper liners.
- Whisk together flour, cornstarch, cocoa, and salt.
- With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, whisk together the sugar and oil until combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Mix in food coloring, vanilla and rose water.
- Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with the buttermilk, and mixing well after each addition. Stir together the baking soda and vinegar in a small bowl (it will foam) and add the mixture to the batter, mix on medium speed until combined. Stir in the chopped chocolate.
- Divide batter evenly among the prepared pans, filling each three-quarters full. Bake 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, do not over bake. Transfer cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Meanwhile, make the frosting, using an electric mixer, beat together the cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy. Slowly beat in the powdered sugar, vanilla bean seeds and rose water until smooth. Add cream to reach your desired consistency.
- Once the cupcakes are cool, frost with the cream cheese frosting. Decorate with roses if desired.
Notes
*I do not regularly keep cake flour on hand so I used a mix of all-purpose flour and cornstarch. If you happen to have cake flour on hand, you can use 2 1/2 cups cake flour and NO cornstarch. **To quickly bring eggs to room temperature place them in a bowl and fill with warm water. Let them sit five minutes. ***Rose water can be purchased at most health food stores or online. Here is the link to the one I bought on [Amazon | http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00194BI4I/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00194BI4I&linkCode=as2&tag=halbakhar-20&linkId=6IVXRZX5326TJMKR]. I chose the 4 oz bottle because it was more economical than the 2 oz bottle. **** Unfrosted cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months, in airtight containers. Once the cupcakes are frosted, store in the fridge and bring to room temp before eating. This recipe is easily halved. ****Cupcakes adapted from [Martha Stewart | http://www.marthastewart.com/317517/red-velvet-cupcakes]
Have a very Deep Dark and Rosy, Red Velvet Cupcakes Friday!
Stunningly beautiful Tieghan! Love how you played up the chocolate in these cupcakes.
Thanks so much, Mary! Hope you had a great weekend!
So I just made these… They’re the bomb! used pink colour instead of red and put some in the frosting too. Some dark chocolate shavings on top makes them perfect!!! Work peeps are already salivating about them!
Awesome! So happy you loved them!
Thanks Alexandra! 🙂
Wow. The most beautiful post I’ve seen in a long time!
Could I just say your photographs are beautiful!! And I will most definitely try out this recipe because it just sounds and looks sooo yummm.
Just a quick question though, why do you use canola oil instead of butter. And what food colouring do you use? I believe most food colourings have E120 which isnt suitable for vegetarians. Would you be able to recommend a vegetarian friendly colouring?
These cupcakes are the prettiest ever! I love that you added more chocolate to the red velvet (brilliant!) and the texture of that frosting is heaven!
These cupcakes look delicious,and your photos are so pretty! I made red velvet cupcakes several years ago, for Christmas, and everyone loved them. I can’t I believe I haven’t made them since then. I love how extra-chocolatey your recipe is. When I made them, I put vanilla cream cheese frosting on half and chocolate frosting on half. If you want even more chocolate flavour on them, try chocolate frosting! They were so good! Iwould love to try your recipe, but i think I’ll leave out the rosewater, just not a fan.
These are stunningly beautiful. Love 🙂
Thank you!!
“Flowers are the one girly thing that suck me in every time. I am not big on make-up (mascara and chapstick is about it for me), I really do not like the color pink, I’d rather drive a stick shift car than a manual and I’d rather spend the day in the snow, maybe even hanging out with my brothers, than in the mall ”
1. stick shift and manual are the same thing.
2. nice job reinforcing gender stereotypes here. you do this constantly. it’s 2015. there’s nothing weird or different about a woman who doesn’t like pink or going to the mall.
Hey Jane,
Thanks for pointing out my typo about the cars. Just fixed that, so I appreciate you pointing that out. But umm, if you do not like what you are reading, just don’t read.
I love a moist red velvet. I have seen some dry ones and they are not very tasty looking. LOVE those PINK roses. PINK is were it’s at. HAHAHA!!!
THANKS Charlotte! 🙂
Where did you (can I) find those tiny dried flowers that you used?
I just found them at my local health food store. I sure whole foods carries them too.
Tieghan the pictures are simply STUNNING and those roses gahhhh so so pretty girl!!I love red velvet cupcakes and rose water but never tried them together!! Genius!
Thanks Ami!! 🙂
These look amazing! I just bought red velvet Oreos today and they made me want some real red velvet cake asap!
Thanks Kristin! 🙂
I can tell you had such fun taking these pictures, I couldn’t decide which one to pin!
🙂
Thanks so much, Sue!!
You are such a talented girl and your photographs blow me away. There is so much emotion in the last one especially! So beautiful! x
THANKS so much, Casey!!
Yes! Finally, someone who agrees with me about red velvet stuff (besides my siblings, lol! :P)!! I’ve always said the red color is kind of startling and rather un-food-like, and besides all that, there is NEVER enough chocolate. And if it is supposed to be chocolate cake, then an appropriate amount of chocolate should be used. 🙂 Thank you for the new and improved red velvet! 😉
As usual, lovely photos!! I love how the swirl in the frosting mimics the swirl of the rose petals…excellently done!
🙂
Thanks Hannah!!