I woke up today and just had to bake these...

I love cupcakes, and even more than that I love red velvet cupcakes. There is something delightfully gory about their blood red flesh and the pure virginal white icing. Too much? Anyway, they taste like nothing else and though I am not a chocolate fan, their distinct colour tricks me into thinking I am eating something beyond the normal chocolate vein.


Let me start by saying I am not a baker by any stretch of the imagination. I am a good cook, great at times, and I have a natural tendency to want to improvise with any dish and rarely (never?) use a recipe. That doesn't work for baking as far as I can see, so I am ashamed to say I used a packet mix. Sure fire way to get the result I want with no tears. If you want a from-scratch recipe use Smitten Kitchen. Far in way the very best recipe resource out there in my opinion (besides the hallowed Julia Child and Fanny Farmer, natch).


These weren't all for me, and honestly after I have baked I never really feel like eating the result, but I needed an excuse to use one of my cupcake stands (thanks Mutt!). And a good strong cup of earl grey tea was just the ticket to wash one down (just one I promise).


And it was "bloody" good. Sorry...