I just finished reading the latest cupcake murder mystery by Jenn McKinlay, Death by the Dozen, and it's delicious! It was especially fun because it involves a food festival where the owners of the fictional Fairy Tale Cupcakes are given random ingredients like stout or goat cheese to try to incorporate into desserts, and it's set at Hotel Valley Ho in Scottsdale, Arizona, home of real-life Cupcake Love-In, where I got to meet Jenn this year (no murder involved, but there was a cupcake with a real grasshopper on and in it that we ate). Not only did it keep me guessing, there are recipes in the back and Jenn has graciously allowed us to reprint hers. The secret ingredient in the story was beets and they made these red velvet cupcakes using them! Appropriately enough, the next book in the series is called Red Velvet Revenge. Keep up with all Jenn's books at jennmckinlay.com and at food blog blog Mystery Lovers Kitchen.
Jenn McKinlay's red velvet cupcakes
Red Velvet Cupcakes (using beets): A red velvet cupcake made with beet puree and topped cream cheese frosting and an edible flower (optional).
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup beet puree
1/3 cup canola oil 1egg, room temperature
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350° F. Put 12 cupcake liners in muffin tin. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In another bowl, add in the oil, lemon juice, vanilla and egg to the pureed beets. Pour the beet mixture into the bowl of dry ingredients and mix just enough to combine. Fill each muffin cup 2/3 full and bake for 18 – 22 minutes, until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool completely.
Cream Cheese Frosting:
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups powdered sugar
Beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla in large bowl until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar and beat until frosting is smooth. Put frosting in a pastry bag and pipe onto cupcakes in thick swirls, using an open tip. Decorate with an edible flower, such as a nasturtium.
Jenn McKinlay's red velvet cupcakes
Red Velvet Cupcakes (using beets): A red velvet cupcake made with beet puree and topped cream cheese frosting and an edible flower (optional).
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup beet puree
1/3 cup canola oil 1egg, room temperature
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350° F. Put 12 cupcake liners in muffin tin. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In another bowl, add in the oil, lemon juice, vanilla and egg to the pureed beets. Pour the beet mixture into the bowl of dry ingredients and mix just enough to combine. Fill each muffin cup 2/3 full and bake for 18 – 22 minutes, until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool completely.
Cream Cheese Frosting:
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups powdered sugar
Beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla in large bowl until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar and beat until frosting is smooth. Put frosting in a pastry bag and pipe onto cupcakes in thick swirls, using an open tip. Decorate with an edible flower, such as a nasturtium.
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