Red Velvet Rope High-hat Cupcakes with Swiss Meringue Buttercream
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Moist, yet light crumb, red velvet cupcake topped with mile-high airy Swiss meringue buttercream. Then dipped in a white chocolate coating to create a delicious crunch atop the billowy frosting!
Author:
Serves: 12
Ingredients
  • 1⅔ cups cake flower
  • 2 tbsp. cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • ¼ tsp. baking soda
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • ½ cup milk whole – room temp
  • 2 eggs – room temp
  • 2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 stick unsalted butter – room temp
  • 2 tbsp. vegetable oil
  • ¼ cup Mascarpone – room temp
  • Red gel food coloring
  • For the Buttercream:
  • 5 egg whites
  • 1½ cups sugar
  • 4 sticks of unsalted butter - room temp
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • 2 tsp. vanilla extract
Instructions
  1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-cup cupcake pan with liners and set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, combine your dry ingredients and whisk to combine, then set aside.
  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter until smooth about 2 minutes. Slowly add in the sugar and continue to beat for another 3 to 5 minutes until light and fluffy.
  4. Add the mascarpone and beat until combined.
  5. Add the oil and incorporate.
  6. Beat the egg whites until slightly foamy. Add to the butter sugar mixture in three pours. Beat after each addition until incorporated.
  7. Add the vanilla extract.
  8. Add ⅓ of the dry ingredients and mix until just incorporated. Add half of the wet mixture and combine. Add another third of the dry and mix. Then add the rest of the wet mixture and combine. Last, add the rest of the dry ingredients and mix to combine. Do not over mix.
  9. Using an ice-cream scoop or about ⅓ cup, fill each cupcake liner ⅔rds full. Gently even out tops with offset spatula or knife.
  10. Bake on middle rack of the oven for 16 to 18 minutes until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
  11. Let cool for 10 minutes in pan on rack. Then remove from pan and allow to cool completely on the rack.
  12. For the Buttercream:
  13. Separate whites from yolks in the bowl of a stand mixer.
  14. Pour sugar in bowl with the egg whites.
  15. Place bowl over, not touching, a pot with simmering water.
  16. Whisk constantly until sugar has completely dissolved around 160 degrees. If you don’t have a candy thermometer, you can tell it’s done when you rub a little of the mixture between your fingers and it is completely smooth with no graininess. Should take about 10 minutes.
  17. Then return bowl to stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment.
  18. Begin beating the eggs and sugar until whites are glossy and stiff peaks have formed.
  19. The bowl should be cool to the touch, this will take around 10 minutes.
  20. Next switch to the paddle attachment and beat on medium high speed.
  21. Add the butter slowly one piece at a time to incorporate. The mixture will look like it’s curdled, keep mixing, that is normal.
  22. Mix until frosting is smooth and shiny.
  23. Add in the vanilla extract and mix to combine.
  24. In a large pastry bag fitted with a large round tip, pipe tall swirls on the cupcakes.
  25. Place frosted cupcakes in fridge for at least two hours to chill.
  26. Melt the chocolate coating in 30 second intervals in the microwave until smooth.
  27. Place melted chocolate in large, deep cup, for dipping the cupcakes.
  28. Take chilled frosted cupcake and invert into the chocolate until all of the frosting is coated.
  29. Allow excess to drip off, then place on parchment paper.
  30. Allow to dry and set. Add your edible gold leaf and edible gold luster dust to the tips of the chocolate shell.
  31. Store covered at room temp for 3 days or covered in the fridge for 5 days.
  32. Enjoy!
Recipe by Social Buttercream at http://socialbuttercream.com/2018/03/03/oscar-party-and-the-oscar-goes-to/