Red Velvet Cream Cheese and Gula Melaka Sponge & Pudding Dahlia Cupcakes

I have a request for a new flavour of sponge and pudding cake along with my tried and tested (and very well received!)  gula melaka flavour -- red velvet cream cheese sponge and pudding cake! The lady who requested for the cupcakes saw the ombre Dahlia cupcakes I made for my friend earlier this year and wanted the same design. I took the liberty of adding a little greens to the pretty flowers :)

I will focus on providing the recipe for red velvet cream cheese sponge and pudding cake in this post since it's a new recipe and a yummy one too! You may find the detailed recipe for the flowers in this post, the recipe for gula melaka sponge and pudding cake in this post and assembly of the cupcake here.

I omitted red colouring in my red velvet chiffon sponge cake recipe as I find it unnecessary.

Red velvet chiffon cake recipe
Ingredients (baked in 10x12" tray for making about twelve 44x35mm cupcakes):
3 Egg yolks
10g caster sugar
39g vegetable/canola oil
54g buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla extract
55g cake flour
10g (about 1.5tbs) Dutch processed cocoa powder*
1tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp fine sea salt

4 egg whites
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
55g caster sugar

Steps:
1. Line baking tray with baking sheet. Set oven rack to lowest or second lowest position. Preheat oven to 160℃.

2. Prepare egg yolk batter. Whisk egg yolk and sugar together until pale and thick. Add oil and whisk until well combined. Add buttermilk and vanilla extract and whisk until combined. Gradually sift in cake flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Whisk until no trace of flour is seen.

3. Prepare the meringue. In a clean metal bowl, beat egg whites with cream of tartar until firm peaks form, gradually adding in sugar once the egg whites are foamy.

4. Quickly but gently fold in the meringue into the egg yolk batter in three additions. Pour the batter into the tray. Gently tap the tray on the table to release air bubbles.

5. Bake for about 15 minutes or until skewer comes out clean. Remove from tray and cool with anothee baking sheet covering it.

Use a 4cm and 5cm round cookie cutter to cut out 2 circles for each of the cupcakes. Store cutouts in airtight container.

Recipe for cream cheese pudding
Ingredients:
A)
200g evaporated milk
125g water
62g sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 vanilla extract
1/2 agar powder

B)
23g custard powder
125g water

C)
200g cream cheese, softened at room temperature
40g evaporated milk

Steps:
1. Blend softened cream cheese with 40g evaporated milk together until smooth. Set aside.

2. Place ingredients in B) in a jug and stir until custard powder is dissolved. Set aside.

3. Place all ingredients in A) in a saucepan and heat on medium heat while stirring. Bring to a boil. Stir B) again and pour into A). Continue stirring until mixture boils again. Keep stirring while still boiling for a minute more.

4. Add C) into the pudding mixture and mix well. Sieve the mixture and get ready for assembly.

Assembly
Alternate layers of cake and pudding inside the cupcake cases.

Chill the cakes for two hours or until the pudding has set.

Add on the Dahlia cupcake deco.

All done!

With love,
Phay Shing