Let’s Bake! (Red Blood Cell Cupcakes Edition)

Welcome to another baking post! As always, I’m delving into my Nerdy Nummies book. I can’t help it, there’s so many cute and creative things I want to make. This time, I went with a Science-themed one. Although it also came out kind of creepy and horror  themed in the end. Either way, making and eating it was fun! Unlike my previous baking post, this one took a while to make. A few hours, but it was worth it!

Here we go!

For the Red Velvet Cupcakes, you’ll need:

• 1 cup flour
• 1/8 cup cocoa
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 stick butter (room temp)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup milk
• 3/4 tbsp red food colouring

For the Red Blood Cell decorations, you’ll need:

• Red Fruit Chews (Starburst Fruit Punch)
• Little bit of red frosting
• 3/4 cup water
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 cup raspberries
• 1 tbsp cornstarch

You need multiple bowls for this bit. In one bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, beat together the bitter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and continue whisking together.

In a small bowl, mix together the sour cream and milk. Alternate the dry mixture and wet mixture into the large bowl. Add the red food colouring in early and continue mixing.

Pour the batter 2/3 into the muffin liners. Bake at 180 C for 18 to 20 minuntes, or until a wooden toothpick comes out clean from the centre. Mine took just over 20 minutes.

I decided to cut off the excess liners from my muffins to make them easier to decorate. Time for the blood cell decorating! So in the Starburst packs, take out all the red ones.

Unwrap the chews, and cut them into quarters. Then you roll them into circles. The last step is to indent them in the middle to get them to look more like blood cells. Ro suggests using a circular fondant tool, but I don’t have one. I used a baking bead, it worked really well. This part tooked the longest out of the whole process.

Use a small dab of the red frosting to use an adhesive and place the cells on the cupcakes, however you like.

Now it’s time to make the raspberry puree. Ro suggests just using red buttercream icing for this part if you’re in a rush, but I wanted to do the original recipe. In a pot, combine the water, sugar and raspberries. Boil it then simmer for up to 30 minutes. After this, pour it through a sieve to get rid of the seeds.

Return it to the post and gradually add cornstarch to thicken the puree. Remove it from the heat and let it cool down.

Now to add the final bloody touch. My puree was a bit watery, but I like the effect it made. It was bleeding all over the cupcakes. Which is why mine ends up more horror themed than science.

Still, it looks awesome! I’m so happy with it!

What do you think of them? Is it more of a science themed treat, or maybe horror? I like to look at it as a mix of both!

Angela.

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