Red Velvet Birds

Ingredients:

Muffin:

  • ¼ cup butter room temperature
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 egg
  • ½ cup buttermilk *
  • ¼ tsp red food colouring
  • 1 cup self-rising flour
  • 1½ tbsp cocoa powder
  • 1¼ tsp baking powder
  • ¼ tsp table salt 

Decoration:

  • red icing (e.g., vanilla icing with red food colouring)
  • 3 large marshmallows cut into thirds for the tummy
  • 10 mini marshmallows cut in two for the eyes
  • chocolate frosting for eyebrows and pupils
  • 20 red jellybeans as feathers
  • 10 orange wedge candy cut into the shape of a beak

Method:

  1. Line the muffin tray with muffin papers. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
  2. Using a hand mixer, beat butter and sugar together for 5 minutes.
  3. Add egg. Mix briefly for 20 seconds.
  4. In a separate bowl, dilute the red food coloring gel into the buttermilk. Stir until fully combined.
  5. In another bowl, sieve and combine the dry ingredients together.
  6. Mix the dry ingredients into the butter mixture in three additions. Alternate with the wet ingredients in two additions. Mix only briefly.
  7. Scoop the batter into the muffin tray. Fill each hole about 2/3 full. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake center comes out clean.

*If you don’t have buttermilk combine ½ cup milk and ½ tbsp lemon juice or white vinegar and after stirring let them sit for 5-10 minutes before using.