red velvet mousse with raspberry vanilla cupcakes

By vealam

Ingredients

• WHITE CAKE:
• 2 1/4 cups cake flour
• 1 cup milk at room temperature
• 6 large egg whites at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons almond extract
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon table salt
• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened but still cool
• RASPBERRY SIMPLE SYRUP:
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp McCormick® Raspberry Extract
• RED VELVET MOUSSE:
• 4 ounces semi­sweet baking chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 2 1/4 cups heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon McCormick® Red Food Color
• 1 tablespoon McCormick® Pure Vanilla Extract
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar

Details

Servings 24
Adapted from iambaker.net

Preparation

Step 1

CAKE:
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare two 8-inch cake pans.
Make sure milk and eggs are room temperature.
Pour milk (I used skim) , egg whites, and extracts into medium bowl and mix with fork until blended.
Mix cake flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in bowl of electric mixer at slow speed. Add butter, cut into cubes and continue beating on low for about 1-2 minutes.
Add all but 1/2 cup of milk mixture to flour mixture and beat at medium speed for 1 1/2 minutes. Add remaining 1/2 cup of milk mixture and beat for about 1 minute.
Pour batter evenly between two prepared cake pans.
Bake until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 27 to 30 minutes.
Allow cake to cool to room temperature.

SYRUP:
Bring sugar and 1 cup water to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat, and cook, stirring, until sugar has dissolved.
Allow the sugar water to cool completely.
Stir in raspberry extract.
Store in an air-tight container. Syrup will be good for about 10-14 days.

MOUSSE:
Microwave chocolate in medium microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1 minute? stir.
Microwave additional 30 seconds at a time, stirring until chocolate is smooth and melted.
Add 1/4 cup cream and stir until smooth. Stir in food color and vanilla.
Let stand 10 minutes to cool slightly.
Beat 2 cups cream and granulated sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until stiff peaks form.
Gently stir in 1/2 of the chocolate mixture with spatula until well blended. Gently stir in remaining chocolate mixture.
Spoon into pastry bag fitted with 1M tip or refrigerate until ready to serve.