The perfect Red Velvet Muffin!

So, with Valentine's Day upon us the idea is obvious to post a recipe for something that somewhat has a "romantic" appearance, right? Once you can't get the romantic theme out of your head you're already thinking of love and what's the colour of love? Right! Red! What's red.... Actually the first thing that came to my mind weren't strawberries, raspberries, not even a bloody steak recipe was amongst my first thoughts! Haha. Well, anyways, what I was thinking of right away were Red Velvet Muffins! You might think now: Red Velvet Muffins? No Red Velvet Cupcakes? 
Don't get me wrong - I like cupcakes, I really do, but as of now I've got a bit of a "cupcake trauma". All the latest cupcakes I tried -not only the ones I made myself, but also those that were storebought- were incredibly sweet. The one and only thing that they tasted of sugar. So I'm on "team muffin" for now. Not for long, I hope (actually I KNOW, since there are so many yummy recipes to try that I won't be able to resist for too long). Then again, muffins are such a delicious treat an can be just as good, if not even better than cupcakes (just think of raspberry-streusel muffins!!*sigh*).
Now, you also can take this recipe say as a "cupcake base", as it's really delicious not only by itself, but also with any kind of frosting you like (a banana frosting for example, one of my favourites).

Here we go! Hope you like this red, chocolatey goodness just as much as I do:)

INGREDIENTS (makes 12 muffins)

85 g butter (3/4 stick; unsalted)
175 g granulated sugar (3/4 cup)
1 egg 
1 1/4 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
190 ml milk (3/4 cup)
220 g all purpose flour (1 3/4 cup)
2 tbsp liquid red food colouring
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp apple cider vinegar
 *note: all ingredients should be at room temperature
1)

Preheat your oven to 200°C (350°F). Put the butter and the sugar into the bowl of your stand mixer (if you don't have one, you can always use a hand mixer) and cream together, starting on low speed, when the butter and the sugar are roughly mixed together already, gradually turn on high speed, for about 4-6 minutes, or until mixture looks light and almost fluffy.

2)

 Put in the egg and mix together for another minute or so. 

3)

 While beating in the egg, take a small bowl and combine the cocoa powder, the food colouring and the vanilla, stiring the mixture until it's got a paste-like consitency. Then mix the "paste" into the batter -on medium speed- teaspoon after teaspoon. Keep on beating the mixture for another minute or two, just to make sure you end up with a smooth batter, without any cocoa-powder-lumps. Use a spatula to occasionally scrape batter from the sides of your mixing bowl.

4)

 Put the salt into the milk. When the cocoa powder paste is blended in, alternately mix in a bit of the milk and a bit of the flour (about 1/4 of the milk or the flour at a time), on low speed. Mix until the batter is smooth.

5)

 In a glass, put in the baking powder, then put in the apple cider. It will come to a reaction and bubble. Give it a stir and mix it into your Red Velvet batter on medium speed.

6)

 Either butter your muffin tray, or put some lovely muffin liners (there are so many beautiful designs, it never ceases to amaze me) in the forms. Now spread the batter into the forms, until each form is about 3/4 full (~1 heaped tablespoon). Bake for 17-20 minutes (to check if the muffins are ready to be taken out and enjoyed, take a toothpick, stick it right into the middle of one muffin and if it comes out clean, your muffins are done!), take them out of the oven, let your muffins cool completely and you're ready to indulge in these perfect, red velvet muffins! You can store them for 4-7 days:)

Happy Valentine's Day!