Red Velvet Cupcakes

The first of October I went on a vacation with my mom and both of my kids while Brian went hunting. Literally one hour after getting out of the car to start our vacation I dropped our trusty point & shoot camera in the sand in the play area of an apple cider mill. Literally. One. Hour. The first day of our 5 day vacation. Thankfully my mom had a camera with her, so the trip didn’t go completely undocumented, however the last 2 months of our lives have been camera-less. It’s been rough, I tell you. Rough! (This is where tiny violins start playing sad, sad songs for me. La la laaa)

What does this have to do with Red Velvet Cupcakes? Absolutely nothing! Except as a way to show you what arrived in my house last week. My third child, as I earnestly jokingly call it:

Isn’t she pretty? (She’d be even prettier if I had any blazing idea how to work her. But we can’t have everything, can we?) So once I get over what I like to call the Camera-stupids posting will commence again! You have no idea how much I’ve missed this. Fear not, I have been cooking and baking up a storm 🙂

Now… on to these cupcakes? I’d only had Red Velvet Cake once before and it was good. However, it didn’t really strike the love in me that I’d expected. I’d heard so many raves for Red Velvet, so many people saying that it’s their favorite cake. I just didn’t see it. Until now, that is. Daaaang, people. I get what you’re saying! Now, I’m not sure it’ll ever take the place of cheesecake in my heart as my favorite dessert, but it was definitely towards the top of my Dang But That’s a Good Cupcake list. And that is a very, very long list. Top it with cream cheese frosting and oh be still my heart! And how pretty are they for the Christmas season!

Red Velvet Cupcakes
makes 18 cupcakes
printable recipe

Ingredients:
For the cupcakes
2 1/2 cups cake flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 Tablespoon cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk
2 Tablespoon (1 oz.) red food coloring
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar

For the frosting
12 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
12 ounces butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups confectioners’ sugar

Directions:
To make the cake
Preheat the oven to 350. Line cupcake pans with 18 paper liners.

Combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, cocoa powder and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk together to combine. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer beat together the eggs, oil, buttermilk, food coloring, vanilla and vinegar until well-mixed.

With the mixer on low speed slowly beat in the flour mixture until evenly incorporated.

Scoop the batter evenly between the cupcake liners. Bake for 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the frosting
In the bowl of an electric mixer beat together the butter, cream cheese and vanilla until smooth. Beat in the confectioners’ sugar until fluffy. Pipe or spread frosting onto cupcakes as desired.

Source: Apple A Day