Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Yield:  about 24 cupcakes
Baking Temperature: 350°F
Baking Time: 20 min 

Ingredients

2 ½ C AP flour
2 C sugar
½ C powdered baking cocoa
1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 sticks butter (room temperature)
5 eggs
1 C buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla
1-4 tsp red food coloring

Instructions

1. Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Sift dry ingredients three times.
2. Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
3. Add eggs on eat a time, beating well after each egg.
4. Add 1/4 of dry ingredients and 1/4 of the buttermilk and mix well. Continue in this way.
5. Mix in vanilla, add food coloring to desired redness.
6. Line cupcake tin with paper cups, fill them halfway with batter.
7. Bake for 20 min at 350°F.
8. Cool for at least 5 min in pan before transferring to wire rack.
9. Cool completely before frosting.
10. Frost with Cream Cheese Frosting.

Notes: You can make a buttermilk substitute. For each cup, put in 1 TB lemon juice or white vinegar and fill with milk to 1 C, let stand 5 min. However buttermilk has a flavor and lightness that is worth buying a carton. Try buttermilk pancakes or fried chicken to use the rest of the buttermilk.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Yield:  a double layer cake or full batch of cupcakes

Ingredients

8 oz cream cheese (room temperature)
½ stick butter (room temperature)
1 tsp vanilla essence
4 C powdered sugar

Instructions

1. Sift or at least whisk lumps from sugar.
2. Beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until blended.
3. Add sugar gradually, beating until well blended after each addition.
4. Use right away or refrigerate and bring back to room temp before using.

Notes: Try pink frosting: add a few drops of red food coloring and 1 tsp rasberry essence in place of vanilla.
Used On:  Red Velvet and Carrot cake.