Red Velvet Cupcakes

Red velvet cake is such a southern classic.  I remember growing up that it was always my mom's favorite.  My grandmother would ask her every year what cake she wanted for her birthday and she would always say red velvet.

One thing a lot of people don't know (unless of course you're around when it's made) is that red velvet cake is really just a chocolate buttermilk cake with a lot of red food coloring.  But somehow that red color makes it taste so much better.  

I made these cupcakes for a coworker's birthday.  There has been a lot of debate at the office as to whether cupcakes or cake trumps the list for birthday celebrations.  Cupcakes are great because they're the perfect serving size, and yet, somehow, you don't feel bad going back to seconds or thirds.  Cake is great because it's more moist due to being surrounded by all of the icing.

I have a classic, go to red velvet recipe, but this time I decided to try out a new one.  I read over a red velvet cake recipe comparison on The Way the Cookie Crumbles and settled on this recipe.

Red Velvet Cupcakes
2 1/2 C cake flour
1 1/2 C sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 1/2 C vegetable oil
1 C buttermilk
2 tbsp red food coloring
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp white distilled vinegar

For the frosting:
12 oz cream cheese, softened
12 oz unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3 C confectioners sugar

The lineup

For the cake.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Sift together flour, sugar, baking soda, cocoa and salt in medium bowl.  Beat eggs, oil, buttermilk, food coloring, vanilla and vinegar in electric mixer until well combined.  Slowly add dry ingredients and beat until smooth, about 2 minutes.

Ready, set....

Go!

Divide batter among lightly greased cupcake liners.  Bake 15-20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

I wasn't trying to splatter paint...the batter was runny

Don't worry, it fluffs up!

For the frosting:  Beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla until well combined.  Add confectioners sugar and beat until light and fluffy, approximately 5-7 minutes.  Use favorite decorator tip to frost cooled cupcakes.

All lined up

And ready for you to eat :)

Look at that gorgeous, rich red color.  Yum!

In my opinion the cake part of these cupcakes was phenomenal!  The only slight disappointment was the frosting.  I'm used to a rich cream cheese frosting, and due to the high ratio of butter this frosting was more of a buttercream.  In the future I'll definitely use more cream cheese and less butter.

Up next:  more cake!  I have two coworkers with upcoming birthdays and they have requested 1) a classic yellow cake with chocolate frosting, and 2) an italian cream cake with cream cheese frosting.

Stay tuned!  I'll try not to be so sketchy....new posts are a comin'!