Red Velvet Cupcakes

Red Velvet cake is an anytime of the year cake, but I love to make it during the Christmas holiday or on Valentines day. There is just something about the color red on a cake that just pops! Believe it or not I made red velvet cake for the first time about a year ago, before that I had never had it nor made it. The use of buttermilk and Dutch processed cocoa helps give the cake it's pronounced flavor. I have tried using both a buttercream frosting and a cream cheese frosting and I have to say my favorite combination is the cream cheese frosting. My husband absolutely loves this cake and I have come to love it too.

I hope you all have a wonderful holiday filled with laughter, love, family, and good food!!


Merry Christmas!

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Printer Friendly Version

8 oz (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 large eggs

1 tablespoon red liquid gel color or 3 tablespoons red food coloring (like McCormick’s)

2 1/2 cups cake flour

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon vinegar

Grease the tops of the mold muffin pans and line them with paper liners. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Have all ingredients at room temperature.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar at high speed until light and fluffy. Add in eggs and food coloring on medium speed until well creamed.

On a piece of wax paper, sift together cake flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. At low speed, add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture alternating with the buttermilk, vanilla, and vinegar.

Pour the batter into the prepared molds, filling each three quarters full. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center of a cake comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for 10 to 15 minutes before removing the cupcakes from the pans.

Yields: 18 cupcakes

Source: Little Cakes from the Whimsical Bakehouse: Cupcakes, Small Cakes, Muffins, and Other Mini Treats by Kaye and Liv Hansen

Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz cream cheese, softened

5 tablespoons butter, softened

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Cream cream cheese, butter and vanilla on medium high speed. Sift the powdered sugar after measuring. Add the powdered sugar to the bowl in batches, beating on low until just combined and then beating on high until desired consistency is reached. For a stiffer icing, add more powdered sugar.

Source: Confections of a Foodie Bride, originally adapted from The Gourmet Cookbook