Red Velvet Cupcakes

Bridget got a cake decorating kit for Christmas and she would love to be making cakes and cupcakes all day every day. I found this recipe for Red Velvet Cake and we made adjustments using red velvet emulsion and cupcakes. They were DELICIOUS. They could have made 24 cupcakes if we had two muffin tins, but we only have one and a half.

Cake/Cupcakes

2 2/3 c. flour (the original recipe calls for cake flour, but we didn't have that)

1/4 c. natural, unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 c. unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

1/2 c. granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1/2 c. canola or vegetable oil

1 Tbsp. red velvet emulsion (or an entire 1 oz. bottle liquid red food color)

1 tsp. distilled white vinegar

1 1/3 c. buttermilk at room temperature


Frosting:

12 oz. cream cheese, softened

3/4 c. unsalted butter, softened

3 c. powdered sugar

1 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract (I like Watkins clear vanilla)


Cake Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two 12-count muffin tins with paper baking cups and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Sift to remove lumps of cocoa powder.

In a stand mixer, cream together butter and sugar until completely combined. Add eggs and mix well. Add oil, red velvet emulsion, vanilla, and vinegar. Stop to scrap down the sides as often as you need.

Alternate adding the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the wet ingredients in the stand mixer, three times for each.

Evenly distribute the batter into the baking cups. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool and frost.

Frosting Directions:

Cream all ingredients together until there are no lumps and it's light and fluffy.