Red Velvet Cupcakes

Bright, bold and beautiful!

This weekend my husband and I decided to add a tile backsplash to our kitchen (more on this in a future post).  This was a very big project for us, as we have never done any type of home improvement project, so I was inspired to bake something that made a statement.  What better than gorgeous red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting?!?! Delicious!

I love the radiant red color of these cupcakes with the soft white frosting on top! They are truly a piece of artwork.  The subtle chocolate undertones with the tangy cream cheese frosting give your taste buds an experience they will never forget. 

Red Velvet Cupcakes Recipe

Recipe from Pinch My Salt

Makes 20-24 cupcakes

Preheat oven to 350^o

Cupcakes:

2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 oz. red food coloring
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon baking soda

Cream Cheese Frosting:

16 oz. cream cheese (2 packages), softened
1/2 cup unsalted butter (one stick), softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 350^o. Line two 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake papers.

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt.  Set this aside for later use.

Then, in a small bowl mix the red food coloring and cocoa powder with a fork.  This will form a thin paste.  Mix well until there are no lumps.  Set this aside. 

In a large bowl, using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about three minutes.  Beat in eggs, one at a time, then beat in vanilla and the red cocoa paste, scraping down the bowl with a spatula as you go. 

Once the batter is a beautiful red color begin to add a third of the flour mixture.  Beat well and then add half of the buttermilk.  Once the buttermilk is incorporated add another third of the flour mixture, followed by the remaining buttermilk.  Once integrated, finish mixing in the remaining flour mixture.  Through this process make sure you scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula. 

Next, mix together vinegar and baking soda in a small bowl (I did this in the small bowl I used for the food coloring/cocoa combination to gather any last bits of red coloring I missed)  This will fizz and look like a science experiment, don’t worry!  Add the vinegar mixture to the cake batter and stir well to combine. Scoop the cake batter into the cupcake cups filling 2/3 – 3/4 full. 

Bake for approximately 20-22 minutes, rotating pans halfway through. Cupcakes are done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Don’t forget to check your cupcakes towards the end of the baking process to not over bake. 

To make the frosting, use an electric mixer to combine the cream cheese and butter.  Next, turn the mixer to low and slowly add in the powdered sugar, salt and vanilla extract.  Once the powdered sugar is incorporated turn mixer to high speed and beat until it is light and fluffy.  If you aren’t using the frosting right away, you can place it in the refrigerator until you are ready to frost the cupcakes. 

Cool the cupcakes in their tins on a wire rack for about 10 minutes, then remove and allow to cool completely before frosting. 

Tips:

1)      Wear an apron while making these as the food coloring can stain your clothing

2)      1 cup of buttermilk = 1 tablespoon of white vinegar + 1 cup of milk