Red Velvet Cupcakes

Today is Valentine’s day! A day designated to express your love and appreciation for that special someone in your life. The go-to treat on Valentine’s day is chocolate and what girl doesn’t like chocolate? On Friday afternoon Obed showed up with a package of about a dozen chocolate covered jumbo strawberries.  I say the boy did good!

Yesterday Obed had to go into the office for a few hours.   He has two favorite cakes, carrot cake, which I made for his birthday last year, and red velvet cake.  I thought that red velvet cupcakes would be very appropriate for Valentine’s day.  While he was at the office I decided to make him some scrumptious red velvet cupcakes and he was excited to come home to a tower of red velvet cupcakes.

I was a little concerned at first by the amount of oil that the recipe called for, but the cupcakes came out moist and delicious.  The bottoms where a little greasy when I removed them from the cupcake mold so you may want to set them on some paper towels.

I had never made red velvet cupcakes before and quickly learned that being a little scattered and disorganized while making these cupcakes can result and red tinted fingers and nails.  I managed to get red dye and powdered sugar everywhere.  It’s a gift….don’t be haten.

Since I purchased my decorations the day before Valentine’s I got them all at a discount which was a sweet bonus.  When I saw these little candy hearts I just had to have them.  They are so stinking cute.  I also added a few drops of red to the frosting to give it a pink tint.

These cupcakes are moist, sweet and have a deep red color when you bite into them.   I don’t know who thought of the red velvet cupcake but they were genius!  If you can’t decided between vanilla or chocolate cupcakes, try red velvet they are sure to please everyone.

However, as I sit here writing this I am currently being tortured by chocolate covered strawberries and red velvet cupcakes. Which seems to be extremely unjust!  These are two nutritional substances that my trainer would not approve of, but what is a girl to do?   I can not tell a lie…my choice breakfast this morning was a red velvet cupcake with a piece of fruit……covered in chocolate :/

Print Recipe

Red Velvet Cupcakes (adapted from Martha Stewart)

• 2 1/2 cups cake flour (not self- rising), sifted
• 2 Tbs unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1/2 tsp red gel-paste food color
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp distilled white vinegar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Combine cake flour, cocoa, and salt and whisk together.

With an electric mixer whisk together sugar and oil on medium-high speed, until combined. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Mix in food color and vanilla.

Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of buttermilk, and whisking well after each. Stir together the baking soda and vinegar in a small bowl (it will foam); add mixture to the batter, and mix on medium speed 10 seconds.

Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool completely before removing cupcakes. Cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months, in airtight containers.

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
• 12 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 4 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
• 3/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

Beat butter and cream cheese with a mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low. Add sugar, 1 cup at a time, and then vanilla; mix until smooth. Frosting can be refrigerated for up to 3 days; before using, bring to room temperature, and beat until smooth.