A V-Day Staple

I know what you're thinking. Huuuuge shocker. Red velvet cupcakes on Valentine's Day. But I'm a big believer in the mantra, "If it ain't broke...don't fix it." And coincidentally, another mantra I live by is, "Everything tastes better with cream cheese frosting." Seriously. Everything.

I visited Manhattan with my sister last fall, and we went to two different bakeries and were shocked and disgusted to discover that neither bakery used cream cheese frosting on their red velvet cupcakes. Buttercream? Really? I flew all the way from Oregon for buttercream? Not up in here.

I have experimented with quite a few red velvet recipes in my day, and this one takes the (red velvet) cake. Happy love day!

 

Paula Deen's Red Velvet Cupcakes

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups white granulated sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 tbsp. red food coloring
1 tsp. white distilled vinegar
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder.

Next, in a large mixing bowl fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the vegetable oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, distilled vinegar, and vanilla.

Slowly add the sifted dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until combined.

Fill cupcake tins about 2/3 of the way full.

[Baker's note: I used to DREAD filling cupcake tins. Such a mess, and I ended up sacrificing(slash eating) so much batter. Wanna know a secret? Use an ice cream scoop. I know. So simple! I used a 2 ounce scoop and my cupcakes rose to perfection.]

Bake for 20 - 22 minutes, or until the cupcake springs back when lightly pressed. Cool on a wire rack for about 45 minutes. Once cool, frost and garnish to your heart's desire. (Ideas: chopped or whole pecans, fresh strawberries, sprinkles, candy, etc.)

Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients
8 0unces (1 package) cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups confectioners sugar, sifted

In a large mixing bowl fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla together until smooth. Add the sifted sugar slowly and on low speed (I was impatient and made a few powdered sugar clouds!) and beat until incorporated. Increase the speed to high and mix until light and fluffy. You can either pipe with a pastry bag, or frost directly onto the cooled cuppie.

 Makes 20 -24 cupcakes.