Red Velvet Cupcakes

Memorial Day weekend was approaching and I was having another family get together. I wanted to make a dessert to bring and figured this would be the best time to make red velvet cupcakes. I know most of my family have never tried them before and I have been dying to make them again...perfect timing!

One of the things that I do when baking with flour, probably obvious to some, is to sift it; it makes everything smoother and gets rid of those nasty flour clumps.

My favorite thing about making red velvet cupcakes is that the are such a vibrant color. They are always something people just love to look at and eventually eat.


Another important thing I always think about when making cupcakes is what kind of baking cup I will bake the cupcakes in. The finished presentation of the cupcakes is about 1/3 of the overall cupcake eating experience.


Ingredients & Directions:

Red Velvet Cupcakes

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
¾ tsp salt
3 large eggs
¾ cup softened butter
2¼ cups granulated sugar
1½ tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp red food coloring
1½ cups buttermilk
1½ tsp baking soda
1½ tsp vinegar

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line cupcake pans with foil cupcake liners. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder and salt. I usually sift all ingredients into the bowl. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter on medium speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar and vanilla; beat until combined. One at a time, add eggs; beat on medium speed after each. Beat in food coloring on low. Alternate between adding flour mixture and buttermilk to egg mixture; beat on low-medium after each just until combined. Stir together baking soda and vinegar. Add to batter; beat just until combined. Fill cupcake liners two-thirds full. Bake about 15. Cool pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Gently remove cupcakes from pans; cool.

Whipped Buttercream Frosting (adapted Wilton Recipe)

1 Cup butter softened
1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar (approximately 1 lb.)
2 tablespoons milk

In large bowl, cream butter with electric mixer. Add vanilla. Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. When all sugar has been mixed in, icing will appear dry. Add milk and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. Keep bowl covered with a damp cloth until ready to use.

Frost the cupcakes. I use a piping bag with a large circular tip, but I have used a sandwich bag before with a small hole cut out of the corner. Then sprinkle with some chocolate sprinkles, or jimmies if your from the North. One thing I do when adding sprinkles to cupcakes is to put the cupcakes on a wire rack over the sink. This way sprinkles that fall off the cupcakes can be simply washed away.