Red Velvet Cupcakes

Red Velvet cake is my favorite! I don't know what it is about it, maybe just the slight hint of cocoa, or the cream cheese frosting, but it is just perfect. I've searched long and hard for my favorite red velvet cake recipe and I'm pretty positive i've found it! Props to Bakerella. Here's what you need for the recipe

Flour, sugar, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda, oil, red food coloring, vinegar, vanilla, eggs, and buttermilk. In a large bowl, combine all the dry ingredients

Set that aside. In a another bowl, combine all the wet ingredients and whisk well

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry

Stir the two mixtures together until just combined

Using a large ice cream scoop, fill paper lined cupcake pans 2/3 way full with batter

Bake. Take out of the oven when a toothpick inserted comes out somewhat clean. If there are no crumbs on the toothpick, the cupcakes will be dry

Pull each cupcake out of the pans and let cool. While cooling, prepare the frosting. Here's what you need for the cream cheese frosting

Cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and powdered sugar. In a mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese and butter

Add vanilla

Beat that in, then gradually add the powdered sugar

Beat in until smooth and fluffy

Scoop frosting onto wax paper, roll up, and stick in the piping bag (this is just to keep the frosting bag from getting dirty)

 Pipe the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes

And the inside of the cupcake..

These are super moist, tender, and flavorful. As of now, this is my go to red velvet and all of my taste testers agree :)

Red Velvet Cupcakes

2 1/2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

1 Tbs. cocoa powder

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups vegetable oil

1 cup buttermilk

1 Tbs. vinegar

2 tsp. vanilla

2 oz. red food coloring

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda; set aside. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, oil, buttermilk, vinegar, vanilla, and food coloring. Pour the wet mixture over the dry mixture. Stir together until combined. Scoop into paper lined cupcake pans about 2/3 way full. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-18 minutes or until done. Take the cupcakes out of the pan and let cool. While cooling, prepare the frosting.

frosting:

8 ounces cream cheese

1 stick unsalted butter

2 tsp. vanilla

3 3/4 cups powdered sugar

In a mixing bowl, beat together cream cheese and butter until fluffy and smooth. (Usually, when I make frosting I make sure the butter and cream cheese are soft. This time when I made the frosting, I only let the cream cheese and butter sit about about 15-20 minutes. When I started making the frosting they were both still hard, but I just beat them together for a while with the mixer and believe it or not, cream cheese frosting has never turned out better for me.) Mix in the vanilla. Lastly, add the powdered sugar about a cup at a time, beating well after each addition and making sure there are no lumps. Spread/pipe finished frosting onto the cooled cupcakes. Eat up!