Red (Purple) Velvet Cupcakes

As my baking skills become more well known, it is both a gift and a curse. People are beginning to use me for my baked goods! I actually love it though;) My friend Maria loves when I send extra cupcakes her way and has been asking me when we can get together and bake. So real spur of the moment, we got together and made some cupcakes. This isn't the first time we've baked together. Remember the white velvet cake? The one that took three days to complete? If not, check it out.


When me and Maria bake, we like experimenting. We look at the recipe, then try and put at least a small twist on it. We scoured my beloved Martha Stewart's Cupcakes book, and landed on the red velvet cupcakes. The cream cheese frosting sold us! Our twist? Ehh we just tried to play with colors. We also halved the recipe. Nothing too crazy. The color actually turned out grossss. We were going for purple but... not so much hehe. So then we tried to bring them back to red.


So it made 12 cupcakes, and I got yelled at. After Maria and I let our families try them, they all kept saying, "Why didn't you make more?!?!?" My mom and sister were quite upset with me! I think that's a compliment? But yeah everyone really enjoyed them. So, try these!


Martha Stewart's Red Velvet Cupcakes
from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes

2 1/2 cups cake flour (not self- rising), sifted
2 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups sugar1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
2 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon red gel-paste food color
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk together cake flour, cocoa, and salt.
2. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, whisk together sugar and oil 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. To finish, use a small offset spatula to spread cupcakes with frosting. Refrigerate up to 3 days in airtight containers; bring to room temperature before serving.

Cream Cheese Frosting

8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
12 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 pound (4 cups) confectioners' sugar, sifted
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions
1. 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.

This frosting was the "best I ever had". You wanna know why? I actually let my butter come to room temperature before beginning. Like it was super creamy and smooth. I adored it!