Red Velvet

Cupcakes, cupcakes and cupcakes!! Need I say more??

The celebration of a friend's birthday called for these Red Velvet Cupcakes. I didn't have enough red food coloring... so they're not quite as red as they should be. But still delicious as ever!

Cream cheese frosting tops the cake (or cupcakes, in this case!)

Red Velvet Cupcakes
from Sweet Pea's Kitchen

For the 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 sugar
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon red gel-paste food color (2 tablespoons regular food color)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar

For Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin pan with paper liners.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together cake flour, cocoa, and salt; set aside.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat 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.
4. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of buttermilk and beating until combined after each.
5. In a small bowl, stir together the baking soda and vinegar (it will foam); add mixture to the batter, and mix on medium speed until combined, about 10 seconds.
6. Fill the cupcake papers three-quarters full, making sure that the batter is divided evenly. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer muffin pan to wire racks to cool completely before removing cupcakes.
7. To make the cinnamon cream frosting: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth. Add cinnamon and vanilla extract and beat until combined.
8. Place frosting into a large decorators decorating bag fitted with the 1M decorating tip and approximately 1/4″ above cupcake top at a 90° angle to cupcake surface,  pipe a spiral of icing, beginning at the outer edge and working inward.
9. Store cupcakes in the refrigerator up to 3 days in airtight containers; bring to room temperature before serving.

Yum!!