Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Well, hello there. Here's me, casually showing up roughly 4 years since my last post.

But I did not come empty-handed. The recipe is nothing new, but it needed a little facelift. These were also needed by some lovely ladies I spent Galentine's with recently, so I figured I would take the opportunity to pull out my old DSLR and capture my handiwork.

Jump to Recipe

Where have I been? Well, a few months ago, I moved in with my oldest sister after a bit of a tumbling about in life events. I'm also working full time in the clinical research world and generally trying to keep my wits about me.

Other than that, I've had a bit of time on my hands. So I decide to revamp this space and find my baking side again.

I have the sweetest feline in my life; you haven't been introduced yet. Her name is Beatrix <3

We are focusing on being cozy and kind to ourselves this winter. I encourage you to do the same, with a cupcake or two in hand. 

It's nice to be here again, and I'll be back with recipes soon.

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
Yield: About 24 cupcakes

For the cake:

• 2½ cups cake flour
• 1½ cups sugar
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tbsp. cocoa powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1½ cups vegetable oil
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 tbsp. (1 oz.) liquid red food coloring
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. distilled white vinegar

Ingredients for the cream cheese frosting: (makes more than enough to frost 24 cupcakes with a piping tip)

• 10 oz. cream cheese, chilled
• 6½ tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3¼ cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
• 4 tsp. clear vanilla extract (real vanilla is fine if you can't find imitation, imitation just give a nicer white to the frosting)

Directions:

Place oven racks in the center and upper third of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line cupcake pans with paper liners.

In a small bowl, combine the cake flour, sugar, baking soda, cocoa powder, and salt; whisk to blend.  In the bowl of an electric mixer or with a hand mixer, combine the eggs, vegetable oil, buttermilk, food coloring, vanilla, and vinegar.  Beat on medium speed until well blended.  Mix in the dry ingredients on low speed and beat until smooth but just combined.

Divide batter evenly between prepared pans (but no more than 2/3 full per liner).  Bake, rotating the pans halfway through baking, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 18 minutes.  Let cool in the pans for 5-10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the frosting, combine the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer or with a hand mixer. Beat on medium-high speed until well combined and smooth, about 2-3 minutes. Mix in the vanilla extract. Gradually beat in the powdered sugar on low speed until totally incorporated, then increase the speed and beat until smooth.

 Frost cooled cupcakes as desired. Store in the refrigerator.

Sources: Red velvet from Everyday Annie, frosting from Everyday Annie