Red Velvet Cupcakes

Recipe from marthastewart.com

I still remember my first piece of red velvet cake. I was immediately hooked and since then I think every special occasion should include red velvet cake! What better an occasion than my parents 50th birthday party (they're 2 weeks apart, so we threw them one big party). I found this great cupcake recipe that I thought would be more fun for a cocktail party than a regular cake. What is great about this recipe, other than the fact that these cupcakes are deliciously light and fluffy, is that if you keep them stored at room temperature in an air tight container, they taste even better the next day. 

What you'll need

2 1/2 cups Cake flour, sifted

2 tbsp Cocoa powder

1 tsp Salt

1 1/2 cups Sugar

1 1/2 cups Vegetable oil

2 Eggs, room temperature

1/2 tsp Red gel-paste food colour

1 tsp Vanilla extract

1 cup Buttermilk

1 1/2 tsp Baking soda

2 tsp White vinegar

Cream Cheese Frosting:

1 cup Unsalted butter, room temperature

12 oz Cream cheese, room temperature

4 cups Icing sugar, sifted

3/4 tsp Vanilla extract

How to

1.  Preheat oven to 350°F. 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 colour 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 for 10 seconds.

4.  Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each 3/4 full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer tins to wire rack to cool completely before removing cupcakes. 

5.  To make the frosting, beat butter and cream cheese with a mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Reduce speed to low. Add sugar, 1 cup at a time, and then vanilla; mix until smooth.

6.  To finish, use a small offset spatula to spread cupcakes with frosting.