Red Velvet Cupcakes

Do you like Red Velvet Cake? This is a traditional southern cake which is now beloved all over the country. I've only made it a couple of times in the past. The first one I made, I thought was missing flavor, as it was so bland that I didn't try again for years. For some reason, my family doesn't eat cake very well. We'd rather have cookies, pies, sheet cakes, cobblers, and muffins. My family really doesn't care for most frosting's that much either, therefore, I don't bake many cakes. So, recently when I found this recipe in Better Homes and Gardens, I thought it was time to try again, only with cupcakes!

This is a delicious cupcake that is moist and very flavorful, topped with my creamy frosting. It will make a three layer cake or about 28-30 cupcakes. Yesterday, I used this recipe to make a 9x13 inch cake and 12 cupcakes. The cake was for a church dinner and the cupcakes for my family. All of the batter would have fit in the 9x13 pan, but it was just fine the way I made it too. For the cupcakes, make sure you only fill the liners 2/3 full as the cupcakes rise and spill over the edges making a flat top, not a peaked top. So let's make these luscious cupcakes!

RED VELVET CUPCAKES

3 eggs

3/4 cup butter

3 cups flour

1 Tbs. unsweetened cocoa powder

3/4 tsp.salt

2 1/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 1-ounce bottle red food coloring

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 1/2 tsp. vinegar
Let eggs and butter come to room temperature. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place cupcake liners in cupcake tins. In medium bowl combine flour and cocoa and 3/4 tsp. salt. In a large bowl, beat butter with a mixer until creamy. Add sugar and vanilla and mix until combined. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Then, mix in red food coloring. Next, alternately beat in flour mixture with buttermilk on medium low speed, just until combined. Stir together baking soda and vinegar; add to batter and beat until just combined. Fill cupcake liners only 2/3 full. Bake about 15 minutes until a tooth pick inserted comes out clean. Cool and frost.

CREAMY FROSTING

2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 stick butter, softened

3 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 tsp. vanilla

1 Tbs. or more of half and half, ( can also use milk or buttermilk)

In a large bowl, beat together cream cheese and butter until creamy. Add powdered sugar and beat until smooth. Add in vanilla and half and half and beat until creamy. Add extra half and half if needed, 1 tsp. at a time until you reach the consistency that you desire. Frost these lovely cupcakes and enjoy! If you make a layer cake, this will not be enough frosting. You'd have to double the recipe, or make a recipe that is specifically for a three layer cake.

This is a very addictive, moist cupcake and I will make this recipe again!

If given a choice, would you rather have cake to eat, or a slice of pie? Let me know in the comments!