Red Velvet Cupcakes

A few months back our youth were doing a bake sale and I wanted something new to take, and wanted to try red velvet since it was around valentines day.  I found a cake that had good reviews, and put it into cupcakes with cream cheese frosting.  I changed a couple things on the cake mix and icing making what I would call my favorite cupcakes now! 

Ingredients
2 stick butter at room temperature
1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 egg
5 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
6 Tbsp red food coloring (almost 3 bottles of Adams brand)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
2 cup all purpose flour + 4 Tbsp
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
3 tsp distilled white vinegar

Cream Cheese Frosting
8 oz butter (room temperature)
16 oz cream cheese (room temperature)
5 cups powdered sugar
4 tsp vanilla
sprinkles (optional)

Preparation
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.  Line standard muffin/cupcake pan with liners.

In separate bowl combine flour, salt, and baking soda and stir all together.

In mixer bowl on  medium/high speed, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Turn the mixer to high and add the egg.  Scrape down the bowl, and beat until well blended.

In separate bowl, mix together cocoa powder, vanilla extract, and red food coloring to make a thick paste.  Add to batter and mix until thoroughly combined.  You may need to stop the mixer to scrape down bowl to insure all the batter gets colored.

Reduce the mixer to low and slowly add half the buttermilk.  Then add half of the flour mix and mix until combined.  Scape the bowl and add remaining milk and flour.  Beat on high until smooth, adding the vinegar during this time.

Divide the batter evenly between the cupcake liners and bake 18-20 minutes or until cake tester insert comes out clean.  Makes around 30 cupcakes (for mini cupcakes bake 14 minutes @ 350)

Once cupcakes are done, begin making the frosting.  Allow cupcakes to cool completely before icing.

Using the whisk attachment, whip the butter and cream cheese on high speed about 5 minutes, scrapping the bowl down as necessary.  Reduce the speed to low and slowly add the powdered sugar until all is incorporated.  Add the vanilla and mix until combined.  Turn mixer on high and whip a few minutes until the frosting is light and fluffy, scraping the bowl as necessary.

Adding these pics of mini cupcakes I recently made!  They were so cute and just as delicious as the big ones!  Also I have a tip worth sharing and it actually was my husbands idea.  I used the Wilton Decorator Plus to fill the mini muffin papers.  It was super easy and no mess on my pans!