Red Velvet Cupcakes With Cream Cheese Frosting

Red Velvet is my favorite. I love the way it looks, the way the it tastes....and anything that is paired with cream cheese frosting is a win in my world. If you aren't a fan of cream cheese frosting, try it again and make sure you weren't going insane the first time you tried it. If you still don't love it you can substitute it for https://www.squeakymixer.com/post/classic-vanilla-buttercream or chocolate buttercream which you can find both of my recipes by clicking on the name of whichever one you prefer :)

Enjoy this recipe and always feel free to reach out to me over email; thesqueakymixer@gmail.com or DM on instagram :)

Ingredients:

• 1 2/3 cup flour

• 2 Tbsp. cocoa powder

• 1/4 tsp. baking powder

• 1 tsp. baking soda

• dash of salt

• 1 cup granulated sugar

• 3/4 cups unsalted softened butter

• 3 eggs

• 1 1/2 Tbsp. vanilla extract

• 3/4 cups buttermilk

• red food coloring (gel works best)

Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 1/2 cup softened unsalted butter

• 8 oz. cream cheese (warmed)

• 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

• 1/8 tsp. salt

• 4 cups powdered sugar

• 1-2 Tbsp. milk (if needed to make the mixture softer)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350° and line a cupcake pan with paper liners. Set aside.

2. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients, (flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt). Set aside.

3. In a separate mixing bowl or bowl of a stand mixer fit with the whisk attachment, whisk together the sugar and softened butter until it is nice and smooth and there are no lumps.

4. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing between each addition.

5. Add in the vanilla and continue to whisk.

6. Add a few drops of red food dye and whisk it into the wet ingredients. It should have a bright enough hue so that you are able to notice the dye in there without it looking too pink. Start with a little. You can always add more. Don't add too much or the red food dye will give your cake a "chemically" flavor.

7. Starting and ending with the dry ingredients, alternate adding the dry ingredients and buttermilk to the bowl of wet ingredients mixing between each addition.

8. Whisk the batter until it is nice and smooth and there are no lumps.

9. Scoop the batter into the prepared cupcake pan filling each one about 3/4 of the way full.

10. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until slightly firm to the touch on top. You can stick a toothpick in the center to check that it is finished too.

11. Let the cupcakes cool completely before decorating.

12. To make the cream cheese frosting, start by whisking together the softened butter and cream cheese until nice and smooth. Add in the vanilla.

13. Slowly add in the powdered sugar and continue to whisk.

14. Add in the milk to help bring the mixture together as you mix.

15. Whisk until the mixture is smooth and creamy.

16. Transfer the frosting into a piping bag fit with a piping tip (optional) and decorate! You can make a make shift piping bag using a large ziplock bag. Or you can decorate these cupcakes with a butterknife! Whatever your style is, have fun with it :)

17. Enjoy these delicious, pretty little cupcakes!