Red Velvet Cupcakes

I am a huge fan of red velvet cake. It is slightly chocolatey (depending on how much cocoa is used), slightly tangy, and sooooo moist. I have tried many recipes, and this one is my favorite. The original recipe called for 1/2 c of cocoa, which I found to be a little too much. I have used this for a few wedding cakes, and it holds up very well for multi-tiered cakes.


Red Velvet Cupcakes
Adapted from The Confetti Cakes Cookbook
By Elisa Strauss


3 ½ c cake flour
2 Tbs cocoa powder
1 ½ tsp salt
2 c canola oil
2 ¼ c sugar
3 large eggs
2 oz red food coloring
1 ½ tsp vanilla
1 ¼ c buttermilk
2 tsp baking soda
2 ½ tsp white vinegar

Preheat oven to 350˚F. Line two 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake liners. Whisk cake flour, cocoa, and salt in a bowl.

Combine oil and sugar in a large bowl. Beat with a mixer until blended. Add eggs one at a time, and beat after each addition. Add food coloring and vanilla, and beat on low. Add the flour mixture and buttermilk alternately, starting and ending with the flour mixture. Beat between additions until just combined.

Place baking soda in a small bowl. Stir in the vinegar. Add to the batter while the machine is running, and beat for 10 seconds.

Fill liners with batter to about 2/3 of the way up. Bake for about 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick comes clean when inserted into a cupcake. Cool on a wire rack. Frost as desired.


Cream Cheese Frosting

6 oz cream cheese, softened

4 oz butter (1 stick)

4 c powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

Cream the cream cheese and butter together. Gradually add the powdered sugar, and beat until smooth. Beat in the vanilla.