Red Velvet Cupcakes

I LOVE Red Velvet cupcakes. Why? Because they are crazy easy to make. No zesting, no creaming, no sifting, just throw it together and bake. I have it from a southern source that this recipe tastes very close to a true Southern Red Velvet. I don't personally know if they do or not, but I do know that they taste great!!!

Yield: at least 24 cupcakes

Ingredients:
For the cake:
2½ cups cake flour
1½ cups sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tbsp. cocoa powder
1 tsp. salt
2 large eggs
1½ cups vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk
2 tbsp. (1 oz.) liquid red food coloring
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. distilled white vinegar

For the frosting:
10 oz. cream cheese, cold
6 1/2 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 tsp. vanilla extract
3 1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line cupcake pans with paper liners. In a medium bowl, combine the cake flour, sugar, baking soda, cocoa powder and salt; whisk to blend.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the eggs, vegetable oil, buttermilk, food coloring, vanilla and vinegar. Beat on medium speed until well blended.

Mix in the dry ingredients on low speed and beat until incorporated and smooth.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared liners, or if you want an easier method...you can try this. Put all of your batter in a zip-lock bag, seal it shut without air bubbles, and cut a very small corner off of the bag. Squeeze the batter into each cupcake liner stopping the flow between each cupcake with your finger as you go. I find this method so much easier when you have thinner batters like the red velvet batter.

Bake 16-18 min. Let cool in the pans 1 minute, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Frosting:

To make the frosting, combine the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat on medium-high speed until well combined and smooth, about 2-3 minutes. 

Mix in the vanilla extract (I like to use clear extract for this step so that it doesn't turn my frosting brown). 

Gradually beat in the confectioners’ sugar until totally incorporated, increase the speed and then beat until smooth. Frost cooled cupcakes as desired.

Source: slightly adapted from Annie's Eats