Red Velvet for my Valentines.

Every year, I ask my parents…and sometimes my siblings, to be mine;)
This year, it’d be nice to do so with a cupcake in hand, because who doesn’t heart family?!

These were soft, moist, delicious, and RED! Nice light flavor of chocolate & not too sweet.

The cream cheese icing was perfectly rich & sweet on top. I will definitely make these again.

Here is the recipe: (adapted from Best Cupcake Recipes by Kblogs)
Makes 12 cupcakes

1 1/4 cup sifted cake flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder (heaping)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1 (1 oz.) bottle red food coloring
1/4 cup unsalted butter (softened)
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg (room temperature)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Line one 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners
• Sift cake flour, baking powder, and salt together in a small bowl
• Whisk cocoa powder and food coloring together
• Beat butter and sugar together in a large bowl or stand mixer bowl
• Beat in egg
• Beat in vanilla
• Beat in cocoa & food coloring mixture (be certain to scrape edges of the bowl to fully incorporate)
• Add a third of the flour mixture, beat well
• Add half of the buttermilk, beat
• Add in half of the remaining flour mixture, beat well
• Add remaining buttermilk, beat
• Add remaining flour mixture
• Beat well (scraping down edges of the bowl) until everything is well combined
 
• In a small, deep bowl, mix vinegar and baking soda (This will fizz. Remember making a volcano for the 4th grade science fair, and how cool it was erupting. Then again, 3 of your classmates had the exact same homemade volcano…LOL)
• Fold this mixture into the cake batter, making sure it is mixed in well
 
• Fill cupcake cups about 2/3 of the way full
• Place pan into the preheated oven
• Bake 10 minutes
• Rotate pan
• Bake an additional 10 minutes
• Insert a wooden pick in the center most cupcake, when done, it should come out clean
• Cool cupcakes for 10 minute in pan on a wire rack
• Remove and cool completely before frosting
• Devour!

Cream Cheese Icing
1/2 package or 4 ounces of cream cheese (softened)
4 tablespoons butter (softened)
1 1/2 cups powder sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until smooth
Add powder sugar
With mixer on low, beat until combined
Increase speed and mix until light & fluffy