red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting

Red Velvet Cupcake

2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup beet juice (or 2 oz. red food coloring)
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
1 teaspoon white vinegar (used white balsamic vinegar, what I had on hand)
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 dozen cupcake liners

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake liners.

Sift together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl and set aside. In a smaller bowl, mix beet juice (or food coloring) and cocoa powder to form a thin paste without lumps and set aside.

In a large bowl, using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about three minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then beat in vanilla and the red cocoa paste, scraping down the bowl with a spatula as you go. Add one third of the flour mixture to the butter mixture, beat well, then beat in half of the buttermilk. Beat in another third of flour mixture, then second half of buttermilk. End with the last third of the flour mixture, beat until well combined, making sure to scrape down the bowl with a spatula.

In a small bowl, mix vinegar and baking soda. Be careful as it will fizz so don't do it in a shallow bowl. Add vinegar mixture to the cake batter and stir well to combine. Fill cupcake cups with cake batter until they are a little under 3/4 full.

Place muffin tins in your preheated oven. Bake for approximately 20, rotating pans halfway through. The cupcakes are done when you are able to pat the tops and the cake springs back up. If it sinks down, they are not yet complete. Or insert a toothpick into the center of a cupcake in the center of the tin, and if it comes out clean, they are done.

Cool the cupcakes before frosting.

Makes about 2 dozen cupcakes.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a medium bowl, cream together the cream cheese and butter until creamy. Mix in the vanilla, then gradually stir in the confectioners' sugar.

Makes enough frosting for 2 dozen cupcakes.