Red Velvet Time

I am not satisfied with throwing one party during the holidays. No. There is Christmas and there is the New Year. These parties cannot be combined. Time for my and Taryn's New Year's Eve Party! Great friends, mediocre champagne (What? Nothing wrong with quantity over quality.), and, of course, lots of baked goods. And thanks to my amazing new mixer that I can walk away from, I baked 3 dishes in under two hours! By request, up first were Red Velvet Cupcakes. Mini cupcakes, that is. I find they lend themselves to a most-delicious cake-to-frosting ratio. You've seen the frosting before on my pumpkin cupcakes, but I'll re-post it as well. Best thing about these cupcakes? No buttermilk! Who ever uses buttermilk in real life? This is no Sweet Home On The Prairie. It's tough to find it in tiny quantities, so a bunch goes to waste unless you're making, oh, a cake large enough to feed a football team. Here's what you'll need:

Red Velvet Cupcakes

2 1/2 Cups cake flour (I use Swan variety)
3 Tablespoons unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 Cups White Sugar
8 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, softened
2 Eggs
1 1/4 Cups Whole Milk (honestly, you can use whatever milk you have)
1 1/2 teaspoons White Vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
2 oz Red Food Coloring

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Place muffin cup liners in muffin tins (about 90 mini or 30 regular size)
3. Combine cake flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl and whisk together.
4. Combine sugar and butter in a large bowl and beat with a mixer until well blended. Add eggs and beat until well blended. Add flour mixture, milk, vinegar, vanilla and food coloring (Be careful, it gets everywhere! Definitely a recipe to wear an apron while making.). Beat well.
5. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups. Bake mini muffins at 350 for 15 minutes. Bake regular-sized muffins at 350 for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick or knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for a few minutes in pan, then on wire rack before frosting.
















Cream Cheese Frosting (would you have anything else with Red Velvet?)

16oz Cream Cheese, room temperature
1/2 Cup Unsalted Butter, room temperature
1 3/4 - 2 Cups Powdered Sugar (more or less to taste)
1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract

1. Put it all in a mixer and beat!

Now frost those cupcakes generously and enjoy!