Week 8 :: Red Velvet Cupcakes

Yum! Yum! Yum!  These cupcakes are my favorite so far.  I used Paula Dean's Red Velvet Cupcake recipe (so it couldn't be bad, right?) and iced them using Cream Cheese Frosting, and crumbled some of the cake on top.  You can decorate with nuts, sprinkles, or fondant cut outs.  I found these damask muffin cups at Sweet Wise, my new favorite store in Nashville.  It has everything a little baker could dream of!

Red Velvet Cupcakes

::Prep Time:: 10 minutes

::Bake Time:: 20-22 minutes

::Yields:: 24 cupcakes

::Ingredients::

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
• 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 Tbsp. red food coloring
• 1 tsp. white distilled vinegar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

::Directions::

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Fill (2) 12-cup muffin tins with liners.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, sift together flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder.
3. In a large bowl gently beat together oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla with an electric mixer.  Add the flour mixture slowly until thoroughly combined.
4. Fill 24 muffin cups 2/3 full with batter.
5. Bake for 20-22 minutes (or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean) rotating pans half way through baking time.
6. Cook completely on wire rack.