Red Velvet Cupcakes

Valentine's Day is tomorrow and well I thought I would share the most requested flavor this time of year. When we owned our cupcakery, red velvet was "the" flavor this week. It's a really moist cupcake (thanks to lots of butter) and there is no special ingredient that makes it red. Just red food coloring!
This recipe will make 24-28 cupcakes, but you could easily make this into two 9" rounds if you wanted to make a layer cake.

Ingredients

3 sticks unsalted butter (room temp)

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp red food coloring

4 TBSP cocoa powder

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

3 cups cake flour

2 tsp apple cider vinegar

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

Preheat oven to 350.

Beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy (3-5 minutes)

Add the eggs one at a time, blending after each addition. Be sure to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl with a spatula as well. Add the vanilla and blend.

Mix the cocoa powder and food coloring together and add to the the butter mixture. Blend until combined.

Add the buttermilk and blend.

Now add in your flour and mix until smooth (don't overmix).

Mix the baking soda and vinegar in a small bowl (it will fizz and expand, so be sure to have a bowl to acocommodate) and add to the flour mixture, blending until just combined.

Scoop into paper lined pans and bake at 350 for 20 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through cooking.

For the frosting

2 sticks of unsalted butter (room temp)

16 oz cream cheese (room temp)

2 tsp vanilla

2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Beat the butter and cream cheese on medium speed until well combined

Add the vanilla and blend.

Mix in the powdered sugar while the mixer is running at the lowest speed. Add in half a cup at a time.

Once the sugar has been added & combined, turn the mixer to high and whip the frosting until it is light and fluffy. Be sure to stop and scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl a couple times to avoid any lumps.

Frost the cupcakes using a larger round piping tip, or you can just spread on a thick layer with a knife.