Vanilla Cupcake with Strawberry Buttercream

I am over at Reality Daydream today! The recipe this month is a light, fluffy vanilla cupcake with the most amazing strawberry buttercream. Seriously. Its like biting into a sweet, creamy, fresh strawberry. Go get the recipe!

Twinkie Cupcakes



I was sad when Twinkies were gone so I found a recipe to help fill the void I felt. This is better than a Twinkie. The cake is dense and soft and the filling is rich, creamy, and full of flavor.

Twinkie Cupcakes
Recipe Source: BakingSociety.com

3 cups Cake Flour
1 Tablespoon Baking Powder
3/4 teaspoon Salt
6 Tablespoons Butter, room temp
1 Tablespoon Pure Vanilla Extract
2 cups Granulated Sugar
1/2 cup Vegetable Oil
3 large Eggs & 4 Egg Yolks, room temp
1 cup Buttermilk, room temp

Frosting
1/2 cup Butter, room temp
1- 7.5oz jar Marshmallow Crème
1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line your muffin pan. In a stand mixer combine the butter and vanilla on medium until smooth. Add the sugar and beat until combined. Put mixer on low and add in the vegetable oil. Then turn to medium speed and beat until fluffy.

 

2. Scrape the sides of the bowl and then add in your eggs and egg yolks one at a time, mixing after each addition.

 

3. In a small bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add into the butter mixture, alternating with the buttermilk. Start with the flour and end with the buttermilk. mix on low until the batter is smooth. Scrape the bowl and fold any extra flour into the batter and pour into cupcake pan 2/3 full. Bake for 12 to 16 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool completely.

 

Frosting

Beat together the butter and Marshmallow crème until smooth. Add in the vanilla and beat until combined.

 

Assembly

Cut a cone shape out of the cupcake and using a piping bag fill with frosting. Frost the tops of the cupcakes with the remaining.

Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes

Sweet and tangy. The perfect strawberry lemonade cupcake for me. Sweet strawberry and tangy lemonade. They compliment each other. Its my perfect cupcake!

Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes
Recipe Adapted from: ConfessionsofaCookbookQueen.com

Cupcakes
1 box White Cake Mix
3oz box Strawberry Jell-O
2 1/2 cups Strawberries, diced
2 Tablespoons Granulated Sugar
4 Eggs
1/2 cup Vegetable Oil
1/4 cup Water

Frosting
1 cup Butter, room temp
5 cups Powdered Sugar
1/3 cup Country Time Lemonade Powder
1/2 teaspoon Lemon Extract
3 Tablespoons Water

1. In a medium bowl combine the strawberries and the granulated sugar, mix to combine and refrigerate for 2 hours. Then puree. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners. 

2. Combine the cake mix and strawberry jello in the bowl of stand mixer and stir. Add in strawberries, eggs, oil, and water. Mix on medium until well combined. Fill the cupcake liners about 2/3 full. Bake for 18-22 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack. 

Frosting

In the bowl of a stand mixer add the butter and beat until fluffy. Add in the powdered sugar and lemonade powder on low until just combined. Add in the water and beat on medium high until light and fluffy. Add more water if its too thick.

Hot Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes

Its been forever since I've posted anything I feel like. We have been in the middle of moving and we are finally unpacked and everything, well almost everything, is in its right place so I feel like I can share all of the recipes I have been making! Get ready cause they are all delicious!

Today's recipe is a chocolate cupcake with a sweet peppermint cream filling and a fluffy rich hot chocolate frosting. So sweet and delicious. A perfect winter cupcake.

Hot Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes
Recipe Adapated From: EasyBaked.net

Chocolate Cupcakes made this way
1- 8oz tub Cool Whip
4 Tablespoons Peppermint Sprinkles
1 cup Salted Butter, room temp
6 cups Powdered Sugar
1 cup Hot Chocolate Powder
4 Tablespoons Heavy Cream
2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract

1. Make cupcakes and let cool completely. Put cool whip in a bowl and fold in the peppermint sprinkles until combined. Cut a cone out of the center of each cupcake to put the peppermint cool whip in. Pipe the cool whip into the center of each cupcake. 

2. For the frosting combine the butter, powdered sugar, hot chocolate powder, heavy cream, and pure vanilla extract until light and fluffy. Pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes. I think these taste best at room temperature, not cold. Enjoy!

S'mores Cupcakes

We have been having s'mores desserts a lot and I can't get enough!  This is one one of my favorites! It's a rich, moist cupcake, a layer of creamy chocolate, and smooth, sticky marshmallow frosting. Its so delicious. Perfect for an end of summer barbeque!

S'more Cupcakes

Recipe adapted from: BakeMeSomethingGood.com and CookiesandCups.com

1 cup Graham Crackers, crushed

2 Tablespoons Butter, melted

2 Tablespoons Granulated Sugar

6 (1.55 oz) Hershey Milk Chocolate Bars

2 cups Mini Marshmallows, for garnish

Combine crushed graham, butter and sugar in a small bowl and mix until combined. Divide mixture equally between 24 cupcake liners.

Incredible Chocolate Cake pour into 24 cupcake liners, filling 2/3 of the way full and bake for 18-22 minutes, making sure to not overbake. Cool completely.

Melt 4 Hershey chocolate bars and spoon on top of the cupcakes.

Marshmallow Frosting

Recipe Soure: CookiesandCups.com

1 cup Butter, room temperature
2 cup Marshmallow Fluff
4 cups Powdered Sugar
4 Tablespoons Milk

1. Mix butter and marshmallow fluff until smooth on medium speed until smooth. Slowly add in powdered sugar with mixer on low.

2. Add in milk and turn speed up to medium and mix until all combined and smooth.

Pipe frosting on top of melted chocolate. Place 3 or 4 mini marshmallows and using a kitchen torch brown if desired and place 1 piece of Hershey chocolate bars on top of each cupcake for garnish.

I shared this at
National S'mores Day {Recipe Round-Up}

Rolo Cupcakes

One of my favorite things are chocolate and caramel so when I saw this rolo cupcake recipe it went right to my 'to make' list. Creamy caramel frosting on a yummy chocolate cake with a rolo surprise in the middle.

Rolo Cupcakes

Recipe Source: MyBakingAddiction.com

Cake

1 package Devil’s Food Cake mix
1 large package Instant Chocolate Pudding

1 cup Sour Cream
1 cup Vegetable Oil
4 Eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup Warm Water
1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
24 frozen Rolos, frozen for at least 2 hours

Frosting
4 sticks Butter; room temp
2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1/3 cup Caramel 

6 cups Powdered Sugar

For the Cake

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 - 12 cup muffin tins with paper liners.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the cake and pudding mixes, sour cream, oil, beaten eggs, water and vanilla until well combined and smooth.

3. Evenly divide the batter in the cupcake liners. Gently push a frozen Rolo into the center of the batter and smooth the surface covering the candy with batter.

4. Bake for 18-22 minutes. Cool cupcakes completely.

For the Frosting

1. Cream the butter in the bowl of an electric or stand mixer. Add the vanilla extract, salt and caramel syrup and combine well.

2. Begin adding in the sugar and mixing thoroughly after each addition. Frost cupcakes.

I shared this at
Kitchen Fun and Crafty Friday Link Party

 

Lemon Meringue Cupcake

My favorite pie is lemon meringue. When I came across this recipe I was so excited to try them. They were exactly what I had hoped for. The only thing I would do differently next time is put more lemon curd in the middle.

Lemon Meringue Cupcakes

Recipe Source: BeantownBaker.com

Lemon Curd

24 Yellow cupcakes 

Marshmallow Frosting

Recipes Follow...

Lemon Curd

3 Tablespoons Lemon Juice

1 1/2 Tablespoons Lemon Zest
3/4 cup Granulated Sugar
4 Tablespoons Butter, room temperature
2 Eggs
1/4 cup Lemon Juice (3 to 4 lemons)
Pinch of Salt
1/2 Tablespoon Cornstarch

1. Combine the lemon zest and the sugar and mix until combined. Cream the butter and beat in the sugar and zest mixture. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, and then add the lemon juice, salt and cornstarch. Mix until combined.

2. Pour the mixture into a small saucepan and cook over low heat until thickened (approx. 10 minutes), stirring constantly. The lemon curd will thicken at about 170 degrees, or just below simmer. Remove from the heat and cool or refrigerate.

Yellow Cupcakes
1 cup Unsalted Butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour, plus more for pans
1 1/2 cups Cake Flour
1 Tablespoon Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 3/4 cups GranulatedSugar
4 Eggs
2 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
1 1/4 cups Milk

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare 2 muffin tins with cupcake liners and set aside. In a medium bowl, sift together flours, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

2. In the bowl of an electric mixer beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then beat in vanilla.

3. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the milk and beginning and ending with the flour; beat until combined after each addition.

4. Scoop the batter into the prepared pans. Bake, rotating the pans halfway through, until cupcakes are golden brown, 20-25 minutes. Cool in pans 10 minutes then remove to a cooling rack.

To assemble cupcakes:
Once cupcakes have cooled completely, use the cone method to remove part of the cupcake. Discard cone. Fill cavity with lemon curd.

Marshmallow Frosting
4 Egg Whites
1 cup Granulated Sugar
1/4 teaspoon Cream of Tartar
1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract

1. Place egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar in the heatproof bowl of an electric mixer. Set over a saucepan with simmering water. Whisk constantly until sugar is dissolved and whites are warm to the touch, 3 to 4 minutes.

2. Transfer bowl to electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and beat, starting on low speed, gradually increasing to high, until stiff, glossy peaks form, 5 to 7 minutes. Add vanilla, and mix until combined. Use immediately.

3. Transfer frosting to a large pastry bag fitted with a large plain round or French tip. Pipe frosting in a spiral motion on each cupcake. Transfer cupcakes to a baking sheet. Using a kitchen torch, lightly brown the frosting, be careful not to burn the cupcake liners. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container, up to 2 days.

Candy Corn Cupcakes and Jell-O

I was in the mood for something cute so I decided on candy corn themed treats. I have 2 easy ideas, and they are both treats from boxes, so they are super super simple.

The first one is a cupcake. I used a yellow cake mix divided it in 2 bowls and colored half yellow and half orange. The directions are below.

The second one is Jell-O. One box of lemon and one box of orange topped with whipped cream. The directions are below. Just another way to add some delicious, simple fun to your Halloween.

Candy Corn Cupcake

Recipe Partly from: TidyMom.net

1 Box Yellow Cake Mix
3 Large Eggs
1/2 cup Butter, not Margarine
1 cup of Water

Yellow and Red Food Coloring

Yellow Cupcake Papers

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Melt the butter in the microwave. Put cake mix, eggs, butter, and water in a large bowl and mix on low for 1 minute and on high for 1 minute.

2. Put half of your batter in a separate bowl. Color half the batter yellow, approx. 50 drops, and half your batter orange, approx. 50 yellow drops and 8 red drops. Mix well. 

3. Fill 18 cupcake papers 1/4 full with yellow and 1/4 more with the orange batter. Bake for 18-20 minutes.

Frost with The Best Vanilla Buttercream

Candy Corn Jell-O

3 oz box Lemon Jell-O

3 oz box Orange Jell-O

Heavy Whipping Cream

Powdered Sugar

1. Prepare lemon Jell-O according to the fast set directions and divide between 5 glasses. Place in fridge for about and hour and a half. 

2. Once the yellow Jell-O has chilled prepare the orange Jell-O according to the fast set directions and pour on top the 5 glasses of set yellow Jell-O. Place in fridge for another hour and a half.

3. Whip enough heavy cream sweetened with powdered sugar to put on top of the 5 glasses.

I shared this at
Sweets for a Saturday
Sweet Indulgences Sunday
 

Strawberry Cupcakes

I tried 2 different strawberry cupcake recipes and the first one did not work out. The second one did and this was the result. A sweet, light, delicious cake with the best strawberry frosting I have had in a long time.

Strawberry Cupcakes

Recipe Source: Oprah.com, Sprinkles Recipe

2/3 cup fresh or frozen strawberries
1 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1/4 cup Whole Milk, room temperature
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1/2 cup Unsalted Butter, room temperature
1 cup Sugar
1 large Egg, room temperature
2 large Egg Whites, room temperature

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line one muffin tin with cupcake liners.

2. Puree strawberries. Approx. 1/3 cup of puree is what you should have. Add more strawberries if necessary. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt; set aside. In a small bowl, mix together milk, vanilla, strawberry puree and set aside.

3. With an electric mixer cream butter on medium-high until light and fluffy. Gradually add sugar and continue to beat until light and fluffy. Reduce the mixer speed to medium and add egg and egg whites until just blended.

4. Place mixer on low, slowly add half the flour mixture and mix until just blended. Add the milk mixture and mix until just blended. Slowly add remaining flour mixture and mix until just blended.

5. Divide batter evenly among 12 muffin cups. Bake approx. 20 minutes. Transfer muffin tin to a wire rack and let the cupcakes cool completely in tin.

Strawberry Frosting
Recipe Source: Annies-eats.net

1/2 cup Strawberries
8oz Cream Cheese, at room temperature
3/4 cup Unsalted Butter, at room temperature
1 3/4 cups Powdered Sugar, sifted

1/2 teaspoon Lemon Juice
1 Tablespoon Vanilla

Puree the strawberries in a blender or a food processor.  Strain through a mesh sieve to remove  the seeds, and set aside.  Beat the cream cheese and butter in an electric mixer until light and fluffy, approx. 5 minutes.  Add the powdered sugar and mix until smooth.  Add the lemon juice, vanilla and strawberry puree.  Add more puree to achieve the desired consistency if needed. 

I shared this at 
Sweets This Week
Themed Bakers Sunday

 

Snickerdoodle Cupcakes

Snickerdoodles are one of my favorite cookies and so when I saw this recipe I couldn't wait to try it. It did not disappoint. The cake is moist, delicious and cinnamon sugary and I used The Best Vanilla Buttercream recipe that I have used before and topped them with cinnamon sugar. So yummy!

Snickerdoodle Cupcakes

Recipe Source: annies-eats.net

Cupcakes:

1 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour

1 1/2 cups Cake Flour, sifted

1 Tablespoon Baking Powder

1 teaspoon Salt

1 Tablespoon Cinnamon

1 cup unsalted Butter, at room temperature

1 3/4 cups Sugar

4 large Eggs

2 teaspoon Vanilla

1 1/4 cups Milk

Garnish:

1 teaspoon Cinnamon

2 Tablespoon Sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pans with paper liners. Combine the flours, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in a medium bowl. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar on medium-high until fluffy, approx. 3 minutes. Beat the eggs in one at a time, mix well after each addition. Add the vanilla. With mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients in three additions alternate with milk, begin and end with your dry ingredients. Beat until just incorporated.

Fill each liner three-quarters full. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 18 minutes. Cool in the pans 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Combine cinnamon and sugar. Frost cupcakes with The Best Vanilla Buttercream then sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture.

I shared this at
Tea Party Tuesday
Savory Sunday 
Muffin Monday

Root Beer Float Cupcakes

Every once in a while I crave a root beer float and so when I came across this recipe I had to try it. The root beer flavor is subtle and the frosting is the vanilla ice cream. Its really a different cupcake definitely worth trying.

Root Beer Float Cupcakes

Recipe Source: TidyMom.net

1 Cup Rootbeer Soda (not diet)
1 Teaspoon Apple Cider Vinegar
3/4 Cup Sugar
1/3 Cup Vegetable Oil
1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

3/4 Teaspoon Root Beer Concentrate
1 1/3 Cups Flour
3/4 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder
Pinch of Salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine root beer soda and vinegar and let stand for a few minutes. Add in the sugar and oil, whisking until slightly frothy.

2. Mix in your extracts, and slowly add the flour, along with the baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Don't over mix.

3. Fill the cupcake liners approx. 2/3 full. Bake about 20 minutes.

I used this frosting.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

I am being featured today on "Or so she says...". I did a simple apron tutorial. Go check it out! 

Peanut butter overload. That's it plain and simple. For someone that loves peanut butter this is the perfect amount of deliciousness. 

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

Recipe Source: Cupcake - Tidymom.net, Filling & Frosting - Beantownbaker.com

Cupcakes
1 Devils Food Cake Mix
3 Large Eggs
1/2 cup Butter
1 cup of Water

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter in the microwave. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Mix batter on low for 1 minute, then on high for 1 minute.

2. Fill cupcake papers 2/3 full. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool.

Chocolate Ganache 

3/4 cup Semisweet Chocolate, finely chopped

3/4 cup Bittersweet Chocolate, finely chpped

1/2 cup Heavy Cream

Bring whipping cream to boil over high heat. Pour boiling cream over chopped chocolate and stir until chocolate melted. If your ganache is too thick to spread add more cream.

Peanut Butter Frosting

1 cup Powdered Sugar
1 cup Creamy Peanut Butter
5 Tablespoons unsalted Butter, at room temperature
3/4 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1/3 cup Heavy Cream

Combine the powdered sugar, peanut butter, butter, vanilla, and salt in a bowl. Mix on medium-low speed until creamy, scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the cream and beat on high until mixture is light and fluffy.

Assembling the cupcakes

1. Using the cone method, remove some of the cupcake and set aside. 

2. Drop one mini Reeces Peanut Butter Cup into the hole of the cupcake. Spoon some ganache in the hole.

3. Replace the top of the cupcake. Frost with peanut butter frosting. 

I linked this at 
Made it on Monday
Savory Sundays
Sweets for a Saturday 
Sweet Indulgences Sunday 
Sweets this Week 
Totally Tasty Tuesdays 
Themed Bakers Sunday

Cookies and Cream Cupcakes

I try and try new cupcake recipes and this is one of my favorites. The cake is so soft and the Oreo bits in the cake add extra flavor and texture. And the frosting is so smooth and creamy, just extra deliciousness.

Cookies and Cream Cupcakes

Recipe Source: Annies-Eats.net

For the cupcakes:

24 Oreo halves, with cream filling attached

2 1/4 cups All-Purpose Flour

1 teaspoon Baking Powder

1/2 teaspoon Salt
8 Tablespoons Butter, room temperature
1 2/3 cups Sugar
3 Large Egg Whites, room temperature
2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 cup Milk
20 Oreos, coarsely chopped

For the frosting:
8 oz Cream Cheese, room temperature
6 Tablespoons Butter, room temperature
1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
4 cups Powdered Sugar, sifted
2 Tablespoons Heavy Cream

For garnish:
24 Oreo cookie halves

Oreo Crumbs

Cupcake...

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two cupcake pans with 24 liners. Place an Oreo half in the bottom of each cupcake liner, cream side up. 

2. In a medium bowl add flour, baking powder and salt. Stir together with a fork and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter and sugar. Beat together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, approx. 2 minutes. Blend in the egg whites one at a time, beating well after each addition. Blend in the vanilla extract. With the mixer on low speed, beat in half of the dry ingredients just until incorporated. Add the milk and beat just until combined, then mix in the remaining dry ingredients. Gently fold in the coarsely chopped Oreos with a rubber spatula until combines, do not to over mix.

3. Scoop the batter evenly between the prepared cupcake liners. Bake for 18-20 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through, until a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Frosting...

1. Combine the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on medium-high speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the vanilla extract. Beat in the powdered sugar until smooth, 1-2 minutes.

2. Add the heavy cream to the bowl and beat on med-low speed just until incorporated, then increase the speed to medium-high and whip for 4 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

3. Frost the cooled cupcakes as desired. Sprinkle with Oreo crumbs and garnish with Oreo halves.

I linked this at
I'm Lovin' It 
Sweets for a Saturday 
Sweet Indulgences Sunday

Vanilla Cupcakes & a Giveaway!

Cake Week, day 7 of 7: I haven't ever made a vanilla cupcake or chocolate cream cheese frosting before. I was a little nervous that the cake might come out thick and dry but it didn't. It was really light and delicious, just the way I like my cupcakes. The frosting was really good. Its not too chocolaty and the cream cheese makes it not too sweet. Such a good combination!

And for the giveaway... Since we have had a week of cakes, the giveaway had to be something to do with cakes, so I decided on this book...

Its such a fun book and it gives you something else to do with your cakes after you bake them. All you have to do to enter to win is:

1. Follow the blog and leave a comment saying you do.

2. 'Like' us on our Facebook page and leave a comment on the blog saying you 'liked' us 

3. Or do both, leave separate comments so you get 2 entries!

*The giveaway will end on Tuesday April 12th at midnight. 

Now lets get to the recipes!

Vanilla Cupcake

Recipe Source: bestcupcakerecipes.blogspot.com

1 1/2 cups of Flour
1/2 cup of Butter, room temperature
1 cup of Sugar
1/2 heaping Tablespoon Baking Powder
2 large Eggs
1/4 cup Whole Milk
1/4 cup Plain Yogurt

1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line cupcake pan with cupcake liners.

2. In a large bowl mix together flour, sugar, and baking powder. Sift twice. With an electric mixer on medium speed, add butter 1 Tablespoon at a time.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, yogurt and vanilla extract. Add to the dry ingredients and beat until just combined. Do not overbeat!

4. Fill lined cupcake tins approx. 2/3 full. Bake for about 15-20 minutes. Start checking at 15 minutes. Don't over bake or they will be dry.

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

Recipe Source: FoodNetwork.com

1/4 cup Butter, softened
4 oz Cream Cheese, softened

1 1/2 cups Powdered Sugar, sifted
2 oz Semisweet Chocolate, melted
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Beat the butter and cream cheese until creamy. Add powdered sugar slowly, while mixing in melted chocolate and vanilla extract.

Red Velvet Cupcakes

For this first post I decided that simply because the name of my blog is what it is, its only fitting that the first post be cupcakes. That's when I got a call to make cupcakes for a friends baby shower. So I scoured the internet to find a recipe and found the perfect one. 

These are not just any cupcakes mind you, they are one of the most moist, delicious cupcakes I have had in a very, very long time. Red Velvet. I am sure everybody has had red velvet before but I had never been so lucky. So after searching high and low, after looking at all of the reviews on several different sites I found it. I also read along the way that the perfect frosting to go with red velvet cake is cream cheese. So that recipe follows the cupcake recipe. These are a perfect dessert. Who doesn't love cupcakes?

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Recipe Source: bestcupcakerecipes.blogspot.com

2 1/2 cups sifted Cake Flour
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Salt
2 Tbsp Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
2 oz. Red Food Coloring (two bottles)
1/2 cup unsalted Butter, softened
1 1/2 cups Sugar
2 Eggs, at room temperature
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 cup Buttermilk, at room temperature
1 tsp Vinegar
1 tsp Baking Soda

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

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

3. In a large bowl 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.

4. 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 2/3 full. I ended up with 17 cupcakes. Place muffin tins in your preheated oven. Bake for approximately 20 minutes, rotating pans halfway through. The cupcakes are done when you can insert a toothpick into the center of a cupcake in the center of the tin and it comes out clean!

5. Cool the cupcakes in their tins on a wire rack for 10 minutes then remove and allow to cool completely before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1/2 cup Butter

8 oz Cream Cheese, Softened

3 cups Powdered Sugar

1 tsp Vanilla

All of the ingredients need to be at room temperature. In a mixing bowl, mix butter on medium speed until light and creamy. Add cream cheese and mix until fluffy. Slowly add the sugar one cup at a time. Finally add the vanilla and mix until creamy.