red velvet cupcakes.

We are really serious about birthdays in my office.

I have been dying to make red velvet cupcakes ever since my co-workers and I decided to host a Twilight Saga-themed birthday party for our boss.

Yep, you heard me right.

Doesn’t everyone deserve to blow out candles on a cake or cupcake on their birthday? I’m pretty sure it’s like a crime if you don’t.

I like these cupcakes. They have a lot of personality.

They scream “Parrtaaay!” ….kind of like Kristen Wiig in the airplane scene in Bridesmaids.

I made these cupcakes look cute by filling the liners almost all the way full, so that they would puff up over the top when baked.

And even cuter with cream cheese frosting piped on with an icing bag.

I made one mini cupcake for Mr. Peaches and Cake to taste-test before serving to my co-workers.

He inhaled it.

And I thought they were pretty darn delicious too!

This cupcake adventure would not have been possible without the help of my Martha Stewart Cupcake Carrier. A definite must-have for any baker-on-the-go!

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
Makes about 20 large cupcakes

Printer-friendly version

• 2 Β½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 Β½ cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon cocoa powder (Ghirardelli or Hersheys is good.)
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 Β½ cups buttermilk, room temperature
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 tablespoons red food coloring (This is about one whole bottle of food coloring. Don’t skimp on this part.)
• 1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• cupcake liners

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

• Β½ pound (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened (Philadelphia)
• 1 stick of unsalted butter, softened
• ΒΎ teaspoon vanillaΒ extract
• 2 ΒΌ cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted lightly to remove any lumps
• icing bag with piping tip, if desired (I used plastic ones made by Wilton)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two 12-cup muffin pans with cupcake liners.

Prepare your mise en place! First, takeΒ the buttermilk, eggs, cream cheese, and butter out of the fridge and let come to room temperature before proceeding with the recipe. Then, measure out and use a sieve to sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder in a bowl. Do NOT forget to sift! Or else you will have powdery cocoa balls exploding into your eyes!

In the bowl of a mixer with a whisk attachmentΒ or with a handheld mixer gently beat together the oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla. Add the sifted dry ingredients to the wet and mix until smooth and thoroughly combined.

Transfer the batter to a large measuring cup. Using a spatula toΒ prevent dripping,Β pour the batter evenly among the cupcake tins about 3/4-filled.Β  Bake in oven for about 24 to 26 minutes, turning the pans once halfway through, until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean. (Note: Baking time will vary depending on the heat of your oven and the size of your cupcakes. Just use the toothpick test to determine doneness.) Remove from oven and let cool completely before frosting.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla together until smooth. Add the sugar on low speed and beat until incorporated. Increase the speed to high and mix until very light and fluffy. Let the frosting cool a bit in the refrigerator before applying to cupcakes.

If desired, transfer the frosting to an icing bag and pipeΒ the frosting in a circular motion around the cupcake. Otherwise, frost the cupcakes with a butter knife or small spatula.

Hope your day is SWEET!

xoxo,
P&C