Red Velvet Cupcakes

Monday is Valentine's Day - a day set aside to stop and remove yourself from everyday routines and acknowledge your love to those who mean most to you.

While some people celebrate with a dinner out or an expensive gift - sometimes it's the little things that count most. A batch of these beautiful and delicious red velvet cupcakes are sure to do the trick!

They're perfect as a dessert after an intimate meal, a romantic treat to surprise your wife with at work, or goodie for your kids to bring to school and exchange with classmates along with Valentine's Day cards.

These cupcakes are the epitome of love with their silky red coloring and soft pillow-like consistency- a dessert perfect for Valentine's Day. I hope you enjoy them!

Red Velvet Cupcakes
Adapted from Brown Eyed Baker

Makes: 12 cupcakes
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Bake Time: 17-20 minutes

Ingredients
Cupcakes
4 Tablespoons butter, at room temperature
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 egg
2-½ Tablespoons cocoa powder
3 Tablespoons red food coloring (can be found next to vanilla extract in baking aisle)
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup buttermilk
1 cup and 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
1-½ teaspoons distilled white vinegar

Cream Cheese Frosting
4 ounces butter, at room temperature
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
2-½ cups powdered/confectioners sugar
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
A plastic Ziploc bag for piping (optional)
Valentine's Day sprinkles (optional)

Directions
Cupcakes:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line a standard muffin pan with 12 liners.

Cream your butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment over medium/high speed until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Increase your speed to high, add your egg, and beat until blended.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine your cocoa powder, vanilla extract, and red food coloring. Mix until combined. Then add the red paste to your creamed butter mixture and mix over medium speed until combined.

Lower your speed to low and add half of your buttermilk, then half of your flour mixture, and repeat the process with your remaining buttermilk and flour, making sure to mix in between each addition. Beat on high until smooth; about 20 seconds.

Reduce the speed to low and add your salt, baking powder, and distilled white vinegar. Change your speed to high and beat for 2 minutes until smooth and completely blended.

Then divide your batter equally into the cupcake liners. Bake at 350 degrees for 17-20 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center of your cupcake comes out clean. Once cooked, transfer your cupcakes to a cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.

Frosting:
To prepare the frosting, combine your butter and cream cheese in the bowl of an electric mixer.  Using the whisk attachment, whisk over high speed for about 5 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.

Gradually add your confectioner’s sugar, adding a little at a time, whisking on low until incorporated.  Then add your vanilla extract. Increase the speed to medium/high and whip for 2-3 minutes until the frosting is light and fluffy.

To pipe your frosting, cut the corner of a plastic Ziploc bag. Fit your piping piece through the small hole. Spoon your frosting into the bag and you're ready to pipe! Frost your cupcakes and top with Valentine's Day sprinkles, which you can find at Target, Michaels, or AC Moore.

If you like this recipe and want to find more like it, visit my food blog Sprinkles of Parsley for more recipes with step by step pictures and tutorials!