Red Velvet Cupcakes

I've been thinking of making these ever since we ate with Karen at Cupcake in Charleston. Red velvet is just so pretty, and Southern, and maybe a little kitschy, and it makes me think of Steel Magnolias.

I allowed myself to be convinced by blogging foodies that making cake from scratch is "just as easy as using a box mix!" (not true) "and so much more delicious!" (totally true). It probably helped that I finally followed directions like letting ingredients (butter, eggs, cream cheese)come to room temperature before mixing & blending for a full 3 minutes to let air get to all the yummy fat molecules. The kitchen's just a delicious chem lab!

This recipe is adapted from a few I found online and resulted in the BEST cupcakes I've ever had:

Red Velvet Cupcakes (1.5 doz jumbo or 2.5 doz regular)

* 1 1/2 cups of sugar
* 1/2 cup (1 stick) of butter, room temperature
* 2 eggs, room temperature
* 2 1/3 cups of cake flour OR (2.3 c minus 4 Tbs) all purpose flour*
* 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder (Dark cocoa is delicious but does dampen the red color)
* 1 teaspoon of baking soda
* 1 teaspoon of baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon of salt
* 1 cup of buttermilk (or 1 c. milk + 1 Tbs white vinegar left to sit 10 min)
* 1 1/2 tablespoons of red food coloring
* 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
* 1 teaspoon of distilled white vinegar

*All purpose flour contains more protein (it's ground w/ some of the germ & bran attached), so it forms more gluten chains. That makes it great for bread -- where gluten is needed to hold the bread together as all those gasses expand and give a nice chewy texture -- but not so good for cakes & pastries. I just can't see buying a separate cake flour, so I use this substitution and it works fine.

1 Preheat the oven to 350°F. Beat the butter and sugar in an electric mixer for 3 minutes on medium speed until light and fluffy.

2 Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until each is fully incorporated. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure even mixing.

3 In a large bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl whisk together the buttermilk, vinegar, vanilla extract, and red food coloring.

4 Add a fourth of the dry ingredients and mix, then add a third of the wet. Continue adding in a dry, wet, dry pattern, ending with the dry ingredients.

5 Scoop into cupcake papers, about 1/2 to 3/4 of the way full. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until slightly separating from sides & toothpick comes out clean. Rotate the pan after the first 15 minutes of baking to ensure even baking (important for my very uneven oven!).

6 Allow to cool before icing.

Cream Cheese Frosting (makes PLENTY for above # cupcakes)

* 1/2 cup of butter (1 stick), room temperature
* 8 oz cream cheese (1 package), room temperature
* 2 cups of powdered sugar
* 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

1 Cream the butter and cream cheese together, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure even mixing.

2 Mix in vanilla extract.

3 Add the powdered sugar. Use spatula to spoon onto cooled cupcakes.