
Yes! I just call mine velvet cupcakes instead of the popular red velvet cake and why? simply because it is not that red to be called red velvet cupcakes 🙂 kidding aside. Anyway, it is still the red velvet cupcake but I opted not to add more red food coloring. Sometimes , if I have this recipe to try on I have this attitude not to follow what the recipe is asking for. So with this recipe I did not put the required amount of food coloring. I was not after the red color after all but of course the outcome and taste of this velvet cupcakes 🙂 .I was not disappointed the cupcakes and cream cheese frosting has just the exact amount of sweetness:)
Velvet Cupcakes
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour*
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons 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 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon baking soda
Procedure :
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake papers.
2. Sift together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl; set aside. In a small bowl, mix food coloring and cocoa powder to form a thin paste without lumps; set aside.
3. In a large bowl, using a hand mixer or stand mixer, 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. Yes, it will fizz! Add vinegar mixture to the cake batter and stir well to combine. Using an ice cream scoop, fill cupcake cups with cake batter (they should be 2/3 – 3/4 full). You may not fill all the cups, I ended up with 20 cupcakes. Place muffin tins on the middle rack of a preheated 350 degree oven. Bake for approximately 20-22 minutes, rotating pans halfway through. Cupcakes are done when a toothpick inserted in the center 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
(Will frost about 20 cupcakes)
Ingredients:
1 bar (250g) cream cheese, cold, cut up into small cubes
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups powdered/icing sugar, sifted
Procedure:
In a medium bowl, beat the butter for a few seconds. Add in the cubed cream cheese and vanilla extract.Beat until combined.
Add powdered sugar in 3 additions. Beat only until the mixture is smooth. Over beating will make the frosting go soft.
Frost the cupcakes and decorate the way you want it 🙂


The recipe is from Pinch My Salt.
The frosting is from Heart of Mary.