Red Velvet Cupcake

Seriously, a RED cake with cream cheese frosting and all the hoopla??  I just did not get it until I had a bite of the red velvet cupcake from a very famous Washington DC bakery, and now I have the red cake fever!  Before we knew it we were baking batch after batch of dry and tasteless red cakes.   Talk about HUGE disappointment.  I vowed never to bake, eat or see another red cake until…we baked a batch from www.divascancook.com and OMG…I flat lined!  It’s waaaay better (my opinion) than the famous Washington DC cupcake!   Here is my adaption of the Very Best Red Velvet Cake recipe.

Red Velvet Cupcake 

Makes 12 cup cakes

1 cup all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tablespoons red food coloring

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 large egg

½ cup buttermilk

¼ cup prepared plain hot coffee

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon cider vinegar

Easy, Creamy, Fluffy Homemade Cream Cheese Frosting

8 ounce cream cheese, softened
2 ounce butter, softened
1/8 cup whole milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

6 ounces powdered sugar

Preheat oven 325 degrees

In a medium bowl, mix the all-purpose flour, baking powder and salt.  Set aside.  Whisk the cocoa powder, red food coloring and vanilla extract in a small bowl until smooth; set aside.

In a large bowl, add the sugar and oil and mix at medium speed with an electric mixer.  Add the egg and mix well.  Stir in the food coloring mix.  Add the flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the buttermilk, mixing well after each addition.  Stir in the coffee.  Scrape down the side of the bowl.

Stir the baking soda and vinegar in a small nonreactive bowl.  Add the baking soda mixture to the batter and mix for 10 seconds.

Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake tins about 2/3 filled.  Bake for about 18 to 20 minutes or until done.  Remove from oven and cool completely on a wire rack.

For the frosting:
In a large bowl, beat together the butter, cream cheese, and vanilla extract with an electric mixer.  With the mixer on low speed, add the powdered sugar a cup at a time until smooth and fluffy.