Tasty Tuesday

It's Tuesday, and that means it's Tasty Tuesday time. I'm not a big dessert eater - give me crunchy and salty anytime, but this is one of my favorite desserts. Both the cupcake and the frosting are delicious, but the frosting is also to die for. I posted about this awhile back (Easter Cupcakes), but never included the recipe. Here it goes...
Slàinte!

Red Velvet Cupcakes

For the cupcakes:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 tablespoons red food coloring
1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Line 2 (12-cup) muffin pans with cupcake papers.
3. In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder.
4. In a large bowl gently beat together the oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla with a handheld electric mixer.
5. Add the sifted dry ingredients to the wet and mix until smooth and thoroughly combined.
6. Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake tins about 2/3 filled.
7. Bake in oven for about 20 to 22 minutes, turning the pans once, half way through. Test the cupcakes with a toothpick for doneness. Remove from oven and cool completely before frosting.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
(I halved the frosting and still had plenty left over to eat with a spoon)
1 pound cream cheese, softened
2 sticks butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar

1. In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla together until smooth.
2. Add the sugar and on low speed, beat until incorporated. Increase the speed to high and mix until very light and fluffy.
3. Spread or pipe onto cupcakes.
   
   

You've probably guessed by now that these aren't some low calorie desert. These are the real thing - buttery, sugary, fatty. Mmmmmm!