Red Velvet Cupcakes <3

Look at these little cuties! Don’t you just want to take a bite? I think that they’re the perfect sweet treat for your sweetie on Valentine’s Day! (& if you don’t have a sweetie no worries, more for you ; ) I mean, Red Velvet HELLO (other than chocolate of course) is the obvious choice for Valentine’s Day right? It’s RED after all LOL but this just isn’t any old Red Velvet Recipe nope, this is an incredibly special recipe to me (if you want to read the whole sappy story behind it head on over to my original post here) ! It’s my Grandma’s & after years of begging, pleading and throwing tantrums my Mom FINALLY gave me the recipe last year. See persistence does pay off. LOL

That’s a picture of my Grandma! Here she is! I thought it only fitting to show you a picture since after all, it is her recipe. Ta da…My Grandma! , oh so snappy in her signature ruby red lipstick & those peep toe shoes (must be where I get my snappy style from)! There is something magical about this cake. It’s light & moist & fluffy and the red color just hypnotizes you & oh & the icing, can’t forget about that creamy goodness.

You can make it into a cake or cupcakes (obviously I opted for the cupcakes LOL). I don’t feel as bad eating a cupcake (or 2 or 3 tee hee) for some reason.

What you’ll need:
2 sticks of unsalted butter – softened
5 eggs separated
2 cups sugar
2 1/2 cups cake flour sifted twice
1 cup buttermilk
2 oz. red food coloring
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Cream Cheese Icing:
1 8oz brick of cream cheese – softened
1 stick of unsalted butter – softened
16oz bag of confectioners sugar
Squeeze of honey

What to do:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. In your mixer, cream butter & sugar together until pale in color & very creamy. Add egg yolks one at a time beating about 1/2 minute after each. In a small bowl combine the cocoa powder & food coloring & mix well (be careful this does make a bit of a hot red mess). Add this to butter, sugar & eggs. Add cake flour, salt & baking soda, alternately with buttermilk (end with flour). Add in vanilla extract. In your mixer, beat egg whites with your whisk attachment until stiff. Fold into mixture. Line your cupcake pans with cupcake liners (tip: I like to put 2 per hole so the outside one is still pretty when they come out of the oven) and fill 75% of the way up (I like my cupcakes over the top). Bake for 25-30 minutes or until done. Cool on a wire rack and then frost with icing. I filled my pastry bag with the icing mixture (if it’s too thick for you add a little milk to thin it out) I stuck the tip down into the cupcake and squeezed gently filling the cupcake with icing & then adding a cute little dollop on the top! So cute. ALMOST cute too cute eat! Almost! To make icing: place cream cheese, honey & butter in mixer & mix until creamy. Slowly add in your confectioners sugar & mix until desired consistency is reached. Remember if it’s too thick just add a little milk to thin it out. Note: If you’d like to make a cake instead of cupcakes I use 3 9″ pans. Bake at 350 degrees about 35 minutes or until done. Cool completely & then frost.