Red Velvet Cupcakes

Red Velvet Cupcakes

At restaurants, stores, and bakeries there is always the ever present Red Velvet Cake to buy, with the description as being out of this world. I used to have to just trust the labels, because I'd never had Red Velvet myself, and didn't really even know what is was. So when my dad said he needed cupcakes to give to someone for their birthday, Red Velvet came to my mind immediately. It was time to test that legendary flavor. And I have to say, after I ate one of those babies, I was not disappointed.

Ingredients

Cake:

• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup plain yogurt or sour cream
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 ( .3 ounce) bottle Red Food Color
• 2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting:

• 1 1/2 Cup Softened Butter
• 5 1/2 Cup Confectioner's Sugar
• 2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
• 1-3 Tablespoons Milk

Directions

Cake:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in medium bowl. Set aside.
2. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed 5 minutes or until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Mix in plain yogurt/sour cream, milk, food color and vanilla. Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed until just blended. Do not over beat. Spoon batter into 30 paper-lined muffin cups, filling each cup 2/3 full.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted into cupcake comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire rack 5 minutes. Remove from pans; cool completely. Frost.

Frosting: 

1. Cream Butter in mixer
2. Add 1 cup powdered sugar and 1 Tbs. Milk. Stir and gradually add rest of powdered sugar. Add milk if needed. Add Vanilla. Beat on high for several minutes until thick and creamy. If frosting tastes like powdered sugar continue to beat for several more minutes until the taste is right.