Red Velvet Cupcakes

Makes 18 cupcakes

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup buttermilk, shaken
• 1 tablespoon red food coloring
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 extra large eggs, room temperature

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line muffin tins with paper liners.

Mix together the flour, coca powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt with a whisk to combine well. In a glass measuring container combine the buttermilk, red food coloring, vinegar and vanilla.

Using the paddle attachment and your electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until well combined. At low speead add the dry ingredients and wet ingredients alternately, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Be sure everything is well combined.

Use an ice cream scoop, for uniform cupcakes, to fill the muffin cups. While the recipe says to bake for 25 to 30 minutes, I only baked mine for 24 minutes. A toothpick inserted in the center of the cupcakes came out clean. The cupcakes were well risen and sprung back when I touched them. Cool the cupcakes completely in the pan.

The Frosting

• 8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3/4 pound confectioners' sugar (3 1/2 cups)

I weighed the sugar using my kitchen scale, but volume measurement will work as well. Set aside.

Cream together the cream cheese, butter and vanilla using your electric mixer and the paddle attachment. Sift the sugar into the cream cheese and butter mixture, mix on medium speed until well combined. Spread a generous amount of the frosting on each cupcake.

I wanted to freeze a portion of my cupcakes. To do so I placed the cupcakes on a sheet pan in my freezer for one hour. After the hour I wrapped each cupcake individually in plastic wrap and then placed the wrapped cookies in a zip closure bag to return to the freezer. Now I'll have red velvet cupcakes ready for a future dessert.

So, how did these cupcakes come out? This is a very tasty recipe. The cocoa flavor comes through. The cake is light and the frosting is creamy. The cream cheese in the frosting is delicious. One of the things Terri Wahl stressed in her recipe was the use of oil versus butter. She said that oil would make a moister cupcake. I increased the butter in my cupcakes over Ina Garten's original recipe and thought the result was very good.