Red Velvet Cupcakes

These red velvet cupcakes paired with this cream cheese frosting are absolutely to die for! The cupcake comes from Joy the Baker and is a gorgeous dark red and the frosting is delicious 🙂 I thought I’d make these cupcakes for you guys because red velvet isn’t just for Valentine’s Day anymore- it’s also for the Fourth of July!

Ingredients: Red Velvet Cupcakes (from here)

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 egg, room temperature

3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tablespoons red food coloring

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 and 1/2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar

Cream Cheese Frosting (from here)

2 (8-oz.) packages cream cheese, at room temperature

1 cup powdered sugar

2 and 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 and 1/3 cups cold heavy whipping cream

Recipe: Red Velvet Cupcakes

Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 350F and line a cupcake tin.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fit with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about three minutes.

Turn mixer to high and add the egg. Scrape down the bowl and beat until well incorporated.

In a separate bowl mix together cocoa, vanilla and red food coloring to make a thick paste. Add to the batter, mixing thoroughly until completely combined.

Turn mixer to low and slowly add half of the buttermilk. Add half of the flour and salt and mix until combined. Scrape the bowl and repeat the process with the remaining milk and flour. Beat on high until smooth.

Turn mixer to low and add baking soda and white vinegar. Turn to high and beat a few more minutes.

Spoon batter into the cupcake pan and bake for 18-23 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center cupcake comes out clean.

Let cupcakes rest in the pan for 10 minutes, then place them on a cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Sift the powdered sugar into the bowl, beating to combine, then add the vanilla extract.

Remove the paddle attachment and attach the whisk attachment. Scrape down any cream cheese from the sides of the bowl, and then with the whisk beating at medium-high speed, stream in the cold heavy cream until the frosting is thick enough to pipe.

Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with your desired pastry tip. Pipe the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes and serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Advertisement

Super Stuffed Dark Chocolate M&M Cookies

I can’t believe I didn’t share these cookies with you guys earlier. I only made them a few days ago but still, just too good to wait any longer. The cookies are thick and fudgy, studded with dark chocolate chips and dark chocolate M&Ms- so good! They’re rather photogenic too 🙂 Look at all the pretty M&Ms!

Ingredients: Cookies

1 and 1/2 stick (3/4 cup) unsalted butter

1/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 large eggs, cold

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup Hershey’s Super Dark Cocoa Powder

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

1 cup dark chocolate M&Ms

Recipe: Cookies

Preheat oven to 350F.

Add 1-2 inches of water to a medium saucepan. Heat the water until it’s barely simmering.

Mix butter, cocoa powder, the white sugar, and salt in a medium heat proof bowl. Rest bowl over saucepan, making sure the bottom does not get wet.

Stir occasionally until all the ingredients are combined. Don’t worry if the batter is gritty. Take off heat.

While the mixture is still warm, quickly beat in the brown sugar.

When the mixture is cool, about 5 minutes later, beat in the eggs, one at a time, and vanilla.

When the batter is shiny, beat in the flour, cornstarch, and flour.

Mix in the chocolate chips and M&Ms.

Roll into large balls, about 2 tablespoons, and place on greased cookie sheet.

Bake for 10-12 minutes.

Enjoy!