Red Velvet Cupcakes

I remember the first time I tried a red velvet cupcake...I hated it. *gasp* I mean c'mon, who hates red velvet?! I thought it tasted like a bland chocolate cupcake -- poser. And if you know me, you should know that I like bold, rich flavors. Anything remotely bland makes me want to gag. Maybe that's why I love Indian food so much.

The second time I tried red velvet, I knocked off the cream cheese frosting because I hated that even more than the cupcake. *gasp x1000* Yeah, I know. How can I call myself a true baker if I don't even like the beloved cheese frosting? But this time, I actually appreciated the subtle cocoa flavor and the not-so-sweet characteristic of red velvet.

The third time was the charm. There was a catch this time because I made it from scratch. And usually, when I make things myself, I tend to like it a little more. Narcissistic maybe? Maybe.

For these cupcakes, I used the recipe from Pinch My Salt. However, I am STILL not sold on cream cheese frosting, so I've done what goes against nature...I used chocolate frosting instead. These cupcakes are really moist, fluffy, and take all the will-power in the world to only eat one. Enjoy!

Red Velvet Cupcakes

2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 oz. red food coloring (two bottles)
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon baking soda

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake papers.

2. Sift together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl; set aside. In a small bowl, mix food coloring and cocoa powder to form a thin paste without lumps; set aside.

3. In a large bowl, using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about three minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then beat in vanilla and the red cocoa paste, scraping down the bowl with a spatula as you go. Add one third of the flour mixture to the butter mixture, beat well, then beat in half of the buttermilk. Beat in another third of flour mixture, then second half of buttermilk. End with the last third of the flour mixture, beat until well combined, making sure to scrape down the bowl with a spatula.

4. In a small bowl, mix vinegar and baking soda. Yes, it will fizz! Add vinegar mixture to the cake batter and stir well to combine. Using an ice cream scoop, fill cupcake cups with cake batter (they should be 2/3 – 3/4 full). You may not fill all the cups, I ended up with 20 cupcakes. Place muffin tins on the middle rack of a preheated 350 degree oven. Bake for approximately 20-22 minutes, rotating pans halfway through. Cupcakes are done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

5. Cool the cupcakes in their tins on a wire rack for 10 minutes then remove and allow to cool completely before frosting.