Red Velvet Cupcakes and Cream Cheese Frosting

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese 

• INGREDIENTS
• 1.5 cups  - Brown sugar (healthier than white sugar)
• 0.5 cup - Butter or Margarine for the Cholesterol Conscious, room temperature
• 2 - Eggs, room temperature (room temperature is important for the correct consistency of your ingredients)
• 2.33 cups  - Cake flour 
• 2 tbs - Dutch-processed cocoa powder
• 1 tsp - Baking soda
• 1 tsp  - Baking powder
• 0.5 tsp - salt
• 1 cup - Buttermilk*
• 1.5 tbs - Red food colouring
• 1 tsp - Vanilla extract
• 1 tsp - Distilled white vinegar

tsp - Teaspoon

tbs - Tablespoon

• FROSTING INGREDIENTS
• 0.5 cup - Butter or Margarine for the Cholesterol Conscious, room temperature
• 1 cup - Cream cheese (1 package), room temperature
• 2 - 3 cups - Icing Sugar
• 1 tsp - Vanilla essence 

*You can make your own buttermilk by adding a tbs of distilled white vinegar to milk and letting it stand for about 10 minutes.

METHOD

• The cupcakes

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Beat the Butter/ Margarine and sugar in an electric mixer for 3 minutes on medium speed until light and fluffy.
2. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure that all ingredients are mixed in.
3. In a large bowl, sift together the cake flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl whisk together the buttermilk, vinegar, vanilla extract, and red food colouring.
4. Add a fourth of the dry ingredients and mix, then add a third of the wet. Continue adding in a dry, wet, dry pattern, ending with the dry ingredients.
5. Scoop into cupcake papers, about 1/2 to 3/4 of the way full. Important not to fill paper cups to much and to let the mixture sit to one side for about 5 to 7 minute, to allow the mixture to relax to ensure that your cup cakes bake with flat surfaces. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Rotate the pan after the first 15 minutes of baking to ensure even baking.
6. Allow to cool for one minute in the pan then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

• The Frosting

1. Cream the butter and cream cheese together, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure even mixing.
2. Add the vanilla extract and mix.
3. Add the powdered sugar, continually taste to get to desired sweetness. Pipe onto cooled cupcakes.

Yield: Makes about 2 1/2 dozen cupcakes.