Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

4.7.10

To celebrate a good friend of mine's birthday and the Cupcakecamp Seattle Event (and cupcake places around town on April 10th, 2010) sponsored by Bella Cupcake Couture, I'm baking cupcakes! I came across this event flyer while searching to see what was going on around Seattle. Yes, I was looking for a good place to dine. I was so excited especially after I found out this event is raising money for the Hope Heart Institute.

A good friend of mine, David, pointed out the bad correlation between a cupcake and heart health. How could they go together? Guess what, not only he questioned this, but also others.  Therefore, the answer was sought after on the web! This is what the event folks answered:

"You may ask if eating cupcakes and a healthy heart go together. Following the rule that sweet treats should be enjoyed in moderation; cupcakes can be the perfect petite indulgence to fulfill ones sweet tooth craving. A little bit of love can make a big difference and everything tastes better when shared."

For me so what? I love cupcakes. I'm going to eat them for a good cause with no guilt!!!

Some of you may not have heard about Cupcake Camp. According to its website, the concept for Cupcake Camp originated in San Francisco and it promotes a true spirit of community and sharing.  Cupcake Camps now happen around the world and come in a wide variety of flavors and sizes. The most essential feature of a Cupcake Camp is that it brings together people to share their love of cupcakes!

Event photos will be shared in the next post, please stay tuned!

I'm baking red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting. If you are a chocolate lover, we have a chocolate cupcakes recipe too! I used a cake recipe from Cooking Light Magazine, but the frosting is a mix between the magazine and from Joy the Baker. Her recipe is adapted from Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook. 

Cupcakes:

10 oz all purpose flour ( about 2 1/2 cups)

3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 large eggs

1 1/4 cups nonfat buttermilk

1 1/2 teaspoons white vinegar

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 tablespoons red food coloring

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350F
• To prepare cupcakes, place muffin cup liners in muffin cups
• Sift twice the flour, unsweetened cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt
• In a medium bowl or mixer with attachment, beat butter and sugar at a medium speed until well blended (about 3 mins)
• Add in egg one at a time, beating well after each addition
• Add flour mixture and 1 1/4 cups nonfat buttermilk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture
• Add white vinegar, vanilla extract, and food coloring; beat well
• Use an ice cream scoop to spoon batter into prepared muffin cups. Bake for 2o mins or until a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean
• Cool on wire rack

In the meantime, let's work on the frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

4 cups powdered sugar, sifted

6 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature

8 oz cream cheese cold

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon (optional if you like cinnamon frosting)

Directions:

• Beat the powdered sugar, cinnamon (optional), and butter together in a bowl  at medium-slow speed till well mixed
• Add the cream cheese all at once and beat on medium-high speed
• Turn the mixer to medium-high and beat for 5 mins or till the frosting becomes light and fluffy.
• Don't over beat it otherwise it will be too liquidy.

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

Or just a regular cream cheese

Red Velvet Cupcakes