This past weekend I hosted a bridal shower- a Friends themed bridal shower! Now, while red velvet cupcakes had nothing to do with that, they are, however, the birde's favorite cupcake! And what baby wants, baby gets. And as the one feeding the baby, I wanted to make it good!
...The baby is the bride in this case, just in case you were confused.
...The baby is the bride in this case, just in case you were confused.
Red velvet was never an extreme favorite of mine, I'm not a huge fan of cream cheese frosting... or cake for that matter. HOWEVER. I don't know what it was about this time but it was perfect. The cream cheese was so light tasting it was perfection, it wasn't like I was biting into a bagel or something. The sweet frosting paired with the spongy flavorful cake is a match made in heaven. Also, if these didn't turn out the way I wanted them to I would have not been a happy camper. Baking in the heat and humidity was like death. If I'm baking in that kind of heat, it better be worth it. Along with the cupcakes we had other goodies in the theme of Friends! Phoebe's grandmother's cookies- her name of course was Nestle Tollhouse. Rachel's infamous English trifle, a meatless! Some sandwiches for Joey. Little fancy caprese skewers for Monica. And because Chandler loves baths, we had a nice little champagne bubble bath drink.
Now, on with the cupcakes!
CAKE
-1 1/2 sticks room temperature butter
-1 3/4 cup sugar
-2 eggs
-2 1/2 tbs cocoa powder
-1 tbs vanilla extract
-2 tbs no taste red food coloring (I don't like mine looking like a shark attack, add more if you'd like.)
-1 1/2 cups whole milk
-1 tsp salt
-3 1/4 cups all purpose flour
-1 1/2 tsp white distilled vinegar
-1 1/2 tsp baking soda
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
-1/2 stick room temperature butter
-7 oz room temperature cream cheese
-4 cups powdered sugar
-1 tbs vanilla extract
1. Preheat your oven to 350F.
2. In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar for a couple minutes until pale.
3. Add both eggs one at a time.
4. Add the cocoa powder, vanilla extract, salt, and food coloring, mix to combine.
5. Sift the flour into a separate bowl.
6. In thirds, alternately add the flour and milk until the batter has been fully combined.
7. Pop the cupcake liners in your tines and fill about 2/3 full.
8. Bake for 18 minutes and let cool on a wire rack. Depending on your oven, you may have to bake for longer, but start to check at around 18 minutes.
9. Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment place the butter, cream cheese and vanilla extract in and mix well to combine. You want the mixture pale, creamy, and oh so pretty looking.
10. Add the powdered sugar one cup at a time incorporating so you don't look like Scarface in the kitchen and have the sugar come up in a huge cloud and get all over everything.
11. Depending on the weather where you are, you might need to add a tiny bit of milk, maybe a tablespoon, to loosen up the frosting just a bit, it should still stay thick though.
12. When the cupcakes have cooled completely you are good to fill a piping bag fitting with a large round tip to pipe the perfect mound onto the cupcake. If you don't have a piping bag or a tip, take a freezer bag, cut off the corner, and you're good to go.
13. Garnish with some sprinkles or whatever you'd like and you're done!
However you use this recipe it will be delicious and bring a smile to people's faces. This is a classic recipe that will always have a place at a party and people will thank you for it because it's delicious, duh. Enjoy!
Meaghan
