Pink Velvet

I have fond memories of being at an ugly sweater party in Los Angeles with my friend Jenna.  There were silly sweaters and lots of delicious finger foods.  That's where I was first introduced to red velvet cupcakes.  I probably had several of those scrumptious treats that night.  Ever since then, I have been trying to find the perfect red velvet recipe.

I have tried several.  I even made them once without food coloring, because adding an entire bottle of food coloring seems unbelievably disgusting.  I found this recipe in the Detroit Free Press and I decided to give it a try.  Again, I couldn't let myself add enough food coloring to make it red.... so these are pink velvet!

 

 Pink Velvet Cupcakes - Makes 24 cupcakes

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp white vinegar
• 1/2 tsp red gel food coloring

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line cupcake pans with paper liners
2. Add flour, sugar, salt, baking soda and cocoa powder into a large mixing bowl.  Use a whisk to mix the ingredients together.
3. In a large bowl, add the oil, buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla.  Whisk on medium-high speed until fully combined.
4. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients into the large bowl.  Mix with electric mixer until fully combined.  
5. Add the food coloring.  Mix well until the batter has a rich pink color.
6. Fill paper liners 2/3 full with batter.
7. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out clean.

Oooooh, pink cake goodness!  I ate the other half of the cupcake in the picture above.  I love eating cake hot out of the oven.

OK, time for a confession.  I do not like cream cheese frosting.  I like cream cheese... on my bagel.  It has no place on my cupcake.  Besides, it doesn't make for good decorating.  Therefore, I decided to ice these cuppies with vanilla buttercream.

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

• 2 sticks butter, room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 4 cups confectioners' sugar
• 4 T milk 

1. Cream the butter with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy in a large bowl.  This should take a few minutes.
2. Add the sugar one cup at a time.  Beat with the electric mixer on medium-high speed.  After two cups of sugar have been added, add the vanilla and milk.  
3. Continue to add the remaining 2 cups of sugar.  Aerate the mixture on high speed until fluffy.

These came out great! I found the heart sprinkles from the bargain section of Target. These would make a cute Valentine's Day gift, no?

 

 And for those of you without a Valentine....

.. you can always count on cupcakes to make you feel happy!