Red Velvet Cupcakes with Buttercream Frosting

These were made a while ago but I lost the images until recently. Since I found them, I thought I'd share. I made these for an Oscar party (hence the red velvet - red carpet with added clear sprinkles for "bling").

Here's the recipe for the red velvet cupcake part:


Red Velvet Cupcakes 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 ounces water
2 ounces red food coloring
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon baking soda

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare cupcake tins as directed as directed in the recipe you are following.
2. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy.
3. Add eggs and blend well.
4. Make a paste of cocoa and food coloring and add to the butter mixture.
5. Sift flour and salt together into this mixture.
6. One at a time, add the following ingredients: buttermilk, vanilla, and water.
7. In a small bowl, combine the vinegar and baking soda. Fold it into the cake batter. Make sure it's incorporated, but don't beat it.
8. Pour the batter into the cupcake tins. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the cake springs back when touched.
9. Remove from oven and let cool for about 10 minutes, then turn the cupcakes out of the tins and onto a rack to finish cooling completely.

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These cupcakes were really dense. In thinking about it, all of my homemade cakes have been very dense and I'm wondering if it's because I don't use cake flour, I use regular flour. I've tried buying cake flour but they don't carry it at any of the stores I've been to. If anyone has any insight into this, let me know! I want to try it one last time with cake flour before I give up and get box mixes for cakes.


The icing, however was DEVINE. I highly recommend it and it was incredibly easy. 

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Here's that recipe:


Amy Sedaris's Vanilla Buttercream Frosting 1 box confectioners' sugar
1 stick unsalted butter
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract*
1/4 cup milk or light cream
food coloring (optional)

*Less than 1 teaspoon pure almond extract can be substituted.

In a bowl combine: one box of confectioners' sugar, one stick of unsalted butter, one teaspoon of pure vanilla extract, and 1/4 cup of milk or light cream and beat for a while. Really whip it, don't be afraid to get in there. I occasionally add food coloring and sometimes substitute pure almond extract for vanilla.
If you do choose to add pure almond extract instead of vanilla, you're on your own. I don't know the measurement for it, but I do know it's less than the amount of vanilla you would add.

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I used the vanilla extract. I wouldn't change a thing. Super delicious icing. 


Yum.

ps. I also enjoyed making these because I got to try out my new icing bag and tips. They make the icing look so much prettier... although I still can't figure out how to get them to look like the DC Cupcakes that look so incredible.