March 03, 2011

Red Velvet Mini Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting



For once, I made cupcakes! I am not the biggest cupcakes fan. I like them. Sometimes I find a flavor combination that makes me love them. But I have some troubles with the idea of making them myself. I think it’s very hard to really mess up a cupcake recipe and get very bad cupcakes. But I also thing it’s very hard to get great cupcakes. I wow at breads, rolls, cakes, scones. But I really wow at cupcakes.


This time I wowed! And together with me other 40 people or so did. At Wally’s office they decided to have a Valentines’ day potluck. That week, however, many of them were sick, Wally included. He brought something in a few days later. At that point, I did not feel compelled to make something heart-shaped (thank god!). But when I found this recipe I decided that I could give up some of my V-day indifference and make, at least, red velvet cupcakes. Wally came home with lots and lots of compliments for me. Rumor has it one of his coworker had 15 mini cupcakes! Wow! That’s a lot!



First note: as you can see, they are not super flashy red. The reason is that I felt the 1 ½ tablespoon of food coloring was way too much for my tastes. If you don’t mind using that much food coloring, go ahead and make them bright red!

Second note: I doubled the ingredients to obtain enough mini cupcakes for everybody. I got 68 mini cupcakes! Yes, many many many! You can just half the recipe to obtain a normal amount of mini cupcakes or you can make normal size cupcakes.




Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients
                  For the cupcakes
                   
                  300 gr (1 1/2 cups) sugar
                  113 gr (1/2 cup or 1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
                  2 eggs, room temperature
                  2 1/3 cups of cake flour
                  2 tablespoons of Dutch-processed cocoa powder
                  1 teaspoon of baking soda
                  1 teaspoon of baking powder
                  1/2 teaspoon of salt
                  1 cup of buttermilk
                  1 1/2 tablespoons of red food coloring
                  1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
                  1 teaspoon of distilled white vinegar

For the frosting
                   
                  113 gr (1/2 cup or 1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
                  (8 oz) cream cheese, at room temperature
                  400-600 gr (2- 3 cups) confectioners’ sugar, depending on how sweet you like the frosting
                  5 ml (1 tsp) vanilla extract


Method

For the cupcakes

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Beat the butter and sugar in an electric mixer for 3 minutes on medium speed until light and fluffy.

Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until each is fully incorporated. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure even mixing.

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 coloring.

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.

Scoop into cupcake papers, about 1/2 to 3/4 of the way full. 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.

Allow to cool for one minute in the pan then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

The Frosting

Cream the butter and cream cheese together, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure even mixing.

Add the vanilla extract and mix.

Add the powdered sugar, continually taste to get to desired sweetness. Pipe onto cooled cupcakes.


Have a sweet day!


41 comments:

  1. Oooh! Lovely cup cakes, looks very delish with the cream on top.

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  2. Such cute mini cupcakes. You were a busy baker, 68 minis. Red Velvet is my favorite flavor.

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  3. I'm a sucker for cream cheese frosting. These look wonderful!

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  4. These really are pretty little cupcakes. I am like you, I am not huge on cupcakes but occasionally I love them. Wow, I can't believe someone ate 15! Even for mini-cupcakes, that's a lot. They must have been delicious!

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  5. I have a hard time making mini's because they never seem as moist to me as bigger cupcakes. Yours look perfect! I'm sure you are a celebrity baker now at Wally's work (if you weren't already)!

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  6. these are adorable and how sweet of you to make them all!

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  7. Sara, of course before starting dinner, I had to read your post as soon as I got home! They are gorgeous. I'm not a big cake fan myself and recently made Red Velvet Cake and fell in love. I like YOUR mini version even better!

    Thank you for sharing!

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  8. Capisco perche ha mangiato 15 cupcakes! These look delicious! I love the pretty frosting! I think the red is the perfect shade,:)

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  9. I loved the line about it being easy to make cupcakes but hard to make great cupcakes. That said it all. These are definitely great cupcakes. I'm deliciously impressed. (And no chocolate...great job!)

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  10. Oh nice! I'm not a big cupcake fan either, but I'll have to try these out. What was your concern with the coloring? Does it change the taste?

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  11. @Jan: I'm a sucker for cream cheese frosting too! That's probably why I liked them!
    @Eileen: I think mini cupcakes need a little less flour in the dough and a shorter baking time otherwise they dry up too much and there is nothing worse than a dry cupcake!
    And yes, I'm a celebrity at Wally's work lol! But come on, you can bring mini cupcakes and say "there is only half for each person" so I needed to bake many!
    @Lora:thanks, I liked the shade too. @apiciuapprentice: according to the recipe I was supposed to put 3 tbsp for this whole batch. It does not change the taste if you put the one without flavor but that much food coloring is not very healthy :(
    @Christiane: there is such a tiny amount of chocolate in the dough that in fact you really don't taste it! That's why I liked them too

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  12. Super darling! Fifteen mini-cupcakes... wowzers! They look really tasty :-)

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  13. Sara, these cupcakes are like little rubies - jewels! I could polish off half a dozen myself. I find your shade of red to be delightful!

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  14. These are so incredibly cute. I love them and I'm looking forward to making them. Thanks for sharing. CHeers.

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  15. Sara, these look super!! I love the shade of red you used--perfect amount. Cream cheese is the only frosting for these in my book! Beautifully done!

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  16. no wonder someone had 15 cupcakes. they do look good.
    i love cupcakes but avoid making them since i hate piping the frosting. sounds weird, i know.

    have a wonderful Friday Sara

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  17. Very nice photos, a mini cupcake is a great excuse to eat more than one, much more than one:)

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  18. The cupcakes look gorgeous. Love the beautiful frosting as well. Have a nice day.

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  19. I actually love cupcakes and yours look beautiful! Something about mini desserts is just so appealing :o)

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  20. So pretty! I love mini cupcakes but they take forever to make!

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  21. these cupcakes are super cute! thanks for sharing this.

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  22. Pretty, delightful and yummy! I love cream cheese frosting- lovely photos!

    Have a beautiful weekend!

    xx,
    Tammy

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  23. red velvet is my favorite dessert, but I don't like sweets in any large amounts, so this looks perfect to me! I even love the small dollop of icing on top. Not too much. Call my Goldilocks and hand me over one of them because they look just right.

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  24. These look so yummy! Red velvet is one of my favorite cupcake flavors. Congrats on the Foodbuzz Top 9!!

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  25. I'm a sucker for cream cheese frosting and red velvet. Congrats I just saw these cuties on the Top 9! Hope that makes your weekend a little happier.
    -Gina-

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  26. Congrats on the top 9.
    I can't get enough of cream cheese frosting... I spread it on almost everything...hehe.your cupcakes look wonderful :)

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  27. Sara
    your cupcakes look wonderful, I think I might have been with that coworker that ate 15!!!
    I'm with you on the color too, that is the one thing that makes me crazy about red velvet, I just can't get into the colour!! Yours are perfect!
    Congrats on your top 9 today!!!
    Dennis

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  28. Congrats on the Top 9 today! I'm making these for my brother that will be starting chemo next week.

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  29. These cupcakes look gorgeous! And that frosting...mmmm absolutely beautiful!

    Congrats on Top 9! Well deserved!!

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  30. congrats on top 9 ! Wonderful cupcakes, looks and sounds great, will try this expert version for sure !

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  31. Congrats on the Top 9 today!! Love these mini little delights!!!

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  32. Sara, your cupcakes are beautiful--I might have eaten 15 myself had I been at your husband's office party. I agree with you that cupcakes with a "wow!" factor are hard to find. If these come with your endorsement and those of an office full of people, I'm sure these are worth making. When I do make them, I'll make sure to keep this recipe in mind.

    Congrats on your Top 9 today! :-)

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  33. hey, I wouldn't have guessed you skimped on the food coloring. the color looks about right on my pc. well done!

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  34. Sara, these are adorable!! I'm with you on the red dye... I'm not a big fan, but the color really does shine in these. You also did the frosting simply perfect for my taste!! I also am not a big cupcake fan, and when they are covered with glops and glops (is that a word?) of frosting, it's just too much. Liv would join Wally's co-worker on eating 10, I'm certain!
    On another note, thank you so much for your comments for our post on Dennis' blog! Liv was really concerned about posting her essay, but your comment made her day. Her jaw actually dropped when she read that you were going to read it to the kids! I can't thank you enough for posting that.

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  35. Those cupcakes look so pretty! I could at least eat two at one go!

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  36. I like how yours don't have too much frosting. And they're so cute. And I'm sure really tasty too.

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  37. These are adorable! I love the color...I think more food coloring would have been way overkill! I'm not a huge cupcake person either, I'd much prefer some other type of sweet for dessert. They look delicious, nonetheless!

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  38. These are too cute! Mini cupcakes and red velvet are two of my favorites :)

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