Red Velvet Cupcakes

I'm ashamed to say that I was a red velvet cake virgin up until this year....I am now a huge lover of these tasty treats. I trolled the web for recipes and found a few different ways to make them, so after some playing around, some adding and taking away of ingredients I came up with this and find it to be a lovely cake with a nice texture and just the right redness!

I made these for my birthday this year and they were a big hit....the cream cheese frosting is light, sweet and tangy and the roasted chopped pecans sprinkled on top give it an extra texture all that delicious softness needs. Now when it comes to cream cheese frosting, or any frosting that is I find that if you add your icing sugar 1/2 to 1 cup at a time you can control the texture and sweetness....there are no rules. Taste as you go...you may like it as per this recipe or you may want to change it up according to your own taste buds...just play with it, make it your own!

Of course this recipe doesn't have to be cupcakes just divide batter between two shallow round tins and bake them for  21-25 mins or until a cake tester comes out clean. Fill the middle with the cream cheese frosting and a handful of chopped roasted pecans and the top with the other cake, then frost the whole thing....easy and delicious!!

Red Velvet Cupcakes

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 tblsp cocoa powder

1 cup vegetable oil

1 1/2 cups buttermilk, at room temperature

2 large eggs, room temperature

1 1/2 tblsp red food colouring

1 tsp white vinegar

1 tsp vanilla extract

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 pound of cream cheese, room temperature

2 sticks of butter, room temperature

1 tsp vanilla

4 cups sifted icing sugar

roasted finely chopped pecans to sprinkle on top

Preheat oven to 350f, and line a muffin tin with paper muffin cups.

Mix together the flour, baking soda, sugar and cocoa powder and sift into a mixing bowl. In a seperate bowl add the oil, buttermilk, eggs, vinegar, food colouring, vanilla and gently whisk together. Add the flour mixture and fold into the liquid mixture until complete combined.

Using an icecream scoop, evenly divide into patty pans and bake for 20-22 mins.

The Frosting:

Mix together the cream cheese, butter and vanilla in a large bowl until smooth. Add the sifted icing sugar in 1 cup measures. Once all the icing sugar in incorporated beat on high for 2 mins until light and fluffy.

Spread or pipe your frosting on your cupcakes and sprinkle with the pecans.