Description:
Loved TCF's Stefanie's Ultimate Red Velvet Cake Cheesecake but it was time consuming to do the cake and the cheesecake then combine! One time, saw a red velvet cupcake at Starbucks but it wasn't that good, according to Bradley and it had butter cream frosting on it. So, found this recipe for red velvet cupcakes and cream cheese frosting... best of both worlds!
Ingredients:
Cake:
3/4 cup buttermilk (or 3/4 cup milk + 3/4 tsp white vinegar, mix lightly)
3/4 tsp vanilla
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tbsp dark cocoa powder
3/4 to 1 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 to 1-1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup canola oil (or vegetable oil)
2 large eggs
1 tsp vinegar
1-2 tbsp red food color (put in small amounts at a time, until you reach your desired red shade)
Cream Cheese Frosting:
8 oz (1 brick) cream cheese, softened, at room temp
4 tbsp butter, softened
4 tbsp solid shortening
1-1/2 to 2 cups confectioners or powdered sugar (depends if you want it to be really sweet. In future, I'll just use 1-1/2 c because the 2 cups masked the cream cheese flavor)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1-2 tbsp milk, if necessary
Directions:
Cake:
1. preheat oven to 350 deg F. Spray or butter the pan or line cupcake tins with paper liners.
2. In a small bowl, whisk buttermilk and vanilla, set aside.
3. Blend flour, cocoa, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt together in another bowl, and set aside.
4. Cream the sugar and oil together on medium-high speed in a large bowl fitted with a whisk attachment.
5. Add one egg at a time and whisk.
6. Add vinegar and food coloring, and beat the batter well.
7. With mixer on low-medium speed, add half of the flour and cocoa mixture to the batter, alternating with the buttermilk mix, ending with the dry ingredients. Scrape the side of the bowl as needed between additions. Mix until batter is nice and smooth with no lumps.
8. Pour the batter into prepared 8x8 inch pan, or divide evenly between the cupcake tins.
9. Bake cake for 30-40 min, or until a toothpick comes out. Bake cupcakes for approx 20-25 min or until tops spring back when lightly touched.
10. Cool square cakes or cupcakes completely on wire racks before frosting or freezing. Cool round cakes 10-15 min before loosening, then remove from pans and cool completely.
11. Double the recipe if you want to make layer cakes, with the frosting in between layers and top of cake.
Frosting
1. Using a stand mixer, and fitted with a paddle attachment, or in a medium to large bowl and a hand mixer, beat softened cream cheese, butter, and shortening together on medium speed until creamy.
2. Add confectioners' sugar, 1/2 cup at a tim and beat after each addition, scraping the sides of the bowl when necessary. Beat until smooth and fluffy.
3. Turn mixer to low, add vanilla and beat again, adding milk only if needed for proper spreading or piping consistency. Cover bowl with damp towel until ready to use.
Square cake: frost all sides or pipe rosettes on top
round cakes: if layered, smear a good size dab of the frosting on a plate. Place the 1st layer of cake. Spread a thick coat of frosting over this layer and place the second layer on top, pressing down lightly to seal. Frost the sides and top of cake using an off-set spatula, making sure to seal all edges evenly. Using a pastry bag, you may put in rosettes on top of the cake.
cupcakes: spread the frosting over the tops of the cakes. leave as is or add sprinkles, colored sugar or finely crumbled red velvet cake crumbs.
