Red Velvet Cupcakes
Servings: 12 cupcakes
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup vegetable oil or canola oil
- 1 large egg room temp
- ½ cup low-fat buttermilk room temp
- ½ Tbsp red food coloring*
- ½ teaspoon vanilla paste, or 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon distilled white vinegar
Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese, room temp
- ½ cup unsalted butter, room temp
- 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
- 3 cup confectioners' sugar sifted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line muffin pan with cupcake liners. Set aside.
- Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together sugar and vegetable oil. Add egg. Mix until combined.
- In medium bowl, whisk together buttermilk, red coloring, vanilla, and vinegar. Add half to mixing bowl. Mix and then add half of sifted dry mixture into bowl. Mix until almost combined. Then add remaining wet ingredients followed by remaining dry mixture. Mix until just combined.
- Divide batter among prepared cupcake liners. Bake for 18-20 minutes until toothpick inserted in center of cupcake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 5 minutes before removing and allowing to cool completely on rack.
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream together cream cheese and butter. Add vanilla bean scrapings. Add sugar in 1 cup increments. Mix until smooth and fluffy.