{Day 9} 12 Days of Cupcakes - Red Velvet Cupcakes

Ya can't have Chrismtmas without a little bit of Red Velvet cake - or cupcakes!  It's like the Grand Dame of Christmas cakes!

You may have noticed how popular this flavor of cake has become and it does not seem to be dying out.  I have tried various versions of it over the years.  Some have a cake that is bright red, some a deep dark rich burgundy - have you ever seen the pink and green versions???  BUH-NAN-AHS....and let's not get started on the frosting.  I love to make mine with Marshmallow Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting.  Yet, nothing tops my Grandma Mary's version or Red Velvet Cake and as much as I'd like to share that recipe with you - she ain't coming up off of it.  Worry not, I do have another version to share that I deem - acceptable. 

This little ditty was in a copy of Good Housekeeping and it's pretty darn good.  It's a version by McCormick and what I found interesting was the use of sour cream instead of buttermilk and/or vinegar.  I think it gives the cake a comparable richness to other Red Velvet cakes but with a bit more depth of flavor.  Top this cupcake with Marshmallow Cream Cheese frosting and a candied pecan and you're in Red Velvet Heaven!

Red Velvet Cupcakes

via McCormick

INGREDIENTS

2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk
1 bottle (1 ounce) McCormick® Red Food Color
2 teaspoons McCormick® Pure Vanilla Extract

Marshmallow Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe follows)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in medium bowl. Set aside.

2. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed 5 minutes or until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Mix in sour cream, milk, food color and vanilla. Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed until just blended. Do not overbeat. Spoon batter into 30 paper-lined muffin cups, filling each cup 2/3 full.

3. Bake 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted into cupcake comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire rack 5 minutes. Remove from pans; cool completely. Frost with Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting.

Marshmallow Cream Cheese Frosting

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened (I like Philadelphia)

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 tsp. Vanilla Extract

1 jar (7oz) marshmallow fluff

4-5 cups confectioner's  sugar

1. Cream butter and cream cheese together until blended

2. Add vanilla and marshmallow fluff.

3. Gradually add in confectioner's sugar about 1/4 cup at a time. 

Mmmmmm......

I'm making a bundt cake tomorrow with this recipe - I'll add an addendum pic to this post to show you how it turns out!!!!

(Post Update 12/19/2010 - as things go when you're rushing out the door to a holiday party with two little ones in tow- things happen.  Ya'll, I forgot to take a picture of my bundt cake!  It was soooo pretty.....but even better it was sooooo delicious.  Don't worry - I'll be making one again for Christmas and will update the post again.)