Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Posted in Cupcakes, Desserts, Recipes
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Red Velvet Cupcakes from The Little Kitchen

Happy Valentine’s Day! These red velvet cupcakes are perfect for Valentine’s Day or any day for that matter. Who doesn’t love red velvet right? When I was making my red velvet oreo truffles, I decided I would make cupcakes too. I’m a huge fan of from scratch baking but I’m also a huge fan of getting it done fast and will use cake mixes and extend them. These were way easy to make.

And then I decided to put a truffle on top! Get it? Like put an egg on it, put a truffle on it.

Red Velvet Cupcakes

I bought these little party/nut cups a few weeks ago and this is my first time baking with them. I’m in love. They are lined so they are greaseproof. And you don’t need a cupcake pan for them. I bought a bunch more when I went to Old Time Pottery the other day. I use both my small and medium cookie scoops to measure enough batter for these nut cups.

Red Velvet Cupcakes

These cupcakes are super moist and I know there are some out there who will cry bloody murder because I used a cake mix. Feel free to use your favorite homemade red velvet cupcake recipe like this one. I have made it before and I love it. But you must make this cream cheese frosting, it’s the best one I have ever had.

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Recipe
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Yield: 12-14 cupcakes

Prep Time: 45 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

Ingredients:

Red Velvet Cupcakes

1/2 package of 19.25 red velvet cake mix
3.4 oz package of vanilla or chocolate instant pudding
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup oil
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 Tablespoon of espresso powder dissolved in 1/4 cup warm water

Cream Cheese Frosting

3 cups (1 1/2 pounds) cream cheese, softened
1 cup plus 1/2 Tbsp (8.25 oz) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups (8.25 oz) sifted powdered sugar

Directions:

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Turn oven on and set to 350 degrees F. Drop cake mix into medium-sized mixing bowl. Add package of instant pudding and the wet ingredients. Mix with rubber spatula until all ingredients are incorporated. Don't overmix.

If you're using regular cupcake liners, line your cupcake tin with the liners. If you're using the nut cups, cover a cookie sheet in foil and line up the nut cups. For regular cupcakes, use a large cookie scoop (3 Tablespoons) to scoop batter into the cupcake liners. If using nut cups, I used both my small and medium scoops (1 1/2 Tablespoons & 2 teaspoons).

Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, time may vary depending on your oven and size baking cups you use. Remove from oven and allow to cool in cupcake tins (if using) for a couple of minutes. Remove and allow to cool on a cooling rack for 10 to 15 minutes.

Cream Cheese Frosting

In your stand mixer bowl, add butter and sugar. Attach the paddle attachment and cream together until smooth and shiny.

Add the cream cheese and mix thoroughly until completely smooth, about 2-3 minutes. If not using immediately, refrigerate until needed. Using an offset spatula, thoroughly mix the frosting after removing the refrigerator before frosting cupcakes. Cupcakes frosted with this icing should be refrigerated if not being served immediately. Makes 3 cups of frosting.

Slightly modified from these cupcakes, originally from My Baking Addiction. Cream Cheese Frosting from Miette, 2011 Chronicle Books

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Posted on February 14, 2013
36 comments »