Red Velvet Cupcakes

This is another dessert that I made for my family's Christmas party. Did I mention how much food we had? It was crazy and there were only 13 of us there, as my hubby and youngest didn't go as Drama Queen hadn't been feeling good and didn't want her getting anyone sick and Dude was waiting to hear if he was needed to fill in a spot at work. They missed an amazing spread of food, but they did get to taste the desserts!

I have never made, nor eaten, Red Velvet cake. I know it is a standard in the South. My only connection with it was the scene in "Steel Magnolias" when it is served as the grooms cake. That armadillo looks like it was bleeding. And that movie inspired me to name my daughter Shelby. My Mom said that I should make an old fashioned dessert like Red Velvet cupcakes and I had remembered seeing a recipe in one the holiday baking magazines I had bought.

The batter scared me a little bit. Look how red it is. Nothing in nature is that red, other than blood and some tomatoes.
This made me laugh. I followed the instructions explicitly and filled the cups 3/4 of the way full, but the tops mounded over the top. Don't these look like red cookies?

But see? Actually cupcakes!

All frosted and ready to go!

Red Velvet Cupcakes from Holiday Baking 2009

2-1/4 cups flour

1-1/2 cups sugar

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1 cup cooking oil (I used a canola/vegetable blend)

1 cup buttermilk or sour milk

2 eggs

1/4 cup (2 oz) red food coloring (mine was only 1.75 but clearly enough!)

1 tsp. vinegar

1 tsp. vanilla

Mascarpone Frosting

1/2 cup mascarpone cheese

1/4 cup softened butter

1/2 tsp. vanilla

4 cups powdered sugar

2-3 tsp milk for thinning

Line 18 muffin cups with paper baking cups; set aside (I got 22 out of the batter). In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Add oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer on low to medium until combined. *Put a paper towel over stand mixer bowl because the batter splattered even on low

Spoon batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each about 3/4 full. Bake in a preheated 350 degree F. oven for 19 to 23 minutes or until a toothpick stuck in middle comes out clean (mine took all 23 minutes). Cool in pan for 5 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack.

For frosting: in a large bowl, combine the mascarpone cheese and butter. Beat with mixer on medium to high speed until smooth. Beat in the vanilla and then gradually add the powdered sugar, beating well. Add milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, to make it a spreadable consistency.

** This also has a filling that I didn't use.

These were very good, and the leftovers I had I brought to work on Monday and the boys scarfed them up quick. Even after 2-1/2 days, they still tasted good.