red velvet cupcakes

I have had an absolute obsession with cupcakes lately!  It all started when my friend Kris gave me the Magnolia cookbook. Oddly enough, I tried the vanilla cupcake recipe and hated it! I called for unsalted butter (which I could accept because most baking recipes do, I just never adhere, unsalted butter is just a tease) but there was no salt in the WHOLE recipe. My instincts were telling me no, but the bakery's notoriety was pressuring me to follow the recipe as written. I even followed the recipe for the salt-less frosting.  So in the end I should have gone with my instincts, they were terrible, I threw most of them away.  One day I will try it again with salt. Now I need to go to New York to try their vanilla cupcakes to taste if they are truly making money off these flavorless cupcakes, or if they are jerking our chains.

Now the same friend, brought me red velvet Sprinkles cupcakes ( don't you wish Kris was your friend,  are you cool enough? I could introduce you.) from Arizona. They were incredible! I was dying, they were so good. I wouldn't even let the children look at them.

Next I heard about this bakery in Provo. They were out of red velvet, so I got the vanilla. They were pretty dang good, but they were 2.25 a piece! and these are pretty tiny cupcakes. Holy Moley! Who do they think they are? Just because you were featured on Rachael Ray doesn't make you exclusive! (yes I am still horribly bitter, have you been watching the competition? pulleezze!)

So I returned to the magnolia cookbook to try their red velvet cupcakes (this recipe called for salt), and topped it with cream cheese frosting.

Here is the recipe ( is this legal? I sure hope so)

3 1/3 c cake flour

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter

2 1/4 c sugar

3 eggs

6 T red food coloring (I used two small bottles, which was about 4 T)

3 T cocoa

1 1/2 t vanilla

1 1/2 t salt

1 1/2 c buttermilk

1 1/2 t cider vinegar

1 1/2 t baking  soda

Sift the flour (that is the first time I have ever sifted anything in my life, I'm still not convinced it does anything) and set aside. In a big bowl combine sugar and softened butter and cream till fluffy (about 5 min). Add eggs one at a time, beating well.

In a different bowl combine food coloring, vanilla and cocoa, then add to batter and beat well. In a measuring cup combine buttermilk and salt. In a small bowl combine baking soda and vinegar.

Add flour and buttermilk to sugar in parts, by alternating flour and buttermilk. With each addition, beat till just combined.  Next add the vinegar  and beat till smooth.

Put into lined cupcake tins and bake for about 20 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

Top with cream cheese frosting.

So they are good, but they weren't sprinkles good. I keep working on it!