Red (Velvet), White and Blue(berry) Cupcakes

Searching online for Independence Day cupcake ideas was an exercise in frustration. Most of them are regular cupcakes with some dumb candy decoration on top made to look like a flag - they look like they are for schoolchildren, and who wants a mouthful of red licorice with buttercream frosting? Blech. So I was forced to make up my own, which always comes out better anyway.

We were going to a BBQ with an undetermined amount of people and the promise of way too much food, so I decided to make minis. That way everyone would get at least one, and probably several if they so desired. I was reminded of one of the beauties of making minis - the perfect ratio of cake to frosting, and the efficiency of the one-bite dessert.

I made my standard Red Velvet recipe, using dark chocolate cocoa this time, which yielded a very dark red/brown color that I liked very much. I topped them with cream cheese frosting, and fresh blueberries, and I had a red, white, and blue dessert that was fit for both kids and adults. The combination of the sweet cakes and frosting with the tart blueberries was excellent, and my husband, who is not always a cupcake fan, said that these were the best that I had ever made. Now that's a happy 4th!

Child (well, Young Adult) Labor

My cousin Emily was visiting from NYC over the weekend, and she was anxious to get into the kitchen to make some cupcakes (really, I swear). We came home from an afternoon at the museum with about an hour to spare, and whipped up some Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting in practically no time. Can I just say, I love having a sous chef? Emily is a good baker herself, so she knows her way around a measuring cup and a stand mixer, which helps tremendously. To be honest, I think I was the sous chef and she was the one in charge.

I had to go to an event that evening, so I left her to finish the frosting and decorating. She did an awesome job! I guess that sweetness just runs in the family.

My Bloody Valentine

Ahh, Valentine's Day. What could be more sweet than a Red Velvet Cupcake with little candy hearts?

I hadn't made Red Velvet in over a year, mostly because the amount of dye in the recipe kind of grosses me out (4 oz. total) - and I can always taste it. But everyone seems to love them, and they are very pretty to look at. I went to my local baking supplies store in search of a better dye, and I found it. Gel dye, much more concentrated than the grocery store kind, and so much more economical - a huge bottle is only $10. And no taste whatsoever.


Well, I should have known by the name "Super Red" that I should be cautious about the amount I used. Instead of being cautious, I was rather generous:


If you have made Red Velvet, you know that the batter is always much more vibrant than the finished baked product. In this case, there was not too much color loss:


Because the red was so deep, I decided to tint the frosting blue rather than my original idea of pink. I love light blue and red together, and the blue provided a great background for my little heart decorations:


I packed up some boxes for my friends, and took them to a dinner party that we were invited to. Well, of course we had to dig into them late in the night, and well, this is what told me that there may be such a thing as too much red:


Anyway, it's a great recipe - just follow what it says and don't overdo it on the red dye. Happy V-Day!

Red Velvet Cupcakes

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 2 ounces water
• 2 ounces red food coloring
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease 12 cupcake cups or line with paper liners.
2. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy.
3. Add eggs and blend well.
4. Make a paste of cocoa and food coloring and add to the butter mixture.
5. Sift flour and salt togethr into this mixture.
6. One at a time, add the following ingredients: buttermilk, vanilla, and water.
7. In a small bowl, combine the vinegar and the baking soda. Fold it into the cake batter. Make sure it's incorporated, but don't beat it.
8. Pour the batter into the cupcake cups. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the cake springs back when touched.
9. Remove from oven and let cool for about 10 minutes, then turn out of pan and onto a rack to finish cooling completely.
10. Cream Cheese Frosting: Blend together the following: 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened, 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened, 1-1/2 cups powdered sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Blend until smooth.