1/13/09

red velvet cupcakes w/ buttermilk frosting

red velvet cupcakes w/ buttermilk frosting

It was my hubby's birthday this past Sunday. Happy Birthday sweetie!
I asked him what he wanted for a treat. "your cheesy hamburgers!" He exclaimed. Ok, that was a given, but what sweet treat, what type of cake? He didn't care. A good old chocolate cake from the box was fine with him. :::shudder::: A cake mix from a box? Oh no, as much as I love a good fast and easy cake mix, I just couldn't on a special birthday. A birthday deserves a homemade moist, buttery cake from scratch, period.
How about red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting? Sure, he was in--as long as it has frosting on it he was in.

red velvet cupcakes w/ buttermilk frosting

I remember seeing on 'Throwdown with Bobby Flay" a duel on red velvet cupcakes recently and wanted to try it out.
So with these cupcakes I wanted, really wanted, a better cream cheese frosting. I wanted cream cheese for sure but wanted the cream cheese frosting to be really cream-cheesy tasting, if that makes any sense. So, to spare you the long details, after playing around with various cream cheese frosting combo's I came up with a cream cheese-buttermilk frosting. Yeah, it's really decadent, but it truly went so perfectly with the tangy red velvet cupcakes. I love what flavor buttermilk creates in a recipe.

red velvet cupcakes w/ buttermilk frosting

The recipe for the cupcakes is here and my frosting is, well, off the cuff...like all my other creations. So bear with me as I don't have precise measurements. Experimenting is fun, yes? And you all are cooks and know how much to put in....yes?

red velvet cupcakes
from bobby flay
print recipe

buttermilk-cream cheese frosting
from vanillasugarblog.com

Notes:
You can use my frosting or you can use bobby flay's; I've included both here.

For the cupcakes:
15 1/2 ounces all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 1/4 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
13 ounces granulated sugar
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
3 eggs
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons red food coloring
1 1/4 teaspoons vinegar (white or apple cider can both work)
1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/8 cup water

For Bobby Flay's the cream cheese frosting:
1 1/2 pounds cream cheese, room temperature
1 pound butter, room temperature
2 pounds powdered sugar, sifted
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder into a bowl and set aside.

In a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, mix oil, sugar, and buttermilk until combined. Add eggs, food coloring, vinegar, vanilla and water and mix well. Add the dry ingredients a little bit at a time and mix on low, scraping down sides occasionally, and mix until just combined. Be sure not to over mix, or the batter will come out tough.

Line a 16-cup cupcake pan with paper liners, scoop the batter into the liners and bake at 350 degrees F for 20 to 30 minutes or until the toothpick comes out clean. Let cool.
For the cream cheese frosting:

Whip the butter and cream cheese together in a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until creamed. Gradually add powdered sugar to the mixture and scrape down the bowl as needed. Add the vanilla and mix until combined.
The frosting can be used right away, or stored in the refrigerator up to a week.
Frost cooled cupcakes with the cream cheese frosting.

buttermilk-cream cheese frosting (off the cuff):
1 block of cream cheese (8oz.) room temp.,
about 1 cup + or - of confectioners sugar,
2 tb + or - of buttermilk.

Sift confectioners sugar to get out lumps, then cream everything together until desired consistency.
It has a nice buttermilk & cream cheese taste--which I loved.
I have always put toasted walnuts or pecans on my red velvet cake, on the sides, all the way around or just on top.
Do you? It's a southern thing isn't if memory serves me right.

36 comments:

  1. The cupcakes were GREAT they taste so good!!!!! I mean hello the icing and the cake were the perfect combination---along with a tremendous burger for dinner---it was excellent!!

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  2. Those look awesome! I've never had red velvet cake before, I really want to try it.

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  3. I love red velvet but I over did it a bit this past Christmas with making way too many Red velvet rolls. I am burned out for sure! Your cupcakes look great! I never thought of buttermilk in the frosting I bet that is delicious! My daughter had red velvet cupcakes at her bday party, they do make a great presentation!

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  4. Happy belated birthday to your husband!!! Loooove the cupcakes.


    **Just as a heads up: I will not be able to comment on blogs as often now, during this semester, due to work overload (I'm stressed already) - PLEASE know that I'm still loyally reading, but just won't have time to comment. I hope you understand!!

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  5. I love red velvet. There is this place here that makes the best red velvet ever, but I prefer mine without nuts. I am HORRIBLE at cake decorating, but I recently got some pastry tips so hopefully I can practice. Happy bday to your hubby!

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  6. Oh I love the red velvet, perfect again for upcoming Valentine's! And yes try the cheesecake when you can, it's awesome!

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  7. And Happy belated B-day to hubby!

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  8. Happy belated Birthday!

    He must have enjoyed these.

    I still have to make red velvet cupcakes. Maybe on Valentine Day.

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  9. Can I request them for my birthday too? I haven't had red velvet cake in ages. Not that I should be having it now either...but by May they would be the perfect birthday treat. :)

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  10. I love red velvet cupcakes, they are so pretty and with that frosting, holy yum!! Happy late bday to the hubby!

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  11. Happy belated birthday to the hubby! But since my b'day was yeasterday will you send one of these in the mail? ;)

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  12. I am a big fan of red velvet cake and it has been a while since I have made one. I think I like these better in cupcake form...more personal especially for a birthday. This alone would be a great gift! Now, my birthday is Saturday...should I expect a package of these?? ;)

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  13. It doesn't matter what they look like, it's what they taste like.

    Happy Birthday to your hubby!

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  14. ahhh, i love red velvet cupcakes. yours look delicious. happy birthday to your husband :)

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  15. Those cupcakes look decadent! I was asked today by one of the people I work with if I would make red velvet cupcakes for a birthday!!! I'm using this recipe, thanks Dawn!

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  16. Happy belated b-day to your husband...lucky guy to get those yummy looking cupcakes. I just love red velvet cake.

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  17. Happy birthday hubby! I think your cupcakes and frosting look great. :)

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  18. nicely done, dawn. red velvet is the way to go, if you don't mind interesting colors a little later on...
    and the frosting rocks.

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  19. Those look so tasty. Red Velvet is my brother's girlfriends favorite. Maybe I'll have to get him in the kitchen to make her a batch. Oh and your frosting skills look great to me!

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  20. The look absolutely sensational! My mouth is watering. I love the idea of red velvet cupcakes.

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  21. Happy birthday to your hub. How lovely those look...I've never tried red velvet cake before. YUM!

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  22. Red Velvet is one of my favorite things ever. LOVE it. I'll just have to dream of them at the moment, but these do look delicious! Thanks for the Red Velvet Cheesecake mention. That was some good stuff.

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  23. What a lucky hubby! Those look great! :)

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  24. You frost WAY better than I do. I have never had a red velvet cake - I think it's time I try. Hope your honey had a great b-day.

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  25. yumm...i LOVE red velvet. and yes, i think that's a southern thing but it sounds good so i'd be willing to try it! :)

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  26. Happy birthday to your husband! What wonderful, tempting cupcakes! I'm never going to lose weight, am I? LOL

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  27. i love the tang that the buttermilk would give! they look great :)

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  28. Hey Dawn, Paris sounds great. I'll meet ya there! :) Bring some of these sweets wtih you.

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  29. Ok, I am totally making these for my hubby's bday next month...he looves red velvet and I have never attempted to make him one. These look so yummy...mmmm....

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  30. I'm going through the same thing: deciding what type of *homemade* cake to make my boyfriend and his family for his birthday this Saturday. I'm going to go with Black Forest, but boy, this red velvet looks nice, too! I'm going to make a mini version for my blog tomorrow, and of course a regular-sized cake for the actual b-day celebration.

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  31. OK -- both the burgers and the cupcakes sound fantastic to me.

    Happy birthday!! (yeah, I'm late... but we celebrate "Birthday Week" at our house... so I'm still in bounds :))

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  32. These look so delicious!

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  33. ...love that hat, btw ;)

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  34. Um, freaking YUM! I only made one red velvet cake and it was years ago! I need to try it again...

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