foodie friday

photo from here

looking for a good cupcake recipe?
this one is for you!
i've never been big on making cupcakes.
i don't feel like they turn out the way i want them to.
usually they are all different sizes, too dense and never fluffy enough.

i used this recipe for webb's birthday party a couple of weeks ago and was so happy with the result!
i was truly impressed.

i try to stay as natural and non-processed in my baking and cooking as possible, but i just couldn't resist these.
i used the best ingredients i could until i had to add the artificial food coloring.
my first batch i even tried an all natural food coloring that is super expensive and the cupcakes were purpley.
so at 10pm, the night before webb's party casey ran out and got me the real stuff.
you can't win everytime ...

red velvet cupcakes
from annies eats

Ingredients:
For the cake:
2½ cups cake flour (i used white wheat flour)
1½ cups sugar (i used organic cane sugar)
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tbsp. cocoa powder
1 tsp. salt
2 large eggs
1½ cups vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk
2 tbsp. (1 oz.) liquid red food coloring
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. distilled white vinegar

For the frosting:*
8 oz. cream cheese
5 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2½ cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line cupcake pans with paper liners. In a medium bowl, combine the cake flour, sugar, baking soda, cocoa powder and salt; whisk to blend. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the eggs, vegetable oil, buttermilk, food coloring, vanilla and vinegar. Beat on medium speed until well blended. Mix in the dry ingredients on low speed and beat until smooth, about 2 minutes.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared liners. Bake, rotating the pans halfway through baking, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 18 minutes. Let cool in the pans 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the frosting, combine the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat on medium-high speed until well combined and smooth, about 2-3 minutes. Mix in the vanilla extract. Gradually beat in the confectioners’ sugar until totally incorporated, increase the speed and then beat until smooth. Frost cooled cupcakes as desired.