Red Velvet Cupcakes!

I Love: cupcakes... I Hate: anatomy
I Love: to bake...   I Hate: to study (may present a problem in med school)...

So guess what I am doing tonight?! Yes, baking red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese icing for my birthday/girl's night tomorrow! (and no, mother, I am not baking instead of studying, test is o-v-e-r!!)  These could quite possibly be the best things I have EVER eaten... and thats saying something... I even had my taste-tester Olivia over, and she agrees!!!

Ingredients
4 T unsalted butter at room temp
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 T cocoa powder
2 T red food coloring
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup plus 2 T all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1.5 tsp distilled white vinegar

Directions!
1.  Preheat oven to 325.  Place butter and sugar in your Kitchen Aid mixer with paddle attachment and cream on medium until well blended and light and fluffy!

2.  In a seperate bowl, mix together cocoa powder, red food coloring, and vanilla extract.  Mix together until it forms a thick, dark paste.

3. Turn your mixer on high and slowly add the egg.  Blend until mixed, then scrape down your bowl.  On low speed add the cocoa mixture and mix until well blended.  Scrape down the sides of your bowl.

4.  With mixer on low, add half the buttermilk, mix well.  Then add half the flour, mix well.  Scrape down the sides.  Repeat adding buttermilk and flour, until they are both all added.  Mix well and scrape down the sides.  Add salt, baking soda, and vinegar on low.  Then turn mixer on high and mix for a couple more minutes.

5.  Spoon batter into a 12 cupcake pan with cupcake liners. I used a cookie dough scoop, 2 scoops=2/3 full.  Fill each two-thirds full.  Bake 20-25 mins or until the cake bouces back when touched and toothpick comes out clean.  Cool in pan for a few minutes, then cool on a rack.  Ice when they are completely cooled.

Best. Cupcakes. Ever.

Happy Baking!!!