Martha Stewart Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

I've been on a red velvet kick of late. (See the layer cake I made a couple months ago here). Thus, when realized that I needed a treat for a birthday in my office in a hurry, this red velvet cupcake recipe by Martha Stewart fit the bill. I lightened it up a bit using apple sauce, but otherwise followed this recipe.



Cupcake Ingredients
2.5 cups cake flour, sifted
2 TBS cocoa powder
1 tsp salt
1.5 c sugar
1 c apple sauce
1/2 c vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 c buttermilk
3/4 to 1 oz red food coloring (I poured until the desired color was achieved but used < 1 oz)
1 tsp vanilla
1.5 tsp baking soda
2 tsp white vinegar

Cupcake Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. If using buttermilk substitute (1 cup milk + 1 TBS vinegar), make it now and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, and salt.

In a large bowl, beat sugar, oil, and apple sauce until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time. Mix in food coloring and vanilla.

Mix flour and milk into sugar mixture, alternating flour, milk, flour, milk, flour whisking well after each addition.

Stir vinegar and baking soda together. Be prepared for it to foam. Quickly add to batter.

Pour batter into prepared muffin cups, filling about 3/4ths full. Bake 20 minutes until springy and cooked through.

Cool completely on a wire rack.

Makes 24 regular cupcakes.

Frosting

1 c butter, softened
12 oz cream cheese (I used light)
1 lb confectioners' sugar, sifted
1 tsp vanilla

Beat butter and cream cheese until fluffy. Add sugar, 1 cup at a time, then vanilla. Mix until smooth.

It is not entirely necessary to refrigerate this frosting, but it may speed things up a bit.



Aren't they pretty?