HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!! :)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!! (A.K.A GRANDMA!)

When Nick found out it was Grandma's Birthday, we called her to wish her a happy day. He said "Happy Birthday!!" in the phone, and then continued to sing and shout the 'Happy Birthday Song' for the rest of the morning. And asked several times, "It's Grandma's Birthday?"

(So, let it be shown, that we were all thinking about you today!) In honor of your birthday, we made cupcakes. I wanted to try a new recipe, so I make Red Velvet cupcakes, with Cream Cheese frosting... Seriously, they were to die for!! :)

HERE'S THE RECIPE:

INGREDIENTS:

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
FROSTING:

1 1/2 pounds cream cheese, room temperature
1 pound butter, room temperature
2 pounds powdered sugar, sifted
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:

FOR THE CUPCAKES
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. (I did 20 minutes)
FOR THE 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.

These were super super delicious. I aboslutely loved them!!

These were very light and fluffy, not too moist, not too dry- The perfect consistancy for my little taste buds!! Make sure you use real butter for the frosting. I had one go around with marg. and it didn't taste as good, or set up as well.

They made about 2 doz. cupcakes. I used my icecream scooper to measure them all the same.

I found this recipe on foodnetwork.com