Red Velvet Cupcakes

This Saturday was our daughter's 15th birthday.  For her birthday celebrations, she wanted Red Velvet Cupcakes.  I've cobbled together the elements of all of the Red Velvet recipes I like, and found a frosting that works beautifully with them...and voila.  These are moist and not too terribly sweet.  The cream cheese frosting is good enough to eat on its own - Claire and I have discussed at length the merits of turning it into some sort of pie filling with berries perhaps.

Ingredients:

Cake Mix

2 cups plain flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups caster sugar
1 cup buttermilk
200g unsalted butter, melted
2 eggs, lightly whisked
1 Tbs white vinegar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
2 tsp red food colouring

Frosting

2 x 250g pkts cream cheese, at room temperature
2 cups pure icing sugar
120g butter, extra, at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla essence, extra
1 tsp Vanillia bean paste

Method:

Preheat oven to 170°C. Line muffin pans with paper cases - should do between 18 and 20 cupcakes. Sift flour, cocoa powder and bicarbonate of soda into a bowl. Stir through the sugar.

In a separate bowl, Whisk the buttermilk, melted butter, eggs, vinegar and vanillas in a large jug until combined. Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture. Add the buttermilk mixture. Stir until just combined. Stir in the food colouring.

Divide the mixture among the lined pans.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Use a stand mixer or electric beater to make the frosting. Beat the butter until light and creamy, then add the cream cheese, icing sugar, and vanillas until smooth. Put frosting into a piping bag, and pipe onto each cupcake.

Keep refrigerated, but bring to room temperature before serving.