Red Velvet Cupcakes w/ Cream Cheese Frosting!

I can't believe I've never made red velvet cupcakes before. I've bought them, I've eaten them, but I've never made them. That's very strange considering I spend my weekends baking instead of doing my homework. Yes, yes, I know, I really should start working on that darn three page essay for English. But moving on from the fact that I have no idea what I've doing for my English paper, I finally made red velvet cupcakes! While I was sitting in front of my laptop trying to think a topic, I started to daydream about food. This actually happens a lot. I initially start of doing the task at hand, but then I get bored and start to imagine what I would make if I could make anything. Usually when I'm at my laptop and I get bored, I scroll through pages and pages of delicious looking food pictures waiting to be inspired to jump off my chair (actually the ground) and run to the kitchen to make whatever dessert I start to crave. So while I was sitting on the ground (the carpet really-I don't like sitting in chairs, but that's for later.) trying to write my paper, my cursor eventually found its way over to the many bookmarked recipes I saved for those moments when I have no idea what I want to make but I want to make something. I call those recipes the "I have no idea what I want to make but I want to make something" recipes.

This red velvet cupcake recipe from Annie's Eats was perfect. I considered it a "I have no idea what I want to make but I want to make something" recipe, but now I think of it as a must make recipe. Actually, I've never made any other red velvet cupcake so I don't really know, but I thought they were delicious! Moist, not too sweet, and perfectly paired with the cream cheese frosting. Btw, cream cheese frosting is divine!

Do you see those little ball things on the cupcakes? They are edible! Everyone I shared them with had to ask me if they could eat them! It was really funny because when I told them they were, they would give me this look like "OMG REALLY?". It was hilarious!

BTW: Don't forget to enter my GIVEAWAY!

Red Velvet Cupcakes

From Annie's Eats
Ingredients:
For the cake:
2½ cups flour
1½ cups sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tbsp. cocoa powder
1 tsp. salt
2 large eggs
1½ cups vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 tbsp liquid red food coloring
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. distilled white vinegar

For the frosting:
8 oz. cream cheese
6 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla extract
 2 3/4 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350° F and line two cupcake pans with paper liners.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, cocoa powder and salt.
3. 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.
4. Mix in the dry ingredients on low speed and beat until smooth, about 2 minutes.
5. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared liners.  Bake 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.

Frosting:
1. 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.
2. 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