Year of the Tiger: Red Velvet Cupcakes

Happy Lunar New Year!  Yesterday marked the beginning of the year of the Metal Tiger.  I'm not a big fan of fireworks, but since most Lunar New Year celebrations incorporate the color red prominently,  I decided to celebrate this occasion instead with some Year of the Tiger Red Velvet Cupcakes. 

With 2 bottles of red food coloring in the batter, these cupcakes are guaranteed to be a bright rich red.

Red Velvet Cupcakes:

1 stick (1/2 c.) unsalted butter
1 1/2 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. salt
10 oz. cake flour (or 2 1/2 c. + 5 T.)
2 T. cocoa powder
1 c. buttermilk
1 tsp. baking soda
1 T. white vinegar
2 oz (two 1 oz. bottles) red food coloring

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line 18 muffin tins with paper liners.

2.  Cream the butter and sugar.  Add the eggs and vanilla, beat well.

3.  Mix in the cocoa powder and salt.

4.  Weigh 10 oz. of cake flour on a kitchen scale.  Or, measure 2 1/2 c. + 5 T. cake flour.  If you must use all-purpose flour, only use 2 1/2 cups.

5.  Slowly add the flour and buttermilk into the butter mixture, blending on low speed with a hand mixer.

6.  Sprinkle the baking soda onto the vinegar in a small cup, then stir into the batter.

7.  Dump the two 1 oz. bottles of red food coloring into the batter, and slowly mix until combined.

8.  Fill muffin tins 2/3 full with batter.

9.  Bake for 18 - 20 minutes, or until done.  Make sure not to overcook, or the cupcakes will be dry instead of moist.

10.  Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour.  When completely cool to the touch, frost with cream cheese frosting, adding decorative sprinkles if desired.

Prepare the Cream Cheese Frosting while cupcakes are cooling.

Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 stick unsalted butter
1 box cream cheese (8 oz)
1 tsp. vanilla
3 c. powdered sugar

1.  Cream the butter and cream cheese.  Mix in the vanilla.

2.  Slowly add in the powdered sugar, mixing on low speed.

3.  Put a star tip into a plastic pastry bag, or use a ziploc bag with the corner snipped off.  Fill with frosting.

4.  When cupcakes are cool, pipe frosting in a circular pattern starting from the outer edge.

5.  Sprinkle cupcakes with red decorating sugar if desired.