Red Velvet Cupcakes

Yield: two dozen cupcakes; 2 cups frosting

Ingredients

Cupcakes

• 1 (18.25 ounce) box yellow cake mix*
• 2 tablespoons cocoa
• 5 large eggs
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 (1 ounce) bottles red liquid food coloring

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 2 1/4 to 2 1/2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Cupcakes

1. Beat cake mix and next five ingredients at low speed with an electric mixer for 2 minutes.
2. Spoon batter evenly into 24 paper or foil lined muffin cups, filling each two-thirds full; bake according to package directions.
3. Remove from pans immediately and let cool on wire racks.
4. Spread cupcakes evenly with cream cheese frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1. Beat cream cheese and butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy.
2. Gradually add sugar, beating at low speed until smooth.
3. Stir in vanilla extract, beating until mixture is blended.

Notes

* 18.25 ounce boxes of cake mix have been replaced by 16.5 ounce and 15.25 ounce boxes. To compensate for the volume loss in a 16 ounce box, whisk 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour into the dry cake mix before proceeding with the recipe. To compensate for the volume loss in a 15.25 ounce box, add 1/2 cup + 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour and 1/4 teaspoon baking powder.

Attribution

Image by 3centista from Pixabay