Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream
Cheese Filling and Frosting

Creamy frosting doubles as a surprise filling in rich, red velvet cupcakes.

Ingredients

Cupcakes

• 1 box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® devil's food cake mix
• Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix package
• 1 bottle (1 ounce) red food color (about 2 tablespoons)

Filling and Frosting

• 12 ounces cream cheese (from two 8-ounce packages), softened
• 1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 9 cups powdered sugar
• 1 to 3 tablespoons milk

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups.
2. Mix cake batter as directed on box, using water, oil, eggs and food color. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full.
3. Bake cupcakes as directed on box.
4. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pan to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
5. In large bowl, beat cream cheese, 1/3 cup butter and 3 teaspoons vanilla with electric mixer on high speed until fluffy.
6. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until smooth.
7. Beat in 1 tablespoon of the milk. Add additional milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until frosting is piping consistency.
8. Fit round tip (opening about 1/8 to 1/4 inch in diameter) in decorating bag. Spoon about 1 1/4 cups frosting into bag. Insert tip in center of 1 cupcake, about halfway down. Gently squeeze decorating bag, pulling upwards until cupcake swells slightly and filling comes to the top. Repeat with remaining cupcakes.
9. Fit round tip (opening about 1/2 inch in diameter) into decorating bag.
10. Spoon remaining frosting into bag; generously pipe frosting in circular motion on top of each cupcake, leaving 1/4-inch border around edge.

Store in refrigerator.

Prep Time 50 Minutes
Total Time 1:25 Hr:Mins
Yield: 24

Time-Saver: Use 2 containers of Betty Crocker® Whipped fluffy white frosting instead of the scratch frosting.

Nutrition Information: 1 Serving (1 Serving) Calories 390 (Calories from Fat 120), Total Fat 14g (Saturated Fat 6g, Trans Fat 0g), Cholesterol 50mg; Sodium 260mg; Total Carbohydrate 63g (Dietary Fiber 0g, Sugars 53g), Protein 2g

Exchanges: 1 1/2 Starch; 2 1/2 Other Carbohydrate; 2 1/2 Fat

Carbohydrate Choices: 4

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Recipe and photo credit: Betty Crocker 2007/TM General Mills.