Red Velvet Cupcakes

Ingredients:

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 ½ cups sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cocoa powder

1 ½ cups vegetable oil

1 cup buttermilk

2 large eggs

2 tablespoons red food coloring

1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the frosting:

½ pound cream cheese (softened)

1 stick butter (softened)

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups confectioner’s sugar

Eating dessert is one of my family’s favorite pastimes, and when we have the time and energy we love to bake. We make all kinds of cookies, brownies, and cupcakes, and experiment with different recipes. But the most popular dessert that my family bakes is red velvet cupcakes. My dad found a recipe online a few years ago, and ever since then they became a traditional dessert in my family and an all around symbol of togetherness and celebration. Usually my sister and I bake these cupcakes on special occasions, or sometimes just when we have a taste for them. Sometimes we bring them to the family parties that my aunt and cousin throw on certain holidays, and they are a huge hit. We even got paid once for catering our special cupcakes during a wine tasting that my cousin hosted.
 

Red velvet cupcakes are similar to chocolate cupcakes, except they have a cream cheese frosting on top. Even though I make these cupcakes all the time, putting on the frosting is always the hardest part. I have a cake decorator that allows you to design the icing in the shape of a petal, circle, or star. On the cover of the box it looks easy to use, but whenever I try to do anything too fancy it never works out. Other than that, making the cupcakes isn't too difficult. Though it is a bit time consuming, since the recipe yields about 24 cupcakes, and it always leaves behind a huge mess of powder everywhere, it’s all worth it in the end.        
 

My kitchen counter after adding in the flour