Red Velvet Cupcakes

Directions

For the cupcake:

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Line muffin tins with liner papers. Set aside.
2. In a mixing bowl with a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy (about 3-4 minutes). Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula. 
3. Add in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. The eggs should be at room temperature to prevent the batter from curdling.
4. Measure the buttermilk, then add red food coloring and stir well. Pour the mixture of colored buttermilk into the wet mixture. Use a hand mixer to beat the batter until there are no streaks of white left.
5. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder and salt. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture in three additions. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl after each addition, but do not overmix.
6. Dissolve the baking soda into the vinegar. Once the mixture bubbles up, quickly pour it into the cake batter and mix well. 
7. Divide batter into liners, filling them about ⅔ full. Bake at 3255 degrees Fahrenheit for 20-22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow cupcakes to cool for 10 minutes before removing from the tins. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
   

(Demo: Piping with 1M Wilton piping tip)

For the cream cheese frosting:

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and shortening (if using) on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes. 
2. Gradually add icing sugar into the butter, mixing at low speed until fully incorporated. The butter should change to a light, almost white color.
3. Add cream cheese (softened to room temperature) into the mixture. Beat the cream cheese with the buttercream until smooth and creamy. Use a spatula to fold for another minute to break large air bubbles. 
4. Pipe the frosting onto cupcakes. The cupcakes in the photos are piped using Wilton 1M piping tip. 
5. Serve and enjoy!