RED VELVET CUPCAKES WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Steps:

• NOTE: Before starting to make these cupcakes, it helps if all the ingredients are at room temperature. Also, if you don't have a stand mixer, just use a hand mixer. I don't recommend mixing this by hand.
• Cream cheese frosting:
• In a large mixing bowl, mix together butter, cream cheese and vanilla.
• Slowly add powdered sugar. Mix until smooth.
• Refrigerate until it will hold its shape.
• Red Velvet Cupcakes:.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Line cupcake pan(s) with liners.
• In a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, mix the butter and sugar until well creamed together, about 5-10 minutes.
• Add eggs, one at a time, until well incorporated. Add oil.
• Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.
• Mix together vinegar and red food coloring.
• Slowly add flour mixture, red food coloring mixture and buttermilk mixture, alternating between all three and ending on the buttermilk mixture. DO NOT OVER MIX!
• Scoop dough into lined cupcake pans. Or fill until about 2/3s full.
• Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of cupcake comes out clean.
• As soon as cupcakes come out of the oven, put one cupcake in the freezer.
• Allow cupcakes to cool (about 1 hour) and either using a star-tip filled pastry bag or an ice cream scooper, frost cupcakes with cream cheese frosting.
• Take the frozen cupcake and grate or food process until you get fine crumbs. Sprinkle over cream cheese frosting as a garnish.
• ***NOTE: If you can wait, these taste even better after being refrigerated overnight!