Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

I've seen red velvet around for a while, and although it sounds divine, I wondered if it "might be just a passing fancy, and it time may go..." but let me tell you that Red Velvet Cupcakes are "here to stay." :) My sister-in-law whipped these up and I showed her how to do the icing. (So easy- just fill a ziplock bag, cut a 1/4 inch hole in the corner and pipe it out in a circle starting from the outside and working your way in.) I thought they were so pretty! Wouldn't that make a great Valentine treat with a strawberry slice on top?! (I'm sure we're re-inventing the wheel here- no doubt it as already been done, but that doesn't make a bad idea, right? :) They were fabulous and I loved her idea of making them into cupcakes! I was surprised by the ingredients! Who would have thought vinegar or buttermilk? But it sure works!

Red Velvet Cake

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 eggs, beaten

2 T cocoa

1-2 oz. red food coloring

1 teaspoon salt

2 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp baking soda

1 T vinegar

1 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 375. Grease and flour muffin tins or use cupcake liners (If you're making a cake, grease two 8 or 9 inch baking dishes). Cream butter, sugar, and eggs together. Beat well. Add cocoa, food coloring, salt, flour, and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Put baking soda and vinegar into buttermilk. Stir and add to butter/sugar mixture. Beat until smooth. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake 35-40 minutes. Remove from over and cool on wire racks. Frost top and sides of cake with cream cheese frosting. Garnish with pecans, if desired.

Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/2 cups butter, softened

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 lb. confectioner's sugar

milk to thin, if needed

Whip cream cheese, and butter. Add vanilla and mix well. Add confectioner's sugar, mixing well. Add milk, one tsp at a time, if needed to thin frosting.