Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

So Madeline decided we should try the Red Velvet Cupcakes with the Cream Cheese Frosting from Ina Garten's new cookbook How Easy Is That?

(Remember my new cookbook I talked about yesterday?)

A tablespoon of red food coloring, ..... a block of cream cheese, and a stick and a half of butter equals another winner.

As many of you know I like to cook....but I really love baking even more.

I love making things with the kids.

Now that Madeline is older she can do it pretty much on her own.

And now she even helps teach Ellie to cook.

In fact today Madeline and Ellie made these all by themselves!

Ellie is an excellent taste tester!

They look a little browner than they were in real life.

The good stuff....cream cheese frosting!

Another Valentines Day idea?

Yum!

Recipe: Thanks Ina Garten!!

Red Velvet Cupcakes

2-1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 t. baking powder

1 t. baking soda

1 t. kosher salt

1 cup buttermilk, shaken

1 T. liquid red food coloring

1 t. white vinegar

1 t. vanilla extract

1-1/2 cups sugar

2 extra large eggs at room temperature

Preheat Oven to 350 and line muffin tin with paper liners (this recipe makes 15)

Sift together first 5 dry ingredients.

In a large measuring cup combine buttermilk, food coloring, vinegar and vanilla.

In the bowl of an electric mixer with paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar on medium speed for 1 minute, until light. Add the eggs, one at a time and beat until combined. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients alternately in 3 parts, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients, and mix until combined. Stir with a rubber spatula to be sure the batter is mixed.

Scoop batter into lined muffin cups. Bake for 25- 30 minutes until toothpick comes out clean.

Let cool completely. Frost with Red Velvet (Cream Cheese) Frosting.

Red Velvet Frosting

8 oz cream cheese at room temperature

1-1/2 sticks unsalted butter at room temperature

1/2 t. vanilla extract

3-1/2 cups sifted confectioners (powdered) sugar

Place the cream cheese, butter and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix on medium speed just until combined.. Don't whip! Add the sugar and mix until smooth.