cupcakes!

I volunteer at a school in Boston and i help out at the cooking club. Seeing the kids enjoying the process of making something and serving others brought me back to my childhood years. Some kids are unbearable but at the end of the day, they would do or say something that would make everything better. I decided to bake them some cupcakes and after my neighbors brought me back Sprinkles' red velvet cupcake, i decided to make them.

• Cooking Time: 20 minutes
• Servings: 24
• Preparation Time: 50 minutes
• 3½ cups cake flour (not self-rising)(sifted)
• ¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 2 ½ cups sugar
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 6 tbsp red food coloring
• 3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa (I think I actually put 6 tablespoons. I liked it, so maybe it was a good mistake)
• 1½ tsp vanilla extract
• 1½ tsp salt
• 1½ cups buttermilk
• 1½ tsp cider vinegar
• 1½ tsp baking soda
• Frosting
• 8 ounces cold cream cheese
• 1 stick butter, firm but not cold
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• 1 pound powdered sugar, sifted
• ½ teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and lightly flour 2 cupcake pans (24 cupcakes).

To make the batter: In a large bowl cream the butter and sugar until very light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. In a small bowl, whisk together the red food coloring, cocoa, and vanilla. Add to the batter and beat well.

In a measuring cup, stir the salt into the buttermilk. Add to the batter in three parts alternating with the flour. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated, but do not overbeat. In a small bowl, stir together the cider vinegar and baking soda. Add to the batter and mix well. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the batter in the bowl, making sure the ingredients are well blended and the batter is smooth.

Divide the batter among the prepared pans. Arrange the oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and bake the cupcakes, switching positions of the pans halfway through baking, until a tester comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cool the cupcakes in the pan 10 minutes, then remove from the pan and cool completely on a rack before icing. 

Frosting

Combine butter, salt, and cream cheese until smooth and fully incoroprated.

Add sugar until just incorporated. Don’t over mix. It should be thick but not fluffy.

Add vanilla. If necessary, add milk to thin.

*Do not put too much batter into the pan*

 ~The most delicious frosting ever~

Use a piper for for decorating the cupcakes

my roomate's creations 

Add any topping you want :) 

the most important ingredient is laughter! have fun and enjoy!