red velvet cupcakes as a Hawaii sendoff

Well, I'm sure devouring calorie upon calorie of fat, fat, and more fat is the way to start a Hawaiian vacation.  Can't wait to whip out my bikinis. 

Utterly inspired by Linda and her outstandingly creative and simple fruit decoration, I decided that I too would partake in a fake nutritious bake fest.  Nothing like antioxidants on that little morsel of fatty mcfat fat.  Following the FN recipe, I managed by the grace of God to bake a cupcake with a punch!  I drove around and gave them to my grandparents, my cousins, aunts, and my best friend's dad's girlfriend (her birthday today!).  What what!

Red Velvet Cupcakes

For the cupcakes:
15 1/2 ounces all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 1/4 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
13 ounces granulated sugar
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
3 eggs
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons red food coloring
1 1/4 teaspoons vinegar (white or apple cider can both work)
1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/8 cup water

For the cream cheese frosting:
1 1/2 pounds cream cheese, room temperature
1 pound butter, room temperature
2 pounds powdered sugar, sifted
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
** I added 1 teaspoon of Chambord just so the berries had something to relate to aside from the unnatural red color of the cupcake

For the cupcakes:
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.

Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder into a bowl and set aside.

In a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, mix oil, sugar, and buttermilk until combined. Add eggs, food coloring, vinegar, vanilla and water and mix well. Add the dry ingredients a little bit at a time and mix on low, scraping down sides occasionally, and mix until just combined. Be sure not to over mix, or the batter will come out
tough.

Line a 16-cup cupcake pan with paper liners, scoop the batter into the liners and bake at 350 degrees F for 20 to 30 minutes or until the toothpick comes out clean. Let cool.

For the cream cheese frosting:
Whip the butter and cream cheese together in a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until creamed. Gradually add powdered sugar to the mixture and scrape down the bowl as needed. Add the vanilla and mix until combined.

The frosting can be used right away, or stored in the refrigerator up to a week.

Frost cooled cupcakes with the cream cheese frosting.

Enjoy!  I certainly did.