I feel like Dr. Frankenstein!

To "begin" the weekend... my car wouldn't start, again... luckily it turned out to be a battery problem. I honestly thought it was possessed! The locks would lock and unlock themselves whenever they pleased, if I was driving without the radio on it would turn itself on and a whole host of other radio oddities that just freaked me out. So after toting the old battery to the store to return and buy a new one and then having my dad's assistance in installing it (they are ridiculously heavy!) I'm glad to say "It's ALIVE"!

Not only did I bring my car to life this weekend... I brought my own cupcake creation to life! I had this strange urge to make Red Velvet Cupcakes and after watching DC Cupcakes on Friday, decided to change up the recipe a little bit. Then, because I love raspberries, decided that a raspberry butter cream would be an incredible frosting for a lightly chocolate flavored, red cupcake! Not to toot my own horn here... but these are really delicious!

Red Velvet Cupcakes

3 1/4 cups all purpose flour, sifted
3/4 cup (1 & 1/2 sticks) unsalted sweet cream butter, softened
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar (I used organic)
3 large eggs
6 tbsp. red food coloring
4 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups organic reduced fat milk
1 1/2 tsp Raspberry Vinegar (use Raspberry Red Wine vinegar, not Raspberry Balsamic)
1 1/2 tsp baking soda

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put paper liners into cupcake pans (this recipe made about 36 cupcakes) and lightly spray with a non-stick spray.

Sift flour into a small bowl and set aside. In the large bowl of an electric mixer, at medium speed, cream butter & sugar together until very light and fluffy (approximately 5 mins). Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. In a small bowl, whisk together red food coloring, cocoa powder and vanilla. Add to the batter and beat well. In another small bowl, add the salt to the milk & mix to incorporate the salt. Add to the batter in three parts, alternating with the flour. With each addition, beat until well incorporated but do not over-beat. In a small bowl, mix together raspberry vinegar and baking soda then add to the batter and mix well. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix to ensure that the batter is smooth. Spoon batter into paper cups, filling about 3/4 full. Bake for approximately 18 minutes - turning the pans at the 9 minute interval. Then bake for remaining 9 minutes or until a knife or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Raspberry Butter Cream

3 cups plus 1 teaspoon confectioners sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted sweet cream butter, at room temp
1 tbsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp (red) raspberry seedless fruit preserves

In the bowl of an electric mixer, stir the sugar to aerate it. Add the butter, vanilla and raspberry preserves, mixing well. Beat at medium speed until frosting is spreading consistency. You may add more sugar (teaspoons at a time) to achieve desired stiffness.



And voila! There you have red velvet cupcakes with raspberry butter cream frosting!