Red Velveteen Cupcakes

Just like it takes a real deal fashionista to spot a well made Louis Vuitton knock-off or fake Rolex, it would probably take a champion cupcake eater to notice the differences between my red velveteen cupcake and an actual Red Velvet cupcake. Velveteen is velvet’s mass produced, cheaper, cotton cousin. Just like its namesake my Red Velveteen cupcake recipe is easier to make than the original recipe, uses ingredients you already have in the pantry, but still has all the yummy flavor of the original Red Velvet, loved for its signature red color, tender crumb and mild coca flavor. I probably wouldn’t serve it to a pastry chef or born and raised Southerner, just like I wouldn't wear a bootleg designer bag into a room full of real life Carrie Bradshaw’s (I did once…very awkward), but for everyday entertaining or the occasional Red Velvet crave this recipe hits the spot.

Red Velveteen Cupcakes by yrvann on polyvore.com

Ingredients
6 tablespoons butter, room temperature
3/4 cup white sugar
3 eggs
1 packet of hot coco mix
1 3/4 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 bottle red food coloring or gel
1/2 c milk
2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease 12 cupcake pan cups or line with paper liners.
2. Make a paste of cocoa, vanilla and food coloring. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time then stir in milk.
4. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; stir into the batter just until blended.
5. Fold red coco paste into batter by the teaspoon using a spatula (if paste is to thick add a couple drop of water to thin out the paste), use a mixer to incorporate the red coco mix evenly throughout batter.
6. Spoon the batter into the prepared cups, dividing evenly.Bake in the preheated oven until the tops spring back when lightly pressed, 20 to 25 minutes.7. Cool in the pan set over a wire rack. When cool, arrange the cupcakes on a serving platter. 

Next make your frosting

*Ingredients
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup sifted confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

*The original recipe from allrecipes.com yields 3 cups of frosting, I cut it in half to generously frost 12 cupcakes.

This recipe has a delicious, heavy cream cheese flavor sort of like a whipped cheesecake. If you prefer a lighter less intense flavor use a stick of butter (1/2 cup)

Instead of frosting your cupcakes with a knife try piping your frosting on to the cupcakes using a plastic zipper bag. Fill your bag with frosting then carefully snip the end corner of the bag.   

Red Velveteen Cupcakes TAKE 1 

Ready for a close up 

Red Velveteen Cupcakes TAKE 2

ENJOY!!!