RECIPE FOR RED VELVET CUPCAKES WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING RECIPES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter and flour two 9x2-inch cake pans.
• Sift flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl and set aside.
• Whisk eggs in a large mixing bowl until yolks are broken. Add oil, buttermilk, sour cream, red food coloring, vanilla extract, and vinegar; mix to combine. Add flour mixture in 3 batches, mixing by hand as little as possible so as not to overbeat. If mixing with an electric mixer, add flour mixture and mix until just incorporated. Divide batter evenly between the prepared pans.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes before removing cakes from pans to cool completely on a wire rack, 20 to 30 minutes more.
• Meanwhile, whip cream cheese in a bowl using an electric mixer on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Scrape into a different bowl.
• Sift sugar, flour, and salt together in a medium saucepan. Turn heat to medium-high and whisk in milk and vanilla extract slowly until there are no lumps. Cook until it starts to bubble and becomes thick and pudding-like, 7 to 8 minutes. Pour into a mixing bowl and refrigerate for 10 minutes.
• Whisk chilled mixture using an electric mixer with a whisk attachment for 5 minutes. Add whipped cream cheese slowly, whisking until you have a smooth frosting, about 5 minutes more. Use to frost cooled cake.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil and flour three 9 by 1 1/2-inch round cake pans.
• In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. In another large bowl, whisk together the oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla.
• Using a standing mixer, mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined and a smooth batter is formed.
• Divide the cake batter evenly among the prepared cake pans. Place the pans in the oven evenly spaced apart. Bake, rotating the pans halfway through the cooking, until the cake pulls away from the side of the pans, and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean, about 30 minutes.
• Remove the cakes from the oven and run a knife around the edges to loosen them from the sides of the pans. One at a time, invert the cakes onto a plate and then re-invert them onto a cooling rack, rounded-sides up. Let cool completely.
• Frost the cake. Place 1 layer, rounded-side down, in the middle of a rotating cake stand. Using a palette knife or offset spatula spread some of the Cream Cheese Frosting over the top of the cake. (Spread enough frosting to make a 1/4 to 1/2-inch layer.) Carefully set another layer on top, rounded-side down, and repeat. Top with the remaining layer and cover the entire cake with the remaining frosting. Sprinkle the top with the pecans.
• In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or with a hand-held electric mixer in a large bowl, mix the cream cheese, sugar, and butter on low speed until incorporated. Increase the speed to high, and mix until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. (Occasionally turn the mixer off, and scrape the down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.)
• Reduce the speed of the mixer to low. Add the vanilla, raise the speed to high and mix briefly until fluffy (scrape down the bowl occasionally). Store in the refrigerator until somewhat stiff, before using. May be stored in the refrigerator for 3 days.