Baking Party With Kayla

Hannah and I ran several errands early in the day and then Kayla joined us for a baking party! Hannah thought Granny would love some Red Velvet Cupcakes for her birthday and I concurred. Hannah found the recipe that duplicates the one used by the famous Magnolia Bakery in New York. It's goooooooood! Now I know why they call them "velvet" because that is the texture of the finished cupcakes ... moist, velvety ... and red. Very red. Lovely!

If you're not familiar with the Magnolia Bakery, it's the one frequented by the women in Sex and the City. Read about it here (with links) at Wikipedia.

Magnolia Bakery Red Velvet Cupcakes

• 3 ⅓ cups cake flour (not self-rising)
• ¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 2 ¼ cups sugar
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 6 tablespoons red food coloring
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
• 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt
• 1 ½ cups buttermilk
• 1 ½ teaspoons cider vinegar
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
  
• Frosting: 1 pound (two 8-ounce packages) cream cheese, softened and cut into small pieces (Hannah used marscapone cheese)
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened and cut into small pieces
• 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
• 5 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
  
  
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Place cupcake papers in the tins.
• In a small bowl, sift the cake flour and set aside. 
• In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. 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. Bake each tray for 20 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool in the pans for 1 hour. Remove from the pans and cool completely on a wire rack.
• Frosting: In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth, about 3 minutes.
• Add the vanilla and beat well.
• Gradually add the sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating continuously until smooth and creamy.
• Cover and refrigerate icing for 2 to 3 hours, but no longer, to thicken before using.
• When the cake has cooled, spread the frosting liberally on the cupcakes.
• Makes 36 cupcakes.

And we finally got to see Kayla's ROCK! Knock-out choice, Mike!!