RED

I don't really understand Red Velvet Cake. I know there's a story behind it and all, but isn't it just a really moist really red cake? And then there's that whole debate about what kind of frosting should be on it...Anyway the reason behind making these is for a rather stressed out friend who happens to love Red Velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting. I didn't have muffin liners so i greased and floured the pan which turned out to be disastrous for only two of the cupcakes. Cream cheese frosting baffles me as well - i know that a lot of people like sickeningly sweet things like canned frosting and other people like the actual cream cheese cheesecake taste of cream cheese frosting, so i chose to make this frosting sort of in between. Personally I think that the more cream cheesey one tastes better.

Red Velvet Cake
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 2 eggs
-2 ounces red food coloring
-2 heaping tablespoons cocoa
-1 cup buttermilk
-2 1/4 cup cake four
-1 tsp salt
-1 tsp vanilla
-1 tsp baking soda
-1 tsp vinegar

1. Cream butter, sugar and eggs.
2. Make a paste of the food coloring and cocoa. Add to creamed mixture.
3. Add buttermilk altnerating with flour and salt.
4. Add vanilla.
5. Mix baking soda and vinegar. Add to batter.
6. Pour into 3 or 5 greased and floured 8 inch cake pans (or a cupcake tin, makes about 20)
7. Bake at 350 for 24-30 minutes.

Cream cheese Frosting
- 2 8oz. packages cream cheese, room temp.
- 1/2 cup butter, room temp.
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1. beat together cream cheese, butter and vanilla.
2. add powdered sugar to desired sweetness.