red velvet mini cupcakes with cream cheese icing

Here's a little Valentine's weekend music...you will have to provide the audio- - -

Bobby Vinton

(Bernie Wayne/Lee Morris)

"She wore blue velvet

Bluer than velvet was the night

Softer than satin was the light

From the stars

She wore blue velvet

Bluer than velvet were her eyes

Warmer than May her tender sighs

Love was ours

Ours a love I held tightly

Feeling the rapture grow

Like a flame burning brightly

But when she left, gone was the glow of

Blue velvet

But in my heart there'll always be

Precious and warm, a memory

Through the years

And I still can see blue velvet

Through my tears"

AUDIO - isn't YouTube awesome:

This blog post really is about cupcakes, but "Blue Velvet" kept playing in my mind.....

just out of the oven - beautiful deep red color

mini cupcakes boast bold color and flavor

topped with a swirl of vanilla bean cream cheese frosting

This recipe is adapted from 'Sweet Life' magazine.

Red Velvet Mini Cupcakes

Sift together into mixer bowl:

1 1/2 c unbleached flour

2 T. cocoa powder

1 t. baking powder

1/4 t salt

1 c. granulated sugar

Add:

1/2 c. room temperature butter

3/4 c. buttermilk

2 1/2 t vanilla

2 whole eggs

1 T. red food coloring

In separate bowl, whip 2 egg whites to soft peaks.

Gently fold egg whites into cake batter.

I used a #50 scoop, level, and this was the perfect amount of batter to fill the mini cupcake liners.  The batter should make about 48 mini cupcakes.  I made 24 minis, and 10 hearts in a slightly larger pan.

The mini cakes baked for 12 minutes in a 350 degree oven, and emerged rich in color, and moist on the interior.

After cooling, frost with a swirl of cream cheese icing.  The icing recipe below makes toooo much icing for this small recipe.  One third of the recipe should be adequate, unless you choose to totally enrobe your mini cupcakes in cream cheese...which might be a great idea...

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 stick butter (4 oz), softened

8 oz cream cheese, very soft

3 c. powdered sugar

seeds from one vanilla bean or 1 t. vanilla extract

Combine butter and cream cheese well with mixer.  Add vanilla.  Add powdered sugar. Whip until smooth and spreadable.

I piped a small swirl on each cupcake, as I wanted the red cake to be clearly visible around the edge.

...two delicate bites, or one hungry country girl bite...