Stir-Crazy Red Velvet Cupcakes

It is naptime. Aaaaahhhhh the most blissful time of the day. The time where I get to enjoy all my favorite indulgences like curling up with a good novel, some Hagen Daaz, all while wrapped in my $100 faux fur and velvet Potterybarn blanket, (my favorite wedding gift by far from my posh Texan aunt) which only comes out when baby isn't around to slime it with his cute grubby little fingers.
Today I am blog-stalking, you know as in checking out the competition. Making sure I'm still as interesting as all the other 15 gazillion mommy bloggers out there. :) Then, I come across THE recipe! Red velvet cupcakes for her little daughters 5th birthday...Mmmmmm sounds sooooo good, especially since I not only worked out hard this morning at the gym, but also am trying to incorporate some vegetarian meals into my diet which means I had a vegetarian wrap for lunch. (See my brain is wired to think that meat must be a part of EVERY meal- working on changing this!) Anywhoo, I don't know if it was the lack of smoked turkey in my lunch today or the fact that I'm going on 5 days of being cooped up in the house with a sick toddler who desperately wants to go to the park every single minute of the day...every. single. minute...
But those red velvet cupcakes looked soooooo delish and I suddenly had this uncontrollable urge to make them! Before you could say, "stir crazy!" I found myself in the kitchen pouring a little bit of this and some of that, flour flying and buttermilk splashing into pure, uninterrupted confectionary creating bliss!
So what if I didn't get around to cooking dinner today? What laundry? And WHO needs me to call them back for the 3rd time!? Forget it! This was waaaay more fun! :)

Stir-Crazy Red Velvet Cupcakes
(With cinnamon cream cheese frosting)-i die!

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
1/4 cup natural unsweetened cocoa
1 tablespoon of Wilton pink gel food coloring
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/4 cup cake flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon white vinegar

Ingredients for the frosting:

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
12 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/4 cup sour cream (not light)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

2-3 cups sifted powdered sugar

1 tablespoon Wilton pink gel food coloring

Directions for the cupcakes:

Set the oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 F.

In the bowl of the stand mixer, cream the butter and the sugar.

Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing after each.

In the small bowl, stir the cocoa, and food color to make a smooth paste. Add this mixture to the egg mixture and mix until the color is consistent throughout the batter.

Add the buttermilk, vanilla, salt, and cake flour. Mix until the dry ingredients are fully incorporated. Add the baking soda and vinegar and stir gently. The mixture will bubble and froth a bit.

Pour immediately into the prepared cupcakes pans with paper baking cups.

Bake in preheated oven for 13-18 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean and the center springs back when gently depressed. Remove from oven and cool in the pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes.

Directions for the frosting:

Cream the butter, cream cheese, sour cream, cinnamon and vanilla together until fluffy. Gradually mix in the powdered sugar, starting with 2 cups. Continue adding more sugar 1/4 cup at a time until you have the desired flavor and texture. Add food coloring, start with half a tablespoon and then add more till you have your desired shade of red.

Frost those little cakes and hope that you have time to eat one before your baby wakes up! :)

Enjoy!!!