Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

I have been craving Red Velvet Cupcakes for a couple of weeks, which is bizarre because I don’t think I’ve ever actually tasted Red Velvet Cupcakes.  How is that even possible?  Both the craving and the never having tasted.  A quick recipe search brought up Paula Deen’s recipe and I my mouth started watering.  I read through all the comments and decided to make a few adjustments, which I will post here.

These cupcakes are deliciously moist, but not oily; dark and rich without being too chocolatey; and a fantastic, deep red color.  Hey, they’re practically patriotic!  I have been blessing America, land of Red 40, all week long because My Goodness, these are delicious!

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Preheat oven to 350′

1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1/2 cup applesauce, room temperature
1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 tablespoons red food coloring
1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
2 teaspoons Mexican vanilla

2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons cocoa powder

Mix all wet ingredients together, sift flour, sugar, soda, salt and cocoa together and stir to combine.  Line two 12-cup muffin pans with cupcake papers, fill each one 2/3 of the way full.  Bake 20-22 minutes until toothpick comes out clean.  Remove from oven and cool completely on rack.

Cream Cheese Frosting

8 ounces Neufatchel Cheese*, room temperature
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon Mexican vanilla
2 cups confectioner’s sugar

Beat the Neufatchel cheese, butter and vanilla until smooth.  Add sugar a little at a time until incorporated, then beat that frosting to death until it’s light and fluffy.  When the cupcakes are completely cool, frost them with a butter knife.  You will probably still have frosting left over, which you may eat with a spoon if you’d like.

*I used Neufatchel cheese because it has less fat and fewer calories than cream cheese. Honestly–I couldn’t really tell a difference between this and other cream cheese frostings.