Red Velvet Cupcakes

Recipe

Prep: 1 hour 20 minutes

Cook: 12 minutes

Serves: Makes 24 cupcakes

Cupcakes:

• 2 sticks butter, room temperature

• 2 cups sugar

• 7 large egg whites ( 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons if using liquid egg whites)

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 cup hot coffee

• 1 cup cocoa powder

• 2 3/4 cup cake flour

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1 teaspoon salt

• Wilton pink gel food coloring

Cream Cheese Buttercream:

• 2 sticks butter, room temperature

• 1 block cream cheese, room temperature

• 1 1/2 pounds powdered sugar

• 3 tablespoons half and half

• 1 teaspoon vanilla

• Pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 350 and line two 12- cup muffin tins with cupcake liners.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter and sugar on medium-high speed until fluffy and sugar is almost dissolved, about 8 minutes.

With mixer running on low speed, add egg whites one at a time, stopping to scrape sides as needed. Beat in vanilla.

Whisk together flour, baking soda, cocoa powder and salt. Gradually add flour mixture to egg mixture, alternating with coffee, in 3 parts, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat until combined after each addition.

Add food coloring, 1/8 teaspoon at a time until desired color is reached. I used about 3/4 teaspoon.

Scoop heaping 1/4 cups of batter into the cupcake liners. The liners should be about 3/4 of the way full.

Bake for 12 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs. Remove from muffin tin and allow to cool for 1 hour before frosting.

For the frosting, beat the butter and cream cheese in a mixer on high speed for 8 minutes. Beat in the powdered sugar, half and half, vanilla and salt.