Heavenly Red Velvet Cupcakes (with Cream Cheese Frosting)

For the cupcakes:
Preheat oven to 350 F. In a large bowl, cream together shortening, sugar and eggs. Set aside.

Place the dry ingredients (flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt) in a bowl and set aside.

Measure buttermilk and set aside.

Add dry ingredients and the buttermilk into the creamed mixture, alternating between the two.

Stir instant coffee and vinegar together in a small bowl then add this mixture into the batter.

Add 1 ounce of high quality red food coloring (like Wilton’s red food coloring) and mix to combine.

An ice cream scoop will give perfect portions when using regular sized cupcake liners. So use a scoop to put the batter into the lined muffin tin (recipe should make about 20 cupcakes).

Bake in preheated oven at 350 F for about 15 minutes or until a fork inserted into a cupcake comes out clean. Be sure not to over bake to prevent dry cupcakes. Perfectly baked means moist. Allow cupcakes to cool fully before frosting.

For the frosting, I use Martha Stewart’s recipe. It’s the most heavenly I have found. I just have one exception. I add a few dashes of salt.

In a large bowl cream together cream cheese and butter. Slowly mix in powdered sugar and then vanilla. Add a few dashes of salt if you like. Pipe or spoon frosting on top of cooled cupcakes.

This recipe will create about 20 lovely cupcakes for your event. Unless I’m helping you bake. Then it makes 19.