Red Velvet Cupcakes with Vanilla Bean Frosting

Preheat oven to 325ºF. Line cupcake pan with baking cups and set aside.

In a large bowl whisk together cake flour, cocoa and salt and set aside. In the mixer bowl on medium speed, add oil and sugar, blending together well. Beat in eggs one at a time with machine on low.

(Note: use your mixer bowl shield to prevent dye from splashing onto any surface.)

Adjust mixer speed to low and begin adding red food coloring. Add vanilla, mixing well.

Next add the flour mixture while alternating with buttermilk, doing this in two separate batches, mixing ingredients well. Finally, place baking soda in a small dish and stir in your vinegar. While mixer is on low speed, add this to the batter and beat for 10 seconds.

Pour batter into baking cups, filling 3/4 full. Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out of a cupcake clear. Let cool for up to an hour prior to frosting.

While cupcakes are baking, begin making your frosting. Red Velvet cupcakes are traditionally served with cream cheese frosting; however, I love them with this classic vanilla bean frosting and I think you may, too!

Combine the sugar, egg whites, and salt in a heatproof bowl in your mixer. Set over a pan of simmering water. Whisk constantly until sugar has dissolved and mixture registers 160ºF on a thermometer.

Return the bowl to the mixer and beat on medium speed until stiff peaks form. Let mixture cool, about 10 minutes.

Mix again on medium speed, then add butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing well after each addition. Be sure to scrape down the sides of bowl as needed, until the mixture is smooth. Mix in vanilla bean paste extract, blending well.

Reserve 1 cup of frosting for decorating cupcakes with flowers. Mix ½ cup frosting with 2 drops of pink food coloring, mixing well until frosting is completely colored. Repeat the process with the remaining ½ cup frosting and yellow food coloring, incorporating well until color is achieved.

Frost your cupcakes with the white vanilla bean frosting in a swirling motion. Fill a pastry bag with pink frosting, piping a medium-sized flower on the top and center of each cupcake, finishing with a dollop of yellow frosting centered atop the pink flower.