I was once defeated, but now I am victorious! Here is My Red Velvet Cup Cake Recipe!

Ted's Red Velvet Cupcakes…

Oh victory is sweet, so sweet!!

Total Cooking Time: 55 min

Yield: 16 cupcakes

Ingredients

For the cupcakes:

10 ounces all-purpose flour – 2 cups

3/4 teaspoons baking soda

3/4 teaspoons salt – sea salt

1 1/2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder

3/4 cups vegetable oil

8 ounces granulated sugar – 7/8 cups

3/4 cups buttermilk

2 eggs

2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons red food coloring 

3/4 teaspoons vinegar (white or apple cider can both work)

3/4 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/16 cup water

For the cream cheese frosting:

3/4 pounds cream cheese at room temperature

1/2 pound butter, room temperature

1 pounds powdered sugar, sifted

1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract

Preparation:

For the cupcakes:

Preheat oven 350 degrees F.

Combine the flour, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder into a bowl whisk gently till well blended and set aside.

Using the paddle blade on a stand mixer, mix the oil, sugar, and buttermilk until combined. Next, add the eggs (whipped), food coloring, vinegar, vanilla and water and mix well.  Slowly but deliberately, add the dry ingredients a bit at a time and mix on the lowest setting and mix until just combined, scraping down sides occasionally.  Make sure to not over mix, or the batter will come out tough.  Its done mixing when the color is uniform.  Line a 16-cup cupcake pan or two 8-cup pans with paper liners, scoop the batter just below top edge of paper liner and bake at 350 degrees F for 20 to 30 minutes or until the toothpick comes out clean. Then let them cool and make sure to decorate them sooner than later.  After an hour, they begin to dry out.  At this point you will need to wash the mixing bowl and paddle blade attachement.

For the cream cheese frosting:

Whip the butter and cream cheese together in a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until creamed. Gradually add powdered sugar to the mixture and scrape down the bowl as needed. Add the vanilla and mix until combined.

The frosting can be used right away, or stored in the refrigerator up to a week.

Frost cooled cupcakes with the cream cheese frosting.

Red Velvet Cupcastrophe....

Ok, so I need a little help understanding the fascination with Red Velvet Cup Cakes...  I asked a friend for a challenge and this little red devil of a task was handed to me.  After I looked at a few recipes, I was intrigued by similar ingredients in all of them.  I figured I was up for the challenge, but some of the ingredients caught my eye more that others.  This was the mixture of white vinegar, baking soda and red food coloring, which were the same ingredients that we used as kids during science experiments to emulate volcanoes... 
What does a really great Red Velvet Cup Cake taste like?  Is it Chocolate masked by the red color? Is it the icing, which has 4 cups of powdered sugar in it?  Please comment to tell me.  I followed a recipe I found online and the cake came out more pink than red and the flavor was bland with a hint of egg.  I wasn't really impressed by the result, but the $11 dollar icing was pretty amazing.  I am going to experiment a little bit more, adjusting ingredients a bit to figure out better flavors.   I'll keep you posted on the progress of this and maybe we collectively can figure out the best recipe that is easy to make!!!

A Quick, Healthy, Deconstructed Turkey Chili

Ok, so the demands for a new recipe have been heard.  The New Year has brought on some distractions from the kitchen but here is a recipe I came up with on the fly.  It’s pretty good and follows one of my New Year’s resolutions to eat healthier.  This recipe was thought up walking through the market and includes whole container measuring.  Enjoy.

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cooking Time: 15-25 mins

Servings 4-8

Ingredients:

Lb ground turkey breast

14.5 oz can diced tomatoes

14.5 oz can pinto beans

Med White onion sliced

Red bell pepper halved & sliced

2 tbs minced garlic

1 tbs chipotle chile sauce

2 tsp tikka paste

Black pepper and sea salt to taste

¼ cup of shredded sharp cheddar cheese

2 Pkgs Uncle Ben’s Ready Rice – Whole Grain

Prep:

Start with a 12” nonstick frying pan on med/high heat.  Add enough vegetable oil to coat the entire bottom.  Add the sliced onion and red pepper, sauté till onion just turns translucent (5mins).  Add drained and rinsed pinto beans to pan and stir to mix.  2 mins later add canned tomatoes, tikka paste, chipotle sauce and garlic to pan. Stir frequently to mix all flavors.  When the contents of the pan begin to simmer, add the ground turkey breast and break it up in the pan with a spoon.  Mix again to coat turkey stirring every 2 mins or so until turkey is cooked about 10 mins.  While this is happening prepare the rice to the instructions on package.  When turkey is done, salt and pepper to taste and serve while hot!!  Garnish with sharp cheddar cheese on a bed of Whole Grain Rice.