Friday, February 12, 2010

Red Velvet Love For YOU!

Well my friends I am finally back home! We arrived late last night, exhausted but safe and sound. Thank you to all of you who left comments and emailed me privately to encourage me to keep my head up and stay positive and to not be bothered by petty anonymous commenters. I appreciate it more than you know. And I definitely felt an abundance of love. So to thank you and to send a little love your way I have these special little cupcakes for you!

Red Velvet Cream Cheese Cupcakes- ah! Yes I know. I can't take credit for these though. I found them at My Baking Adventures and she got them from Cookie Madness. Either way, they're genius. They combine a wonderfully red and tender cake with a cream cheese center, so there's no need for frosting. They're not very sweet so I guess you could call these muffins but they're much more exciting. I made these before we left on our trip to DC but they would be perfect for your Valentine this weekend.

This cake is made with sour cream, which is unlike any red velvet cake I've ever made, but it worked. They rose and domed perfectly and the cream cheese filling accented them nicely. Since they have cream cheese in them they need to be refrigerated but their flavor tastes best with the chill taken off of them. So allow them to sit at room temp for a bit before serving or heat them ever so slightly. The only thing I would change next time is to add more filling and up the cream cheesiness. That's never a bad thing. Another good thing about these cupcakes is that this recipe has already been cut down to make 8-9 cupcakes so you don't end up with so many leftover.

Red Velvet Cream Cheese Cupcakes from Cookie Madness via My Baking Adventures

Filling:

  • 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 ½ tablespoons lightly beaten egg (break egg, mix with fork, measure)
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Batter:

  • 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons unsweetened natural cocoa powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 plus 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vinegar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tablespoon red food coloring
  • 3/4 teaspoons vanilla
  • 3 tablespoons sour cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 8 (I needed 9) muffin cups with paper liners.

Prepare filling first. With a mixing spoon, beat together softened cream cheese and sugar. Add egg and vanilla and stir until smooth. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, thoroughly stir together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.

In a second mixing bowl, stir together oil, sugar, vinegar, egg, red food coloring, vanilla and sour cream. Mix very well, then add the flour mixture and stir just until blended.

Measure out approximately 1/3 cup red mixture and set aside. Divide remaining red mixture among the 8 muffin cups – each cup should be a little over 1/3 of the way full. Spoon cream cheese mixture over red mixture, dividing evenly between all cups. Drop small spoonfuls of reserved red batter on top of cream cheese mixture, making a bulls-eye pattern.

Bake for 20-23 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack. Carefully remove lift muffins from cups.

Best served slightly chilled. – Makes 8-9

I hope you all have a wonderful Valentine's Day with the ones you love. We plan on staying home and making dinner together (ie. I make dinner and Mr. H eats it!) or going to my moms for Sunday dinner, which is something we do often. Either way, there will be chocolate!

Sending lots of red velvet love to you all!

60 comments:

Sherry G said...

Ahhh! These look soo good. You're definitely back with a bang!

Linnee said...

Lordy... these cupcakes look absolutely delicious! All of the food you prepare always looks SO yummy... I want to make everything I see! lol

Janet said...

Yum-Yum!

Welcome back!

Memória said...

YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA YOU'RE BACK HOME!! Woot!!

Okay, so that was nice that you made cupcakes for us and all, but how can we eat them over the internet?! No fair!! hahaha They look fabulous. How did you create the heart shape?

Megan said...

When I look back at that post, my photos are so bad, I should really re-make them and take better pictures!

Anyway - I am so glad you liked them, they are fun and different!

PS - you have my blog name wrong in the first part of your post (you have me listed at My Baking Addiction)- but I appreciate the credit all the same!

Diane Schmidt said...

These look so yummy. I really want one :)

Monica H said...

Megan,

Doh! I'll fix it asap. There's another blog I read with that title and I get you two confused. Sorry!

Selba said...

These cupcakes are so perfect for Valentine's Day :)

Happy Valentine's Day to you, Mr. H, Autumn and August!

Hugs & Kisses.

Coleens Recipes said...

Absolutely PERFECT for this weekend!! Welcome home.

Lisa said...

Monica, I wonder if you might get a slightly sweeter (more cupcakey) result using marscapone. And BTW, your photos of DC in the winter are simply lovely. If you have more, maybe make a Flickr or Picasa web album to share.

Anna said...

They look fabulous! Better than when I made them.

Sorry to hear you got picked on by an anonymous commenter. As another blogger told me long ago when I used to get upset, "the delete button is your friend".

GratefulPrayerThankfulHeart said...

Looking wonderful as do all of your food items! Always, always love visiting with you!

Kindly, ldh

Sophie said...

Glad to see your yummy sweet posts again! The cream cheese filling = genius!

Enjoy your Valentine's weekend, safe and sound (and warm!) at home (with now snow! :D).

Ruth's Photo Blog said...

Oh Yummy,and so perfect for Valentine's Day.Hope your weekend will be exceptional.
Blessings,Ruth

oneordinaryday said...

Though I'm not usually a fan of all the red coloring that goes into this cake, I have to say that I would make these anyway. I love the layers and the little heart shaped blobs of cream cheese on top are awesome. Nice job!

unconfidentialcook said...

Gorgeous, and I know that sour cream must make them absolutely delicious!

Foodiewife said...

These are pure genius! I was just thinking of making my first red velvet cake (yeah, I haven't lived my life fully yet). These would be perfect to bring to the office. Love it, Monica!

Miranda said...

Sooooo cool!!

Patricia @ ButterYum said...

Very pretty!

:)
ButterYum

Joanne said...

So I have a serious love of anything red velvet, but the cream cheese filling in this seems over the top delicious!

Katie said...

Oh wow they are just gorgeous and the contasting red and white colour is stunning. Just love it and perfect for valentines. They look sooooooo good!!!

Rachel (rachescakes) said...

I'm glad you made it home! These look wonderful.

Julie Harward said...

OH SO PRETTY...I WANT SOME LIKE NOW! HAVE A GREAT VALENTINES DAY..COME SAY HI WHEN YOU CAN :D

Coley Loree said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Coley Loree said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Coley Loree said...

Monica, Monica, Monica....How is a girl ever to lose weight when she is reading your blog? lol

I just finished making the cupcakes. I read the other blogs and replies as well, so I decided to alter the recipe a bit. I used 4 more oz of cream cheese and I used powdered sugar (4 tblsp) for the filling. IT IS PERFECT! Cream cheesier and a little sweeter.

I also put the red bullseye on the cupcake, then took a toothpick, ran it through the red circle and it created a HEART!!!!

Thanks for the recipe!!!! Hubs is going to be pleasantly surprised when he wakes from his nap!

Have a great day with Mr. H tomorrow!!!!

vanillasugarblog said...

layers of goodness. what I wouldn't give for one of these right now. home sick with the stomach flu and ginger ale is my only friend :-(

Monica H said...

Coley Loree- Ooh, I'm so glad they turned out for you. Please take a picture and send them my way. I'll post them here if you want! Hope your hubby likes them!

Beth said...

I just love your blog! Really great!!!
It makes me super hungry.

Beth

Unknown said...

OMGosh these look good!

Thanks!

Lisa said...

Hi there! Just found your blog today and I'm excited to follow along. Love the sweet Valentine cupcakes. :O)

Blessings,
Lisa

Roz | La Bella Vita Cucina said...

Hi Monica, These little dahlin's look great! Perfect for Valetine's Day! On another note: I've had nasty people leave bad comments too, and I know how much it hurts. You have one of my favorite blogs and I know that hundreds of bloggers feel the same about your lovely blog! Keep up the good work and don't let he/she get you down! Second: regarding Ina Garten's tomato soup, I'd use 2 regular sized cans of good tomatoes. You are such a good cook and so just taste, add what you believe is necessary and enjoy it how you like. I don't think I make any recipe 'verbatim" from what's listed. I think that's what makes cooking and baking so fun and creative! Talk to you soon! Mwah! Roz

Ingrid_3Bs said...

You came back swinging with that post! Those cupcakes are so pretty and you're right they're perfect for the day of love. :)
~ingrid

Vashti said...

Some of the prettiest cupcakes I have seen in a long time, and they sound yummy!
I made your soft pretzels the otherday.....OMG!!!!! They were gone in 10 minutes! So great.
Thanks for your AWESOME blog.
HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!

Kerstin said...

What gorgeous Valentine's Day cupcakes! The hearts on top are SO cute!

Melissa said...

Ooooo! Those look great! Mmmmm! Hope you have a Happy Valentine's Day! <3

Allie said...

These look awesome! I can't wait to try them!

cookies and cups said...

Oh I wish I had seen these before vday! they are so cute and look delicious!

A 'n D said...

these look so yummy! i made a red velvet cake with chocolate ganache last week for a family member's birthday...at his request. so, these will be FOR ME - since i love the rv/cc combo!

and, i'm making the easiest cinnamon rolls again, too!

glad you made it back SAFE!

Smitten Sugar said...

I have been wanting to make red velvet cheesecake for the last couple of months. But havent had time to sit and figure out the recipe but these look absolutely amazing!

If you like these have you tried the red velvet cheesecake at Cheesecake Factory? Its heavenly!

Monica H said...

Smitten Sugar- I don't go to Cheesecake Factory al that often but I do love it. The last time I was there I came THIS close to getting the red velvet cheesecake but deciced against it. Next time though!

Holly said...

This sounds really good and the outcome is pure food candy for the eyes! Yum!

Hugs said...

OH NO!!!! I was supposed to be starting a diet and then I found your blog and joined as a follower.

Now I just HAVE to make these cupcakes....and possibly some of the other scrumptious items on your blog. I guess I could blame it on the fact that I want to support a fellow Texan. Do you think that would fly? Oh dear!

Lissaloo said...

Those are gorgeous, I made a red velvet cake from your recipe on here. And my family LOVED it. Hubby said it was his favorite cake ever :)

Federkissen said...

They look so tasty :)
I think i have to try the recipe, although I have to convert the measurments.

ISOHUNGRY said...

Wow they look soooooo tasty... thank you for sharing this with us..

Marsha said...

Yummi!!! I ran across this when wanting to make red velvet cupcakes for my best friends bday, but not just the typical cupcake...it needed something extra- and this was it! Everyone loved the idea of cheesecake in the cupcake.

I made cream cheese frosting from scratch and that made them even better! I've made cheesecake brownies many times but it never occurred to me that a cupcake would work as well....thanks!!!

Jessie -- The Messie Kitchen said...

My boyfriend loves to send me recipes that I will obsess over and THIS WAS IT. Oh my my... I have an obsession for red velvet and I have a few tried and true recipes on my blog that aren't like this exactly but might be up your alley. These truly look fabulous... and festive!

Anonymous said...

What type of vinegar do you put in?

The Art of Furniture | Whimsical Inspirations said...

I just absolutely love your blog!! I put a button on my webpage and would like to link back to some of the recipes. This is amazing and the recipes are outstanding!! Thank you for sharing.☺

Shannon
http://whimsical-inspiration.blogspot.com/

NanaBlue said...

Monica, just curious what the purpose of the 2 teasp cocoa is? I make a pure red velvet cake that is my grandmother's recipe and it doesn't call for any cocoa. I've had other rv cake's with chocolate in them and didn't care for them, but I suspect they had a lot more than your recipe calls for. Anyway, not a criticism, but just curious why it's added. I've looked through your blog and you make some very amazing things. I'm going to have to try several!!!

Monica H said...

NanaBlue- to be honest, I don't think I've ever seen a RV cake that didn't call for cocoa.

According to wikipedia- "A red velvet cake is a popular cake with a dark red, bright red or red-brown color. It is usually prepared as a layer cake topped with a creamy vanilla icing or most popularly, cream cheese icing. The reddish-brown color of the cake was originally from a reaction of the cocoa powder with an acidic ingredient such as buttermilk; however, red food coloring is often added.

Common ingredients include buttermilk, butter, flour, cocoa, and beetroot or red food coloring. The amount of cocoa used varies in different recipes. Cream cheese frosting is most commonly paired with the cake, as well as the traditional buttercream."

Hope that answers your question.

Monica h

Elle_on_Fire said...

I just showed the picture to my fiance and he just promised to fall in love with me again if I make these LOL!!!

Karen said...

I've made this recipe twice now, and it tastes as good as it looks. My batters for both filling and cake are much thicker than your batters, judging from the photos you posted. Any ideas why this may be? In my first batch, I tried to mak a healthier uptake with coconut oil, but I could taste a hint of the coconut flavor. Also, because coconut oil solidifies when it is cooled, the cake was denser and heavier than I would have liked.

So I tried the recipe exactly as instructed by the recipe for my second batch. The texture was perfect! I also added a third tablespoon of cocoa powder just because I love chocolate. :) I made mini cupcakes in the same fashion, and I prefer them this way. They only took 11-12 minutes to bake. They didn't sink in the middle either.

Thanks for the wonderful recipe!

girlfromhell31 said...

I baked my first cupcakes today and I am so glad I chose this recipe. It was good! My batter was a lot stickier than yours judging from your pictures (any idea why this is so?). It was a bit hard to work with but I managed.

Unknown said...

These are amazing. My husband loved them!! Only thing we would change is to Double the batch because they did not last long! Thanks for the recipe!

Unknown said...

Oooh this looks amaazing!

http://cafecraftea.blogspot.com

bbbmonce said...

My aunt has an annual hot august nights cake party... it's like a pot luck but it's all cake. I wanted to make a cheesecake and my son wanted to make a blue velvet cake. These are the perfect compromise!! I've never made blue velvet anything (I guess it's a smurf thing?) but from what I've read you use blue food coloring instead of red. Fingers crossed it turns out right!

Sira Ocarina said...

I love your blog! I made these cupcakes today on my day off. I like that this recipe does not require alot of ingredients, and can come out so great tasting. I will definitely be trying out other recipes you will be posting. Especially since thanksgiving and Christmas is coming up. boyfriend is also demanding that I make more sugary treats lol.

Unknown said...

Loved these!! Made these with my 5yr old daughter, she loves to bake. Recipe is super simple and sp easy to follow and all the ingredients are usually in the fridge. No need for a grocery run :-) loved how they aren't too sweet either.
Thanks for the great recipe.

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