Valentine's Day Cupcakes

For your sweetie

… or yourself:)

The Yellow Brownie Filled Cupcake with Salted Dark Chocolate Mocha Frosting made me remember how insanely awesome cupcakes are.

And since Valentine’s Day is coming up, I thought it would be fun to make some Red Velvet cupcakes!

2 points of disclosure:

1. We don’t really celebrate Valentine’s Day. I just bake seasonal yummies whenever I have the chance.
2. I’ve only had red velvet once or twice. I feel like every time I’ve tried a Red Velvet cake, it’s disgustingly dry and the cream cheese frosting is too whippy and doesn’t have enough flavor. Because of that, I’m not exactly sure what Red Velvet is supposed to taste like.

So… are these cupcakes good, authentic Red Velvet cupcakes?

I have absolutely no clue.

Are these cupcakes red and festive

and a bit chocolatey with melted mini chocolate chips

topped with a surprisingly delicious combination of peppermint white chocolate frosting?

Oh. Yes.

(Also was that the biggest run on sentence in the history of the world? Yes.)

Red Velvet Cupcakes w/ Mini Chocolate Chips

from Cupcakes! From the Cake Mix Doctor

Ingredients:

• 1 package (18.25 oz) plain German chocolate cake mix
• 1 package (3.4 oz) vanilla instant pudding
• 1 c. sour cream (or yogurt)
• 1/2 c. water
• 1/2 c. vegetable oil
• 1 bottle (1 ounce) red food coloring (I only used about 1/3 of a bottle and mine were still fairly red! The whole bottle will give that BRIGHT RED pop that is synonymous with red velvet)
• 3 large eggs
• 1 c. mini chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 cupcake pans with liners (should be about 22-24 cupcakes). Set aside
2. Place cake mix, pudding mix, sour cream (or yogurt), water, oil, food coloring and eggs in a large icing bowl.
3. Mix with an electric mixer on low for about 30 seconds until just incorporated. Blend on medium speed and beat for about 2 minutes more. (If your arms are strong you can use a whisk too!) The batter will be fairly thick.
4. Stir in chocolate chips.
5. Scoop about 1/4 c. of batter into each cup. Remember, the batter is fairly thick, so you may have to use a spoon to get enough out.
6. Bake cupcakes until they spring back lightly when pressed with your finger. The book says about 18-22 minutes, but mine were about 24. You can use a toothpick to see if it’s done, but remember the melted chocolate will come out on the toothpick (like it should!) You just don’t want red unbaked cake batter coming out.
7. Let cool in pans for about 5 minutes. Remove from pans and let cool on wire cooling rack. Meanwhile, make frosting…

White Chocolate Peppermint Cream Cheese Frosting

from Cupcakes! From the Cake Mix Doctor

Ingredients:

• 6 ounces white chocolate, coarsely chopped or white chocolate chips
• 4 T. (half a stick) of butter, room temperature
• 4 ounces (half an 8 ounce package) cream cheese, room temperature or mildly chilled
• 1 t. peppermint extract
• 2 – 2 1/2 c. powdered sugar

Directions:

1. Place white chocolate in small glass bowl. Microwave on 50% for about 1 minute. Stir well. Microwave for 20 seconds more still on 50%. Stir well. If needed, pop in for 20 seconds increments until melted. (DO NOT over cook. If you cook on too hot of a temperature, your chocolate will seize up and not melt… sad) Set chocolate aside to cool
2. Place butter in mixer and beat well. Add cream cheese and beat well until thoroughly combined.
3. Add melted white chocolate and mix on low until combined. Add pepper extract and mix in briefly. Sift in 2 c. powdered sugar (I just put my sifter over top of my bowl and add it all together.) Beat on low until powdered sugar is combined. Beat on medium for a couple minutes more or until frosting looks fluffy and combined. If too thin, add 1/2 c. more powdered sugar. (I used all 2 1/2 cups) Too thick? Feel free to add 1/2 T. of milk.
4. Spread on your cupcakes, leaving the edges to peek out if desired.