Red Velvet Cupcakes Recipe

Cupcakes:
1/4 cup red food coloring
3 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 3/4 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 cups cake flour
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar

Icing:
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup mascarpone cheese
1 teaspoon mint extract (optional)
Crushed peppermint candies (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease muffin cups with butter or cooking spray and lightly flour, knocking out excess, or line with paper baking cups.
2. To prepare cupcakes, stir food coloring and cocoa powder together to make a paste.
3. Combine butter and sugar and beat with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Beat in cocoa paste. Reduce speed to medium and beat batter 4 minutes.
4. Sift together flours, salt and baking soda. Stir vanilla into buttermilk. Add flour mixture and buttermilk mixture alternately to butter mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat on medium speed just until combined. Beat in sour cream and vinegar until combined.
5. Fill muffin cups three-fourths full. Bake jumbo cupcakes 25 to 35 minutes or regular-size cupcakes 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool in pans 5 minutes. Unmold onto a wire rack and cool completely.
6. To prepare icing, beat butter, cream cheese and powdered sugar with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla and mascarpone on very low speed until just combined. (Excessive beating can make frosting curdle.) Stir in mint extract if using. Frost the top of each muffin. Sprinkle crushed peppermint candy on top if using. Makes 24 regular or 12 jumbo cupcakes.

Recipe adapted with permission from The Pastry Queen Christmas: Big-Hearted Holiday Entertaining, Texas Style by Rebecca Rather with Alison Oresman, © 2007. Published by Ten Speed Press.

Nutritional facts per regular-size cupcake: 420 calories, 29g fat, 5g protein, 37g carbohydrates, 0g fiber, 220mg sodium.