How to make red velvet cupcakes with whipped cream cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Paper line a cupcake tin.

Aerate the sifted cake flour using a whisk.

In a small bowl, whisk together the red food colouring, cocoa powder, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract. If you like a more chocolately red velvet, add another 1-2 tablespoons of cocoa powder.

Whisk your cocoa mixture until smooth and even. Set aside.

In a measuring cup, stir the salt into the buttermilk. Set aside.

In a stand mixer on medium speed, cream the butter and sugar until very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.

Add your egg and beat until well incorporated.

Add your cocoa mixture to the butter mixture and beat well to incorporate.

This is what the batter looks like with the cocoa mixture mixed in.

Add 1/3 of the buttermilk mixture and 1/3 of the flour mixture to your batter. Beat until the ingredients are well incorporated without over beating.

Add the remaining 1/2 of the buttermilk mixture and 1/2 of the flour mixture to your batter. Beat until the ingredients are well incorporated without over beating.

Add in the rest of the buttermilk mixture and flour mixture to your batter. Beat until the ingredients are well incorporated without over beating. Set aside.

In a small bowl, stir together the apple cider vinegar and baking soda.

If you don't see fizzing, your baking soda is probably expired and shouldn't be used.

Add the vinegar mixture to your batter and mix well.

Mix until well incorporated. Don't forget to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.

Using an ice cream scoop, divide the batter among the prepared cupcake tin. Batter should fill 2/3 up the cupcake cavities.

Bake for 18-20 minutes on the middles oven rack until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Don't forget to rotate the pan half way through the baking time for even baking.

This is a good time to wash your mixture bowl so that you can chill/freeze the bowl and whisk attachment for preparing the frosting. Whipping cream whips up faster and more stable in a cold bowl. :]

Let the cupcakes cool in the pans for 1 hour. Then remove the cupcakes from the pans and let them completely cool on a wire rack. Proceed to make the frosting.

In a large bowl, mix together the cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, and 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract.

Whisk until smooth and well mixed. Set aside.

In your chilled mixer bowl, whip the whipping cream on medium speed until stiff peaks form. Don't over whip. Over whipped cream can be fixed with a splash of whipping cream and some re-whipping.

Done whipping when the cream is stiff which only takes a couple minutes.

Gently but thoroughly fold the whipping cream into your cream cheese mixture.

It's important that you don't whip or over-fold this mixture. It's a delicate frosting that is sensitive to heat and will fall apart or melt if it is over-worked.

Fill a prepared piping bag with your frosting. I used a disposable piping bag with a Wilton 1M tip. Any large tip (I.e. Round, star, or French tips) will do.

Pipe a generous swirl on each cooled cupcake.

Eat!

For a festive touch, you can add some holiday sprinkles.

Frosted cupcakes should be refrigerated until time to serve/eat.