What's Up? Magazine

It's a great surprise for anyone you’re sweet on this February 14th. Cupid’s arrow hits the mark with moist and delicious Red Velvet with Love Cupcakes. The vibrant red goodies are fun for kids and adults alike to make, decorate and eat.

Dress up cupcakes using a pink, red and white palette. Create cute and quick love monsters by piping icing to make the nose, mouth and fur, and then attach candy eyeballs, and heart-shaped picks for ears. Other decorating options include wrapping cupcakes in foil cups for an elegant effect, or finishing with colored sugars and sprinkles. You can even write special messages on them.

After decorating, package cupcakes in a festive box adorned with ribbon and bows for a treat that’s sure to tie a heart in knots.

Red Velvet with Love Cupcakes

Valentine Standard or Mini Baking Cups, Heart Eyelet Baking Cups, Cupcake-N-Pix Combo or Heart Silicone Baking Cups from Wilton
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, softened
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
1-1/2 teaspoons No-Taste Red Icing Color
1 teaspoon Imitation Clear Vanilla Extract
1 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons water
1-1/2 teaspoons white vinegar
1 teaspoon baking soda

Buttercream Icing
Red, Rose and Black Icing Color
Red Foil Swirls Cupcake Wraps
Valentine Sprinkles, Jumbo Hearts Sprinkles, Heart Icing Decorations, Rose Icing Decorations, Candy Eyeballs

Preheat oven to 350˚F. Line muffin pan with baking cups or set silicone cups on cookie sheet and spray with vegetable pan spray.

In medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt; set aside. In large bowl, cream butter and sugar with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs, red icing color and vanilla extract; mix well until icing color is well incorporated. Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk; add water and mix well. In a small bowl, combine white vinegar and baking soda; gently stir into cupcake mixture. Distribute cupcake batter evenly in cups.

Bake 20-22 minutes for standard cupcakes, 10-12 minutes for mini cupcakes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cupcakes completely.

For Love Monster Cupcakes, use tip 18 and rose icing to pipe pull-out stars on cupcake tops. Add candy eyeballs with dots of icing. Add tip 10 red icing dot nose. Use tip 4 and black icing to pipe dot pupils and outline mouth. Position heart picks.

For Other Cupcakes, spatula ice cupcake smooth or top with tip 22 mini cupcake icing swirl or tip 1M standard cupcake icing swirl. If desired, place in cupcake wraps. Top with desired sprinkles or icing decorations or add tip 4 message.

Makes about 20 standard cupcakes; 4 dozen minis.