Hello friends!

Have you ever noticed that the word “classic” looks really strange if you stare at it for too long?

Or the word velvet? Two v’s, c’mon people it’s weird and you know it.

Thankfully, the word “cupcakes” is never weird, no matter how long you crave to eat a dozen stare at it.

And I believe staring at these particular cupcakes will get you craving some red velvet immediately! I’m sort of shocked that it’s taken me this long to post about red velvet cake, seeing as how it’s one of my all-time favorite flavors. True, I have a lot of favorite cakes, but I fell in love with red velvet the first moment I sank my teeth into a decadent cream-cheese frosted slice.

So it shouldn’t surprise me that there are others of you out there, also in love with the big red, but what does surprise me is how creative red-velvet junkies can be. Red Velvet Brownies, Cookies, Pancakes, Cinnamon Rolls…

The list is literally insane. I think one could have an entire diet revolving around red velvet. Healthy? Nooooo. Delicious?

ohmygodyes.

Though you may be bombarded with crazy red-velvet overload these next few days, take a moment and remember how good the classics are: like this cupcake.

Simple. Decadent. Adorable. Easily portable/stuffable into one’s mouth. All characteristics I admire in my baked goods.

And I have to tell you; piping cupcakes can be a great stress-reliever. Don’t stare! I’m serious! I know that piping cupcakes can seem difficult at times, but it just takes practice. Practice that involves piping frosting directly into your mouth afterwards. This frosting is quite thick, so if you aren’t happy with how the piping looks, you can easily scoop it right off and start over. There are a bunch of tutorials and youtube videos about how to “properly” pipe frosting, but really, it’s whatever floats your boat. And for me, there’s nothing more fun than standing at my kitchen counter, piping bag poised like a painter’s brush, and giving my cupcakes that added bit of cuteness.

Can you tell I miss art class? Though these little “illustrations” are edible, which is vastly more fun than those boring ones I made in art class that just hung on the wall, all not edible.

And can you believe I took this picture with instagram?!

I am a) super excited about how cute it is and b) sort of frustrated that my phone gets a better picture immediately than my Canon PowerShot gets even after PhotoShop. I will, one day, learn how to properly use this freaking camera.

But for today, woo for instagram! and camera phones! and cute cupcakes!

Woo for all that is delicious in life.

They’re calling for some serious snow up here in my neck of the woods; so I’ll be hunkered down, whipping up more delicious treats to share with you all next week!

Stay warm and, as always,

Happy Baking!

Classic Red Velvet Cupcakes

Recipe Source: Bakerella

• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 tbsp vinegar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• red food coloring (I used 1 oz, she calls for 2)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 2 cupcake pans with paper liners.
2. In one large bowl, whisk together first 5 ingredients (flour through salt) until well combined. In a separate, large bowl, whisk together the next 6 ingredients (eggs through food coloring) until well combined.
3. Pour wet ingredients over dry and mix on the lowest speed your mixer has until you reach a smooth consistency.
4. Pour 1/4 cup to 1/3 cup batter into each cupcake liner, filling them about 2/3 full.
5. Bake at 350 for 15-19 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean
6. Let cool in pan for a few minutes before carefully removing to wire rack to cool completely.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 1 cup butter, at room temp
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 6-7 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla

1. Cream butter and cream cheese until well combined. Add vanilla.
2. Working with 1 to 2 cups at a time, beat in the powdered sugar. Beat until smooth consistency is reached.

All Photos And Writing Copyright © 2013 Jessica Gonzalez | On Sugar Mountain