Easy Red Velvet Cupcakes w/ Cream Cheese Frosting

As a Southerner, red velvet cake is near and dear to my heart.  It is pretty much guaranteed that this cake will show up at all Southern functions, whether it’s baby showers, weddings (as a groom’s cake of course), birthday parties, Thanksgiving,  you name it.   This cake is not only beautiful with it’s rich red color, but also super delicious.  It’s also cool trying to explain the flavor to people who have never had it aliens obviously because it’s certainly not a vanilla cake, but not quite a chocolate cake either, and of course you have to throw on some cream cheese frosting for good measure anything else would be sacrilege duh.  I do have to admit though, a from scratch red velvet cake is a lot of work, and well,  aren’t we all a little busy these days? 

That is why I was thrilled to figure out a way of making this cake without having to use 200 ingredients (yes a slight exaggeration but close enough y’all…)  Yes, it might seem that I cheated by using a boxed mix, but seriously, the chocolate pudding mix thrown in makes these so moist and decadent no one will know you didn’t bust your behind in the kitchen all day… these are definitely roll your eyes in the back of your head good if you know what I’m saying, nudge nudge.  If you would like to impress your friends and family with a ‘homemade’ red velvet cake or cupcakes you obviously labored over all day, this is the ticket.  I also did a pretty sweet decoration that looks complicated and fancy but it sooo isn’t, and I show you exactly how to do it  below.  

Cake mix, oil, eggs, sour cream, pudding mix, water…

All mixed up, isn’t it pretty?

All ready to go in the oven…

Mmmm, these smell amazing…

Once cooled you can decorate like so…first cut the top off..

Using a mini cookie cutter, cut out a piece of the top piece…

Sprinkle your top piece with powdered sugar, and spread frosting on your cupcake…

Put the top back on, making sure it is even…(maybe next time I will get the cupcake in focus hehe)

Delicious…

Easy Red Velvet Cupcakes w/ Cream Cheese Frosting

2014-11-24 11:25:53

Yields 28

a moist and delicious red velvet cupcake with a rich cream cheese frosting

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FOR THE CUPCAKES

1. 1 Box Red Velvet Cake Mix.
2. 1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil.
3. 1/2 Cup Water.
4. 8 Ounces of Sour Cream.
5. 1 Small Box Chocolate Pudding Mix (4 Serving Box).
6. 4 Eggs.
7. Extra confectioner's sugar for sprinkling to decorate.

FOR THE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

1. 2 Sticks of Unsalted Butter, Softened.
2. 1 Block of Cream Cheese, Softened.
3. 2 Cups Confectioner's Sugar.
4. 2 Teaspoons of Vanilla Extract.

CUPCAKES

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Line 24 cupcake tins with paper liners.
3. With a handheld or stand mixer with paddle attachment beat the cake mix, oil, water, sour cream, pudding mix and eggs until thick and well combined.
4. With a cookie or ice cream scoop, place batter into paper liners filling 3/4 or the way from the top and bake for 17 minutes or until the cake springs back at your touch.
5. Let them cool completely before frosting.
6. See, I told you they were easy 😉

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

1. With your mixer, beat the butter until smooth.
2. Add your vanilla.
3. Then add your cream cheese and beat until well blended into the butter.
4. Add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time and blend until smooth and delicious.

Notes

1. The pudding mix should be used dry, do not make into pudding first 🙂
2. Some of your cupcakes may not rise enough to be able to cut the top off if you choose to decorate like I did. When that happened, I just covered the tops with my frosting and placed a cut out cake piece from the other cupcakes on the top.
3. This batter makes between 26-28 cupcakes for me depending upon how much I fill them.

HOLLY'S CHEAT DAY https://www.hollyscheatday.com/