At Raising Arizona Kids, we celebrate staff birthdays with potluck lunches that typically follow a theme: Mexican, Mediterranean, Italian…or, during the hotter months, “just salads.”
Calendar & Directories Editor Mala Blomquist never has to think about what she will bring. There would be a revolt if she failed to show up with her trademark cupcakes.
While some of her recipes are strict secrets, here’s one she modified from a recipe she found online. Red Velvet Cupcakes are rich, creamy and pure pleasure in the mouth.
Red Velvet Cupcakes
From the kitchen of Mala Blomquist
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
1½ cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 oz liquid red food coloring
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1½ teaspoons baking soda
1 tablespoon white vinegar
2 cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place 20 tinfoil cupcake liners on a sheet pan. In the bowl of an electric mixer (or with a hand mixer) beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in the eggs, buttermilk, red food coloring and vanilla. Stir in the baking soda and vinegar. Combine the flour, cocoa powder and salt; stir into the batter just until blended. Spoon the batter evenly into the cupcake liners. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.
Frosting
1 8 oz package of cream cheese, softened
¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
3-4 cups of powdered sugar
Mix cream cheese, butter and vanilla until well combined. Add the powdered sugar ½ cup at a time until well mixed into the cream cheese mixture. Add enough powdered sugar to make the frosting thick enough to spread, and as sweet as you like. Frost the cupcakes and top with sugar crystals.
