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October is a special month. We have quite a few friends and family members who are October babies, but this month holds a very special meaning for us. Eleven years ago — at exactly 11:25 p.m. — we welcomed our wide-eyed, curious, kicking (not screaming, but definitely sprightly) bundle of joy into this world. And eleven years later, he’s still wide-eyed, curious, and yes, still kicking (mostly in his sleep), now a wonderfully sprightly tween.

He is, and will always be, the brightest moment in our lives.
Happy Birthday, Nikhil!!

I made these red velvet cupcakes last night at Nikhil’s request. His original ask was for a bundt cake, his all-time favorite, but we switched to cupcakes to make it easier to share treats at school. I’ll definitely be trying this recipe again in bundt form soon.

This recipe is adapted from Simply Recipes. I followed it closely, with one main change — using homemade buttermilk instead of store-bought.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
  • 2 eggs, at room temperature
  • 2 1/3 cups cake flour
  • 2 tbsp Dutch-processed cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 cup milk mixed with 1 tbsp white vinegar (let stand for 10 minutes)
  • 1 1/2 tbsp red food coloring
    (I recommend using up to 2 tbsp — the batter should be a bright red)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp distilled white vinegar

For the Cream Cheese Icing

  • 1/2 cup butter (1 stick), room temperature
  • 1/2 packet Philadelphia cream cheese, softened
  • 2–3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Method for the Cupcakes

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (170°C). In an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed for about 3 minutes, until light and fluffy.

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2. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure even mixing.

3. In a large bowl, sift together the cake flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk-vinegar mixture, additional vinegar, vanilla extract, and red food coloring.

5. Add the dry ingredients to the butter-sugar-egg mixture. Begin mixing, then add the wet red-colored mixture. Continue alternating dry and wet ingredients, ending with the dry ingredients. The batter should be a vibrant red.

6. Spoon the batter into cupcake liners, filling each about 1/2 to 2/3 full. Bake for 18–22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Rotate the pan after the first 15 minutes to ensure even baking.

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7. Allow the cupcakes to cool in the pan for about 1 minute, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

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(You’ll notice the color appears more like chocolate cupcakes than classic red velvet. Some of this is lighting, but they could definitely use a bit more food coloring.)

Method for the Cream Cheese Icing

  1. Cream the butter and cream cheese together for about 3 minutes until smooth and fluffy. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
  2. Add the vanilla extract and mix well.
  3. Gradually add powdered sugar, tasting as you go, until the desired sweetness and consistency are reached. Pipe onto completely cooled cupcakes.

Verdict

The foodie-critic that Nikhil is, he took one look at the cupcakes coming out of the oven and immediately pointed out what might be missing
More red food coloring.

That feedback explains my updated note in the ingredients — using closer to 2 tablespoons of coloring gives a better red velvet look. That said, the cupcakes were incredibly moist, flavorful, and easily some of the best cupcakes I’ve made in a while. The taste was spot on, and overall, this is a definite keeper recipe.

A very happy birthday to all the other October babies in our family — these cupcakes are for each one of you.

One final question I’d love help with:
Is there a good alternative to using food coloring in red velvet recipes? Part of my hesitation in adding more color is the use of dye, especially in a recipe that already includes butter and cream cheese and isn’t exactly what you’d call “healthy.” If you know of a low-fat, no-dye red velvet version, I’d love to hear about it.