Red Velvet Valentine Cupcakes

Yields 20

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 c. cake flour
• 1 1/4 c. All-purpose flour
• 4 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 1 1/2 cups canola oil
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 1/2 oz. red food color
• 1 Ugandan Vanilla bean scraped
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 2 tsp. distilled white vinegar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk together cake flour, all-purpose flour, cocoa, and salt. With a stand mixer on medium-high speed, beat together sugar and oil until combined. Add eggs, one at a time scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add in food coloring and vanilla bean scrapings.

Reduce mixture speed to low. Add the flour mixture in three additions alternating with the buttermilk baking soda and vinegar mixture. Mix until combined. Scoop batter into cupcake liners with an ice cream scoop to ensure even amounts in liner. Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes until cake springs back when touched in the center. Cool to room temperature.

Ingredients:

• 2 sticks softened butter
• 8 oz. cream cheese to room temperature
• 1 Tahtian Vanilla Bean scraped
• ½ tsp. almond extract
• 3 lbs. powdered sugar
• 1/2- 3/4 c. milk

Directions:

With whisk attachment beat butter, cream cheese, vanilla bean scraping, and almond extract until light and fluffy. Slowly add powdered sugar and milk until combined. Beat on high speed until frosting is light and fluffy.

Place in piping bag or plastic lunch baggie with the end cup off and pipe the frosting onto the cupcake.

To Garnish:

Crumble two cupcakes and sprinkle on top of frosting.