We're At the Party-Mini Red Velvet cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

"Can you believe that we're at the party?", said one cupcake to the other. " I know" said another cupcake.  "We're all dressed up in our Red Velvet dresses with white collars and our red and green sprinkles   We look so pretty sitting on the tray  We have been to birthday parties,  an open house,.and Cupcake competition, but we have never been to Christmas party.  The Christmas tree looks so pretty with all the twinkling lights, and there is candle light all around, just beautiful. Now that we have been to a Christmas party, do you think that we'll make it to the cookie plate with cookies and a cup of milk for Santa?  Well you know, we cupcakes are very popular now, so we just might make it to the cookie plate"..  Tune in later, and see what happens Christmas Eve.

My girlfriend's daughter was having a Christmas party, and I volunteered to make mini cupcakes, since she was having miniature desserts.  I made the mini Red Velvet cupcakes, perfect for a Christmas party, which were a big hit. Here's the recipe, maybe your cupcakes will make it to the cookie plate on Christmas Eve.

Red Velvet Cupcakes

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon  baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1  cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk, room temperature
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 tablespoons red food coloring, or 1 oz.
• 1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 (12-cup) muffin pans with cupcake papers, or 24 mini cupcakes.

In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. In a large bowl gently beat together the oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla with a hand held electric mixer.

Add the sifted dry ingredients to the wet and mix until smooth and thoroughly combined.

Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake tins about 2/3 filled. Bake in oven for about 20 to 22 minutes, 15-17 min. for the minis turning the pans once, half way through. Test the cupcakes with a toothpick for doneness. Remove from oven and cool completely before and frosting.

I modified Stef's Lime Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe from cupcakeproject.com to make the Vanilla Cream cheese frosting.

Vanilla Cream Cheese frosting 
 1 8 oz. pkg. of cream cheese  (room temp)
1/4 C butter (room temp)

4 C powdered sugar, sifted
1 t vanilla extract

1. Mix the cream cheese and butter.
2. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract.
3. Beat mixture until desired consistency.