Red Velvet Cupcakes

LOVE and HUGS and KISSES

and definitely CHOCOLATE

and CHAMPAGNE (for mommies and daddies)

homemade VALENTINES

and PARTIES with PUNCH

SUGAR and CANDY HEARTS

and maybe some...

RED VELVET CUPCAKES

Here is a VALENTINE'S  Day present for you! 

I have tried several recipes and most of them have come out

dry and crumbly,

but for some reason this recipe from

McCormick's comes out

SCRUMP-DILLY-UMPTIOUS

every single time.

Go figure.

Now Red Velvet Cake is one of my favorite desserts

(I say this a lot, don't I) 

with all those layers of cream cheese frosting! 

In fact, the MORE layers...the better. 

 BUT, if you want a quick, portable, kid-friendly version,

try the CUPCAKES.

Red Velvet Cupcakes
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk
1 bottle (1 ounce) McCormick® Red Food Color
2 teaspoons McCormick® Pure Vanilla Extract



Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in medium bowl. Set aside.  Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed 5 minutes or until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Mix in sour cream, milk, food color and vanilla. Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed until just blended. Do not overbeat


Bake 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted into cupcake comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire rack 5 minutes. Remove from pans; cool completely. Pipe with Cream Cheese Frosting.


Cream Cheese Frosting
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened,
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened,
2 teaspoons McCormick® Pure Vanilla Extract
1 box powdered sugar


Beat the butter and cream cheese in large bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in 1 box (16 ounces) confectioners' sugar until smooth.