Red Velvet Cupcakes w/ Mascarpone Icing

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This recipe is not new to my blog or me, in fact I posted in back in February of 2009.  Yes, I’ve been blogging forever, or at least it seems that way sometimes.  The original recipe make 24-36 cupcakes, and I’ve tweaked this recipe to make 12-16 cupcakes and added a few minor changes.

As far as red velvet goes, these cupcakes are so delicious, but the icing is out of this world.  I could eat it with a spoon.  It’s a combination of heavy cream, mascarpone, and cream cheese, seriously, what’s not to love.  I made these lovelies for my mom’s birthday, her requested favorite.

You have to make these at least once.  Let me show you how.

Ingredients:

Cupcakes: 1-3/4 cups cake flour; 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa (I used dark cocoa); 3/4 teaspoon salt; 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks); 1-1/8 cups granulated sugar; 2 large eggs; 3 tablespoons (1.5 ounces) red food coloring (I love wilton food coloring); 1 teaspoon vanilla; 3/4 cup buttermilk; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1-1/2 teaspoons white vinegar

I love this Wilton brand of food coloring.

P.S.: Don’t you just love the color of my chickens’ eggs?

In your stand mixer, add sugar and 2 sticks of softened butter.  Beat until fluffy.

In a separate bowl, add cake flour, dark cocoa powder, and salt.  Mix well.

In the butter mixture, add one egg at a time, beating in between.

I love the Nielsen-Massey  Vanilla Bean Paste, it’s so delicious and easy to use.

Then add in your vanilla or bean paste.

And the whole jar of food coloring.  Mix well.  If the color isn’t as bright as you’d like.  Add more.

Then in 2 alternating batches, add the flour mixture.

and buttermilk.  Beat in between and add the last batch.

In a small bowl add the baking soda and white vinegar, mix quickly and drizzle in the batter while beating on low, about 10 seconds.

See that beautiful color.

Line your cupcake pan and add batter till about two-thirds the way full. Don’t worry if they look a little messy they will rise and you won’t be able to tell.  If any spills on the pan, just wipe it off before baking.

Bake at 350° for about 20 minutes. Check for doneness using a toothpick, if it comes out clean take them out and let them cool.

Meanwhile make the Mascarpone icing.

Ingredients: 1 cup heavy cream, cold; 8 ounces cream cheese (I used Neufchatel cheese this time); 8 ounces mascarpone cheese, plain; 1/2 teaspoon vanilla; 3/4 cups confectioners’ sugar, more if needed

In your mixer add both cheeses, beat until smooth.

Then add the powdered sugar and vanilla.

Beat until incorporated.

In another bowl beat the heavy cream until it forms soft peaks.

Then cover and put in the fridge, until ready to frost the cupcakes.

Then gently fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture.  Then ice the cupcakes with with a knife or piping bag.

Of my recipe I made 12 cupcakes and one mini loaf pan.

I could hardly wait to taste, so this guy was all ours.

The icing is so delicious on top of the rich decadent red velvet, it’s a match made in cupcake heaven.

 

Print This Recipe

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Cupcakes:
1 3/4 cups cake flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa (I used Dark Cocoa)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks)
1 1/8 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs
3 tablespoons (1.5 ounces) red food coloring (I love wilton food coloring)
1 teaspoons vanilla
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons white vinegar

Frosting:
1 cups heavy cream, cold
8 ounces cream cheese
8 ounces mascarpone cheese, plain
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cups confectioners’ sugar, more if needed

Preheat oven to 350 F. Place paper cupcake liners into 12-count muffin pans.

In a medium bowl, combine cake flour, cocoa and salt. Whisk to mix thoroughly. In the bowl of an electric mixer combine butter and sugar. Beat at medium speed until well-blended. Beat in eggs one at a time. With machine on low add red food coloring slowly, without splashing. Add vanilla. Add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk in two batches. Scrape down bowl and beat just long enough to combine.

In a small dish, place the baking soda, stir in vinegar and add to batter with machine running. Beat for 10 seconds. Divide batter among cupcake compartments, filling about 2/3 full. Place in oven and bake until a cake tester comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool in pans 20 minutes. Then remove from pans. Let cool completely before frosting.

Yield: 16-18 cupcakes depending on the size of pans.

Frosting:

Place cream in bowl and whip cream until soft peaks form. Cover in bowl and refrigerate. Blend cream cheese and mascarpone with electric mixer until smooth. Add vanilla and confectioners’ sugar. Blend well. Transfer cream cheese mixture to a larger bowl. Fold in whipped cream. Pile high on cupcakes with a knife or through a pastry bag.

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