“Blue Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting”

Nothing like being festive for a holiday and Memorial Day is no different. I decided to bake something for my husband’s workplace. I had in my mind to do Red Velvet Cupcakes. However, as I was looking in my pantry an idea hit me. I thought how about Blue Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting instead of traditional Red Velvet. Red Velvet is one of my favorite cakes but I love putting a new spin on tradition. Don’t forget cream cheese makes any frosting over the top. Yummy good! Anyway, all you do is substitute blue food coloring for red food coloring and you have blue cupcakes. My husband already called me to say everyone at work thought the cupcakes were delicious and what a fun idea. How about that? Yes, my idea was good thing. So if you’re looking for a yummy dessert for your Memorial Day barbecue, try my Blue Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting. Kids will love the blue color.

Blue Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting

Blue Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1 t. baking soda

1 t. salt

1 t. cocoa powder

1 1/2 cups vegetable oil

1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature

2 large eggs, at room temperature

2 T. blue or dark blue food coloring (I used 1 gel tube)

1 t. distilled white vinegar

1 t. vanilla extract

Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting

8 oz. package cream cheese, softened

2 sticks butter, softened

1 t. vanilla extract

1 box Confectioners sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two (12-cup) muffin tins or one (24-cup) muffin tin with cupcake paper liners. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. In a large mixing bowl, beat together oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar and vanilla with a hand mixer or by hand with a wire whisk until smooth. Add the dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until smooth and well combined; no lumps.

Divide cupcake batter evenly among tins, about 2/3 full. Bake in oven about 20 minutes or when toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove from oven to wire rack; cool completely before frosting and decorating.

For Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting:

In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla together until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl. Add the sugar on low-speed until incorporated. Increase speed on mixer to high; mix until light and fluffy. If frosting seems to thin, add additional Confectioners sugar until desired consistency is achieved. Frost and decorate as desired.

Note: You can find Betty Crocker blue food coloring in your local grocery store. I used Betty Crocker Bold Colors in Dark Blue for my cupcakes. Joann, Michael’s, and Hobby Lobby craft stores carry Wilton brand baking supplies. Wilton makes a large variety of food coloring for baking.

Happy Baking!