Red Velvet Cupcakes with Peppermint Frosting

This is a terrific recipe for birthdays and holidays, as it is always a people-pleaser and eye-catching. To color it red, you must use a tablespoon of red food coloring. You can also bake this cake in 8-inch layers, frost, and top with crushed peppermints and shaved chocolate.

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Peppermint Frosting

 

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Ingredients

For the cupcakes:

• 1 package (18.25 ounces) Cake Mix Doctor Simply Yellow mix
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
• 1 cup whole milk
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon liquid red food coloring, if desired

For the Peppermint Frosting:

• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
• 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 2 to 3 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract
• Crushed peppermint candies, if desired, for topping cupcakes

Instructions

1. Place a rack in the center of the oven, and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place 20 paper liners in two cupcake pans and set the pans aside.
2. For the cupcakes, place the cake mix, cocoa, milk, oil, eggs, and red food coloring in a large mixing bowl and blend on low speed of an electric mixer until just combined. Increase the mixer speed to medium and blend until smooth, 1 minute. Scoop the batter into the liners, filling them three-quarters of the way full. Place the pans in the oven.
3. Bake the cupcakes until the cake springs back when lightly pressed with your finger, 16 to 20 minutes. Remove to a rack to cool.
4. For the frosting, place the butter in a large mixing bowl, and blend with an electric mixer on low until creamy. Add 2 cups of the powdered sugar, the milk, and extracts, and blend until smooth. Add the remaining 1 cup sugar and blend on medium-high until the frosting is creamy and fluffy. Set aside.
5. When the cupcakes are cool, spread frosting over each one. Garnish with crushed peppermint, if desired.

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