Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

• 2 1/2 cups flour, all-purpose
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
• 1 cup buttermilk room temperature, you can use low-fat
• 2 tablespoons food coloring red
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar distilled
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 pound cream cheese (reduced-fat) softened
• 2 stick butter melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 cups powdered sugar sifted
• 1 x pecans chopped, for garnish, optional
• 1 x raspberries fresh, or strawberries, for garnish, optional

1. Preheat the oven to 350F (180C).
2. Line 2 (12-cup) muffin pans with cupcake papers.
3. In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder.
4. In a large bowl gently beat together the oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla with a handheld electric mixer.
5. Add the sifted dry ingredients to the wet and mix until smooth and thoroughly combined.
6. Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake tins about 23 filled.
7. Bake in oven for about 20 to 22 minutes, turning the pans once, half way through.
8. Test the cupcakes with a toothpick for doneness.
9. Remove from oven and cool completely before frosting.

flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, cocoa powder, vegetable oil, buttermilk, food coloring red, white vinegar, vanilla, cream cheese, butter, vanilla, powdered sugar, pecans, raspberries

Taken from recipeland.com/recipe/v/red-velvet-cupcakes-cream-chees-48591 (may not work)