Red Velvet Cupcakes

• salted butter 1/4 cup
• 1/4 cup lard
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 ounces red food colouring 2 x 28 mL bottles
• 2 tablespoons cocoa
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/4 cups cake flour sifted, sifted, then measured
• 1 cup buttermilk or substitute: 3/4 cup plus 1 tbsp
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 4 tablespoons cake flour or all-purpose flour
• 1 cup light cream half-and-half works as well
• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup granulated white sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Farenheit.
2. Line 2 cupcake pans (yields 20-22 cupcakes) with cupcake paper liners.
3. Cream butter and sugar in an electric stand mixer.
4. Add eggs one at a time and beat for 30 seconds.
5. In a small bowl, combine cocoa and red food colouring with a fork or small whisk until completely smooth; add to creamed butter/sugar mixture.
6. Next, add flour, salt, and buttermilk; mix on low speed only until combined.
7. Remove mixing bowl from stand mixer; sprinkle with baking soda, vinegar, and vanilla.
8. Combine gently - do not beat.
9. Immediately, using an ice cream scoop, spoon the batter into 2 paper-lined cupcake pans, 3/4 full.
10. Bake approximately 13-15 minutes, or until top springs back when touched and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
11. Cool cupcakes on wire rack, while preparing the gravy icing.
12. Gravy Icing:
13. Whisk flour into light cream, until completely dissolved.
14. Cook in a saucepan over low-medium heat until thickened, whisking constantly.
15. Cool completely in a cold water bath, whisking occasionally to prevent lumps from forming.
16. Cream butter and sugar until extremely fluffy (beat on highest setting for 8-10 minutes).
17. Add vanilla and cooled flour-cream mixture slowly while beating on low setting.
18. Beat hard for 5-10 minutes on highest setting until you have achieved the consistency of whipped cream.
19. When cupcakes have cooled, pipe the icing using a pastry bag or a large, heavy-duty freezer bag (fill the freezer bag with the entire quantity of icing; snip one of the bottom corners with kitchen scissors; suck excess air out of the bag and seal the top; proceed as you would with a pastry bag).

butter, lard, sugar, eggs, red food colouring, cocoa, salt, cake flour, buttermilk, white vinegar, vanilla, baking soda, cake flour, light cream, butter, white sugar, vanilla

Taken from www.yummly.com/recipe/Red-Velvet-Cupcakes-1670675 (may not work)