Chickadee Cottage: From the Kitchen

Red Velvet Cupcakes

This is so appropriate for Valentines Day.

Or any day for that matter.

Red is the color of love.

Red is the color of valentines.

What better way to celebrate that special day, than to whip up some Red Velvet cupcakes with a chocolate chip, cream cheese filling. To die for.

I start with the wet ingredients, including the most important part, the red food coloring.

I whisk the dry ingredients together,

and beat them all up. For all those naysayers who say that all-purpose flour doesn't make a light, soft cake, I say: try this, you'll like it.

Next comes the important filling. There are also naysayers who say you cannot use low fat cream cheese in cooking.

I beg to differ. I used these handy little wedges, and they worked just fine. Blocks of low-fat cream cheese, as well as whipped cream cheese spread will also work.

After combining with the other ingredients, I beat it all together, then stirred in the chocolate.

As usual, I made a smaller batch for myself.

Good thing I had this vintage 8-cup muffin tin hanging on my kitchen wall. Comes in right handy.

I've included instructions for both 8 and 12 cupcakes below.

They are so pretty when they finish baking,

and they taste even better.

Are they ever good.

Happy Saturday, and may your Valentine's Day be filled with love.

Red Velvet Cupcakes

8 Cupcakes

1/2 C plus 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour

1/4 Tsp baking soda

1/4 Tsp salt

1/2 Tsp baking cocoa

1/2 C granulated sugar

2 Tbsp liquid egg product

1/4 C plus 3 Tbsp canola oil

2 Tbsp fat-free sour cream

2 Tbsp vanilla almond milk

1/4 Tsp vanilla

2 Tbsp red food coloring

Preheat oven to 350°. Line muffin pan with papers or silicone liners. In bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, cocoa and sugar. In separate bowl combine egg product, oil, sour cream, almond milk, vanilla, and red food coloring. Using mixer, beat on low speed until well mixed. All flour mixture slowly, beating on low speed until mixed well. Divide into pan. If using a 12-muffin pan, add about 1/4 C of water to the cups with no batter.

Cheese filling:

2 oz fat-free cream cheese spread

1-1/2 Tsp liquid egg product

2 Tbsp granulated sugar

Pinch of salt

1/4 C mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Mix together. Drop scant teaspoon in center of each cupcake before baking. Bake 18-22 minutes, until edge of cupcake springs back when touched, and cheese mixture begins to lightly brown. Cool on wire rack.

12 cupcakes

3/4 C plus 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour

3/8 Tsp baking soda

3/8 Tsp salt

3/4 Tsp baking cocoa

3/4 C granulated sugar

3 Tbsp liquid egg product

1/2 C plus 1-1/2 Tbsp canola oil

3 Tbsp fat-free sour cream

3 Tbsp vanilla almond milk

3/8 Tsp vanilla

3 Tbsp red food coloring