The Cutest Mini Red Velvet Cupcakes

So, I have a confession to make.

I don't like chocolate cake that much. I know, I know. What's wrong with me? There's something about it. I mean, I might crave it on a very, very rare occasion. 

The only type of chocolate cake I really, truly love is red velvet. And we all know that cupcakes are always better than regular cake. 

Yesterday I got home from class and didn't feel like getting to my homework immediately (still haven't gotten to that feeling yet, ever). I decided to make red velvet cupcakes instead. 

After searching for about ten minutes for the perfect recipe, I found this recipe. I tweaked it a little (what's new?)

Y'all. They were PERFECT. The consistency of the cupcake was so smooth and soft, and I used my personal favorite cream cheese frosting to top them off. This is now my go-to recipe for red velvet. 

Adapted from The Boastful Baker. 

Mini Red Velvet Cupcakes

Yields: 36 adorably mini cupcakes

Ingredients:

1/2 cup buttermilk (1/2 cup milk plus 1 tsp white vinegar)

3/4 cup vegetable oil

1 egg

1 tsp red food coloring

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tbsp cocoa powder

Best Ever Cream Cheese Frosting

1 (8 oz) block cream cheese, slightly softened

5 tbsp butter (slightly softened-- pliable but not room temperature)

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups powdered sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit. Line the mini muffin pans with 36 mini cupcake papers. 

2. Mix the buttermilk, vegetable oil, egg, food coloring, and vanilla extract with a hand mixer on the lowest setting until it's well incorporated. 

It looks like I had a red egg.

3. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, sugar, baking soda, and cocoa powder. Add the dry ingredients slowly to the wet ingredients with the hand mixer until there are no more lumps. 

4. Using a cookie scoop, scoop the batter into the mini cupcake papers, filling each one up almost 3/4 of the way up. 

Super out of focus. Sorry, guys. 

5. Tap the filled muffin pans lightly on the counter a few times to get the bubbles out. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes, or until they bounce back up when you touch the top. (You can also test with a toothpick but I always just touch the top. If your finger leaves a dent, they're not ready.)

6. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, combine the cream cheese and butter. Whip until it's light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and mix. Really slowly, add the powdered sugar while the mixer is going. Mix it until it's really smooth and fluffy. 

7. Tape the corner of a quart-sized bag (for reinforcement), then cut the corner off about 1/2 inch from the very tip. Insert a decorator's star tip. Add the frosting to the bag and decorate the cupcakes once they've cooled. Add sprinkles (because sprinkles make everything happier). 

Haha! Thanks for helping with the eating process, Haley!

Oreo Cheesecake Bites and The Bachelor

I've never watched The Bachelor before this season. When I saw that this season's bachelor, Sean, is from Arlington, Texas, I couldn't resist watching. That's about twenty minutes from my house!

That is one fine man. 

So my apartment floor was having a Bachelor party tonight because it was Monday night and we all share a guilty pleasure for watching The Bachelor. 

I figured I should bring something sweet for us to eat while we watch. 

I bought Oreos a few weeks ago, but instead of the normal Double Stuff ones, I bought chocolate-filled Oreos, which are not nearly as good as the Double Stuff ones. I decided to use them in a recipe since they weren't that great on their own. 

I found a recipe for Oreo Cheesecake Bites. I sort of used the recipe on the link provided, but I definitely made some modifications. They were AMAZING. They were even tasty enough to get me through all the stupidity Tierra put us through tonight. 

Oreo Cheesecake Bites

Yields: about 50 cheesecake bites (It makes one 9x13 pan, so you can cut them however small or large you want to. I wanted them to go a long way)

Ingredients:

20 Oreos

4 tbsp butter, melted

3 8 oz. packages of cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 cup sugar

3/4 cup sour cream

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp salt

2 eggs plus 1 egg yolk

16 Oreos

1/4 cup white chocolate chips

1 tbsp vegetable oil

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Line a 9x13 pan with parchment paper, leaving the parchment large enough to go up two of the sides  to allow for easier removal.

3. Smash 20 Oreos to smithereens in a gallon ziplock. Add the melted butter and squish it all around. Make sure all of the Oreos have some of the butter on them so they stick together. Press the mixture into the pan. Bake for 10 minutes.

4. Beat the cream cheese in a bowl until it's light and fluffy. Add the sugar and make sure it's completely incorporated. Add the sour cream, vanilla, and salt. 

5. Add the eggs and scrape down the bowl. Make sure everything is completely mixed with no chunks. 

6. Crush the remaining 16 Oreos (not completely smashed, just broken up into pieces). Gently stir them into the cream cheese mixture.

7. Pour this onto the Oreo crust. Bake for 40 minutes, or until it's slightly jiggly in the center. 

8. Put it in the fridge for at least two hours. Run a knife around the edge and use the parchment paper to remove it from the pan. Cut into desired size (I did about 1.5x1.5). Make sure to wipe the knife on a paper towel between each cut. 

9. Melt the white chocolate and add a little bit of vegetable oil to smooth it out. Put it into a sandwich baggie and cut the very teeny tip off of the corner. Drizzle the chocolate on each square in a decorative pattern. Let the chocolate harden in the refrigerator for about 5 minutes. Enjoy!

I'm still rooting for Sarah. Here's to Tierra being kicked off next week!