Red Velvet and a DELICIOUS buttercream!

WHERE has the time gone?? Didn't I promise you all a red velvet cupcake recipe?? Pretty sure I did. Sorry! I'll get to that in a second! Unfortunately, I do not have step by step pics to go with it, but I am sure I will make them again soon, and then I will remember to take pictures! Promise...I hope.

How's your weekend been? Mine was pretty good! Hubband and I went to the Bacon, Brews and Blues festival at the fairgrounds. It was just kinda ok. So, that was disappointing...Had a few good tastings, and left after only an hour and a half! OH WELL! We are both recovering from being sick, so it wasn't too big of a blow to the weekend. Then we just watched movies and I baked. (did something fun with my chocolate chip cookie recipe!, you'll see later!) I also wanted to make us a new breakfast...that post to follow as well...It will be a baking failure post. Not too thrilled about that. Here are a couple pics of our favorite tastings from the festival.

 little blt sandwiches with extra sides of bacon. Beef bacon! YUM!

I can't even remember what they called this. Look at it. Does it matter?

Fried freakin pork belly! This was my fave! Holy crap.

I did rage a bit this AM when I went to make a "baked french toast recipe" that I had been wanting to try. I think I used the wrong bread...didn't work so much, and, well....I was PISSED. Almost tossed the whole damn pan out the kitchen door. Hubband stopped me. I do not take it well when my baking fails. It ruins my whole day, nothing can go right after that. I have failed at something I love, and for me, that means that the world is clearly ending...right?! Hubband disagrees and this is something I need to work on...says he. Anger management might be in order here.

In the past week or so, since we last spoke....er, read??? I have been making a few different things. The most recent treats were...Banana cupcakes with brown sugar buttercream, banana cupcakes with cinnamon buttercream (my new fave). Pumpkin cupcakes with cinnamon buttercream (ahhhhhmazing!) And my experiment with my chocolate chip cookies. The first attempt with banana cupcakes was also a failure. Rage set in and an ENTIRE stand mixer bowls worth of batter got tossed. I tried something else the following day and had success, but my rage pretty much lasted until then. Just like today, the rage lasted until I started making the cookies. Thank GOODNESS those were a success or there would have been trouble! Ugh, can't talk about the failures anymore, it upsets my tummy!

Here is your red velvet cupcakes! If you are a red velvet lover like I am, then PLEASE make these and leave me a comment and tell me how much you loved them. Even if you have (ugh) to make it with cream cheese frosting. (weirdo)

Red velvet cupcakes 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour 2 cups sugar 1 Tablespoon cocoa 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking soda 2 eggs 1 cup oil (this was at 1 1/2 cups. I lowered it to 1 cup and it is perfect!) 1 cup buttermilk 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar (I love using apple cider vinegar, original recipe is for regular) 1 teaspoon vanilla 1-2 oz red food coloring (depending on how red you want)  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease cupcake tins or use paper liners. I prefer liners. Lightly stir eggs in a medium bowl with a wire whisk. Add remaining liquid ingredients including food coloring, and stir together with whisk until blended. Set aside. Place all the dry ingredients in separate mixing bowl and stir together really good with another wire whisk. Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix on medium-high for about a minute or until completely combined. Pour into cupcake pans and then drop the pans on the counter a few times to release any air bubbles. (if you want, I forget this step quite often and they always turn out great) Bake for about 15-18 min or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Or you can check when you start to smell them baking. Mine are usually pretty close to done at that point. Let cool a few min in the pan then remove from pans to continue cooling.   Then. Top with THIS buttercream! Light and creamy! PERFECTION! Kick Ass Buttercream  (Swiss Meringue Buttercream) 1 cup sugar 4 egg whites 3 sticks plus 2tbs butter (unsalted! I love the challenge brand unsalted) make sure the butter is room temp, not cold!  1tsp vanilla (or any flavor you like) Over a double boiler, whisk egg whites and sugar over med heat until sugar dissolves and you can no longer feel the granules. 5-10 min ( some sugar bits will stick to the sides, just scrape as you go, you won't get it all, that's fine. Just as much and as best as you can) Transfer mixture into a new mixing bowl (stand mixer, PLEASE I hope you have one! If not, that's ok, but it will improve your quality of life. I am sure of it) and whip until it turns white and about doubles in size. (when you put the mixture in the bowl to whip it make sure you wipe the condensation off the bottom of the bowl so that no water gets into the egg whites. This can keep them from whipping up properly.) Add the vanilla. Finally, add the butter a stick at a time and whip, whip, whip the shit out of it! If it curdles, your butter was too cold and it shocked it. Keep whipping, it will be like magic and come right together when you don't expect it to! If it is soupy and your butter was too warm, just put the whole bowl in the fridge for 15-20 min, the whip it again, repeat if necessary. Do not have a panic attack if this takes a while to come together. Sometimes it looks soupy, but just keep going and it will come together as a wonderful buttercream!! I have only had one time where I thought I ruined it somehow but a min after I panicked, it whipped into shape! Pipe or spread on to your cakes or cupcakes. YUM! Oh! Did I tell you...My co-worker, who received these for her birthday, has asked me to do the cupcakes for her wedding in May! So excited! She wants cream cheese frosting, I guess I can accommodate the bride! Until Next time! (Becky, I am working on my dark chocolate, I will have it for you soon!) Grumpy Baking! B A list of things to come: In no particular order... Dark Chocolate Chili Cupcakes Dark Chocolate cupcakes with maple buttercream and CANDIED BACON (I know you saw THAT post) Banana cupcakes with a brown sugar buttercream AND cinnamon buttercream Pumpkin cupcakes with cinnamon buttercream Chocolate chip cookies with some adjustments! Baked blueberry french toast FAILURE :( Banana cupcakes FAILURE :( Halloween cupcakes with candy melts shapes (ya know, bones and skulls and stuff!)

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