Red Velvet Cupcakes

Last Friday, the girls and I all got together for a little cupcake & wine night at miss Emily's house. It was fun to sit around and chat with the girls while we sipped wine and enjoyed each other's delicious cupcakes. Right off the bat, I knew which cupcakes I wanted to make for our little get-together and after months and months of searching, my sister finally recovered this recipe. I had bought a Southern Cooking magazine featuring cakes but through all of my family's moves it got lost for awhile. Speni finally uncovered it last month and I couldn't wait to make them!

 

Red Velvet Cupcakes Recipe
1 cup butter, softened (2 sticks)
2 ½ cups sugar
6 large eggs
3 cups all purpose flour
3 T unsweetened cocoa
¼ tsp baking soda
1 (8 oz) container sour cream
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 (1oz) bottles red food coloring

Directions
Preheat oven to 350˚. Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually
add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Combine flour, cocoa, and baking soda. Add to butter mixture alternately with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla; stir in red food coloring. Spoon cake batter into greased muffin tin or lined with paper cups. Bake cupcakes at 350˚ in muffin pans 23 to 28 minutes. Makes 32-38 cupcakes.

5 Cup Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe
2 (8oz) packages cream cheese, softened
½ cup butter, softened
1 (32 oz) package powdered sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions
Beat cream cheese and butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until fluffy. Stir in vanilla.

Notes: If you have a Kitchenaid standing mixer, I would definitely break it out for the cake. This recipe is a bit time consuming and can definitely wear on the arm if you're using a regular mixer. If you want to make a cake instead of cupcakes, use the same recipe for the cupcakes, but make extra frosting (another 1/2 recipe) to make sure your cake is fully frosted. After I made the frosting, I covered it and put it in the fridge so it could firm up a bit before frosting. To get pretty frosting without going out and buying a frosting decorating kit, scoop the frosting into a ziploc bag and cut off one of the corners. This is a cheap and easy way to achieve fancier looking frosting!

2/30: Fears

1. Spiders. I'm not sure if this could be termed "legitimate" cause there are only a few spiders that can actually kill you, and I've made sure I do not come into contact with those... ever. One of the reasons I am not interested in traveling to Australia is because of the big nasty spiders that inhabit the continent. (Yes, I have actually researched this.) Generally though, your average spider isn't reason to cry, scream, run, and refuse to sleep in a room where it was spotted... but I do all those things anyways!

2. Clowns. I have always found clowns to be a little creepy but it didn't manifest into an actual fear until I was thirteen. My cousin and I had some friends over on Halloween and had the bright idea to watch scary movies so we could snuggle up with our then-boyfriends. I am terrible at handling scary movies. I can watch them just fine, but as soon as it's over... total mindf**k. Anyways, we watched 28 Days Later and then we watched Stephen King's It. (I am creeped out just writing the name of the movie.) If you know anything about this movie, you know it is the WORST MOVIE EVER. By the time we started It, it was pretty late and people had to start going home. My cousin and I kept watching it after people had left which was a gigantic mistake. Little did we know, the DVD had two sides so we thought the movie ended at the part where (spoiler alert!) one of the adults kills himself in a bathtub after he finds out Pennywise is back. In shock, we stayed up the entire night watching Disney movies, trying to get the image of Pennywise the clown out of our minds. The next morning we discovered it actually had two sides and we watched the ending which turned out to be pretty stupid, but the damage was already done. Ten years later and I still avoid walking next to drains. It took me a long time to get over that movie but I still can't handle clowns in person.

3. Thunder. This fear is completely irrational as thunder cannot harm me in anyway but it freaks me out. For a long time, when lightning and thunder hit my town I would hide in my closet, under a table or bury myself under my covers. My fear came to a climax when I was in a plane that was flying through a gnarly storm and could hear the booms over the engine while the cabin lit up with every flash... but I survived. White-knuckled and semi-hyperventilating, I survived. I'm better about it now and will stay on my couch (buried under blankets and wedged up against Justin, of course) but I don't lose it and immediately hide. The weird thing is that I enjoy watching lightning, the part that is actually dangerous.

Spring 2012 Wish List

a) Rubbish Chambray Shirt at Nordstrom {here}
b) Medium Leather Carry-All Pouch at American Apparel {here}
c) Twill Skinny Pants in Mint at F21 {here}
d) Cranium Scarf in Pink at Tobi {here}
e) Oval The Top Ring at ModCloth {here}
f) Black Hearts Blouse at Tobi {here}
g) Juicy Couture Retro Sunglasses at Nordstrom {here}
h) TOMS Herringbone Slip-On at Nordstrom {here}
i) Mimi Chica Southwestern Print Hooded Ponco at Nordstrom {here}

1/30: Twenty Random Facts

1. I believe in God, but I don't necessarily label myself as a "Christian" anymore. I have my faith, but I do not participate in religion.

2. Of all the colors I have dyed my hair (red, blonde, brown, black and shades in between), my personal favorite was black! (Justin's is blonde with red mixed in, and Spencer's is red.)

3. I have never owned my own car. I have shared one with my mother, my sister, my best friend and my fiance. Someday I will own the most perfect car ever and it will make all these years of waiting worth it!

4. If I could exist on a diet of breakfast foods, burritos, cupcakes and margaritas my life would be perfect.

5. There is nothing I want more that to be a good wife and mother.

6. My favorite holiday is Halloween! Close runner-ups: the Fourth of July and Christmas.

7. I have been in the following states: California, Utah, Arizona, Nevada, Massachusetts, Maine, Hawaii and New Mexico. I've also been to Mexico! (But what Southern Californian hasn't?)

8. I have lived in at least 10 different houses/apartments. Sheesh!

9. I have a random talent for remembering actor's names and previous films/television shows they have starred in. It probably helps that I've seen so many movies!

10. My favorite hobbies are baking, photography, decorating and make-up. I also love throwing parties and entertaining. (Can't wait to have a house to throw more parties in!)

11. I have worked at abercrombie kids, Hollister, Panera Bread, Applebee's, CHMB (a medical billing company), Express, Bath &Body Works and the University of Utah. So far, U of U has been my favorite job.

12. Thanks to my fiance, I know more about sports than I ever thought was possible. My favorite teams are the San Diego Chargers, Utah Utes, New Orleans Saints, Los Angeles Lakers, San Diego Padres and the Boston Red Sox.

13. I am super self-conscious of my smile.

14. I suffer from migraines and if you have ever experienced one you know how absolutely terrible they are. Some things that make me feel better: caffeine, Excedrin Migraine, cool washcloths, and laying down in a pitch-black room. A cookie always helps, too.

15. If I were stranded on an island and could only bring three things with me they would be: Justin, an iPod & a Brita water-filter pitcher.

16. I love giving compliments to people. I also love to use terms of endearment.

17. Twenty two is my favorite number. It was also the best year of my life so far.

18. A few things I got from my dad: my eyes (favorite), my creativity and my love of music. A few things I got from my mom: my curves, my attitude and my cooking skills.

19. I'm torn between wanting to live in Disneyland and Hawaii.

20. I 100% believe in soul mates and am so happy/thankful/blessed/amazed that I found mine.

30 Things

I stumbled upon Hopes & Dreams' blog yesterday and absolutely loved her idea of the 30 Things list. I've been lacking blogging inspiration lately and feel like my posts have gotten a bit stale so this was refreshing to find. I've participated in a few of these little "challenges" before but I find this one to be unique and pretty interesting. I'm going to try to post every day until I've answered every question!

1. List 20 random facts about yourself.
2. Describe 3 legitimate fears you have and explain how they became fears.
3. Describe your relationship with your parents.
4. List 10 things you would tell your 16 year-old self, if you could.
5. What are the 5 things that make you most happy right now?
6. What is the hardest thing you have ever experienced?
7. What is your dream job, and why?
8. What are 5 passions you have?
9. List 10 people who have influenced you and describe how.
10. Describe your most embarrasing moment.
11. Describe 10 pet peeves you have.
12. Describe a typical day in your current life.
13. Describe 5 weaknesses you have.
14. Describe 5 strengths you have.
15. If you were an animal, what would you be and why?
16. What are your 5 greatest accomplishments?
17. What is the thing you most wish you were great at?
18. What has been the most difficult thing you have had to forgive?
19. If you could live anywhere, where would it be and why?
20. Describe 3 significant memories from your childhood.
21. If you could have one superpower, what would it be and what would you do with it first?
22. Where do you see yourself in 5 years? 10 years? 15 years?
23. List your top 5 hobbies and why you love them.
24. Describe your family dynamic of your childhood vs. your family dynamic now.
25. If you could have dinner with anyone in history, who would it be and what would you eat?
26. What popular notion do you think the world has most wrong?
27. What is your favorite part of your body and why?
28. What is your love language?
29. What do you think people misundertand most about you?
30. List 10 things you would hope to be remembered for.



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