All Natural Red Velvet Cupcakes

This is a natural, no red food dye, red velvet cupcake. I didn’t tell my test subjects (coworkers) that beets were in them and no one knew the wiser 🙂

All Natural Red Velvet Cupcakes

Makes approx. 24 cupcakes

• 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
• 1 package (8 oz) of cream cheese, softened
• 2 1/3 cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 cup and 2 tablespoons of cake flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 3 tablespoons natural unsweetened cocoa powder
• Beat Puree (Directions below)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pans and place aside.
2. In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and cream cheese. Pour in sugar and mix until smooth. Add in eggs, one at a time, mixing well until each is incorporated. Mix in vanilla.
3. While ingredients are mixing, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and cocoa powder in a separate bowl. Slowly mix flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Measure out 1 1/2 cups of the beet puree mixture, and fold into the cake batter.
4. Divide the batter evenly between the cupcake pan. Tap pans on the counter to remove any air bubbles.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean.
6. Allow cakes to cool completely before frosting

Beet Puree

• 2 large beets (3 medium size)(enough for 1 1/2 cups puree)
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon vinegar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place beets in a small baking dish and add a 1/2 cup of water. Cover with foil, and roast until quite tender, about 60-90 minutes. Allow to cool completely.
2. Line cupcakes and place aside.
3. Peel the beets and cut into large chunks. Place in a food processor with the lemon juice, and pulse until smooth and pureed (super fine).  Stir in the vinegar.

Cream cheese frosting

• 2 packages cream cheese (8 oz), at room temperature
• 2 sticks (16 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 pound (4 cups) confectioner’s (powdered) sugar
• 2-3 tablespoons heavy cream
• 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. Cream Butter and cream cheese together
2. Add Powder sugar
3. Combine all ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Switch to the whisk attachment, and mix until smooth and slightly fluffy.