Red Velvet Cupcakes

We can thank Duncan Hines for this delicious recipe.  I found it last year and have made it several times since.  The center "surprise" is my favorite part.  Well, I take that back.  The homemade cream cheese icing is my favorite.  The frosting is the only alteration we made to these sweet treats.  I just could not imagine putting canned frosting on something this good.  So, I pulled out our tried and true recipe for cream cheese icing and voila!  Perfection...

Creamy Red Velvet Cupcakes
Duncan Hines

• 1 pkg Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe Red Velvet Cake Mix
• 1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup sweetened, flaked coconut (sometimes I omit)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 24 muffin tins or line with paper baking cups.

Prepare batter according to package directions.

Spoon batter into lined muffin cups. In a small bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar, and egg; mix until smooth (I use a whisk to break lumps). Stir in chocolate chips and coconut.

Spoon about 1 tablespoon of cream cheese mixture onto batter of each cupcake. (Literally, drop cream cheese mix on top--it seems weird but I promise it will sink down into cupcake while baking.)

Bake 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cupcakes following package directions. Spread cupcakes with frosting (recipe below).

Traditional Cream Cheese Frosting
1 (8oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
1 stick butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 - 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Beat cream cheese and butter on medium-high speed with an electric mixer until smooth (about 2 minutes). Beat in vanilla. Slowly add powdered sugar, about 1 cup at a time) and beat until you reach desired consistency. Last night when I made this recipe, it took 3 1/2 cups of sugar to reach spreading consistency. Spread frosting on cooled cupcakes.

Enjoy,

Marie