Red Velvet Cupcakes

recipe courtesy of the repressed pastry chef

Ingredients:
1 cups cake flour
1/3 cups cocoa
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cups vegetable oil
3/4 cups sugar
1 egg
1 oz (2 T) red food coloring
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cups buttermilk
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp white vinegar

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Line 1 cupcake pans with cupcake liners.
Whisk cake flour, cocoa and salt in a bowl.
Place oil and sugar in bowl of an electric mixer and beat at medium speed until well-blended. Beat in egg.
With machine on low, slowly add red food coloring.
Add vanilla.
Add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk in two batches. Scrape down bowl and beat just long enough to combine.
Place baking soda in a small dish, stir in vinegar and add to batter with machine running. Beat for 10 seconds.
Divide batter among the cupcake pans, filling each about 2/3 full. Bake for 27 minutes; until toothpick comes out clean.

Cream Cheese Frosting
1 8 oz package of cream cheese; room temperature, divided in three parts
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon shortening
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cup powdered sugar

Directions:
Beat butter in large bowl until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and combine very well. Add the first third of the cream cheese and combine very well. Add the shortening and combine very well. Add the remaining cream cheese one piece at a time, combining very well after each. Gradually add the sugar and combine thoroughly.