Brother's Birthday Cupcakes

My Gram used to traditionally make a Red Velvet Cake for my birthday. It had become a comfortable tradition that I would look forward to every year. That slice of red goodness topped with lucious cream cheese frosting was enough to send a diabetic into a coma. The cake was always so soft she had to keep the layers held together with tooth picks - I'd look forward to finding one. Kind of like finding the baby in a King Cake. HEY, it was a tradition, okay!!

I adore baking. I think that was passed down from Gram and Mom. My Girls don't have a chance especially since my Mother-In-Law is Betty Crocker. (No lie, she's a diva in the kitchen, too!!!) I've been on a baking tear lately because Alexander has become really interested in helping me. However, I haven't really wanted to try my hand at Red Velvet until this year. It's not a difficult recipe, just not my tradition.

Until now.

I thought this would become something nice for me to pick up for the Patties in memory of Gram. Brother jumped in with both hands. I think the food coloring was the "icing on the cake!!"

Here's the recipe:

RED VELVET CAKE

1 box White Cake Mix

3 Tbsp Cocoa

1 Tsp Baking Powder

2 mini bottles of RED food coloring
**Put the food coloring in the water that the cake mix calls for.

**Continue on with the directions on cake mix.

CREAM CHEESE ICING

1 8oz. Cream Cheese (room temp.)

1 stick unsalted Butter (room temp.)

1 lb. powdered sugar

1 Tsp Vanilla

**Mix all together and spread over cake