Pink Velvet Cupcakes

So, you’re telling me that it’s not too early to start posting Valentine’s Day recipes?! Not if Love from the Oven has anything to say about it. That’s where I recently saw a picture of pink velvet cupcakes. Pink velvet! I had never heard of such a thing! Red velvet, yes…but pink velvet? Anyway, I knew just the recipe I wanted to try for my own pink velvet loveliness. This chocolate cake recipe from Kevin and Amanda is my recent favorite cake recipe and I knew that with a few quick changes it would be great.

And it was, great that is. These cupcakes are tender, fluffy, and moist…all at the same time. They are also super easy since they’re just a souped-up cake mix. Yes, cake mix. Cake mix and jello and cool whip all in one week. What is going on around here? I promise I’ll get back to some “from scratch” recipes one of these days, but who am I to argue when “convenience” tastes this amazing. Not to mention, this might just be what happens when all four of your children have chicken pox simultaneously.

Wait, I almost forgot about the frosting. Oh…the frosting. I like frosting. You know in the sense that, “I’ll take a little cake with my frosting please”. Now my daughter thought this frosting was too rich. Seriously, she’s six. How does a six-year-old turn down frosting? I, however, ate it straight out of the bowl. Until the guilt kicked in, of course. That tends to happen when your standing in your kitchen eating spoonfuls of frosting. Luckily for me I have a fully functioning sense of guilt or I would definitely be in trouble.

Anyway, I loved this frosting. It’s smooth, creamy, and rich. Yes, it’s rich. It’s frosting. It’s supposed to be rich!

Pink Velvet Cupcakes

• 1 box white cake mix
• 1 small pkg Jello instant pudding mix (vanilla, cheesecake, or white chocolate flavor)
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 tsp vanilla
• pink food coloring (I used gel)

Note: My cupcakes looked ever so slightly wet in a couple of spots on top but I checked and they were perfectly done.

Divine Buttercream Frosting~

• 1/2 cup shortening (Crisco)
• 1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/3 to 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream (start with 1/3 cup, add more a needed to reach desired consistency)

Note: I like to really pile on the frosting. Part of it is that I use these large decorating tips which just naturally encourage liberal frosting application. Just be warned that if you apply frosting as I do that you will need to double the frosting recipe to make enough for these cupcakes. This recipe should make about 2 dozen cupcakes. I actually made one pan and then froze the rest of the batter in a ziploc bag so I’m excited to see how that next batch of cupcakes will come out.