Red Velvet Cup Cakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Deep Red Velvet Cup Cakes taste delicious and look wonderful. I love Red Velvet Cake and Cup cakes. I have tired to use beet juice instead of red food coloring but could not obtain the deep red color that is the signature of Red Velvet. I am going to keep searching for a substitute to the food coloring that will make the cup cakes red!.
I made these cup cakes for the Dedham Junior Woman's Club Mother's Day Tea. Not one was left at the end of the tea!  I like Cream Cheese Frosting for red velvet finding the combination irresistible.

Cake
2 1/4 cup sifted cake flour (I like King Arthur)
2 tablespoon natural unsweetened cocoa powder ( I like Ghirardelli)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
2 oz  liquid red food coloring
1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter,  room temperature
1 large eggs


Frosting
1 8-ounce package cream cheese,  room temperature
1/4 cup butter,  room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/4 cup powder sugar

red sugar crystals
raspberries

Cake

Preheat over to 350. Sift flour, cocoa, baking  powder, baking soda and salt into medium bowl. Whisk buttermilk, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla in a small bowl to blend. Beat sugar and butter with electric mixer until well blended. Beat in eggs one at a time, scraping down after each addition. Beat in dry ingredients in fourths alternately with buttermilk in thirds. Divide into cup cake pan lined with cup cake liners.
Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, cool, and frost. Makes about 15 cup cakes.

Frosting
With electric mixture, beat cream cheese and butter in a large bowl until smooth. Beat in vanilla. Add sugar beating until smooth.  Frost cup cakes. Decorate with red sugar crystals and top each cup cake with a fresh raspberries.