Ronna Benjamin
From Our Friends at Skinny Kitchen… amazing red velvet cupcakes for your sweetheart for Valentine’s Day!
The old saying goes, ”The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.” Well my saying goes, “The way to anyone’s heart is with chocolate.” Especially when you present these adorable cupcakes. What a wonderful way to say I love you! Some believe Red Velvet cake originally came from Down South and was once the signature dessert at the Waldorf Astoria, in the 1920s. Red Velvet cake has become an American favorite more recently.
Prep Time: 15 minutes (including the frosting)
Bake time: 25-35 minutes
Ingredients for Cake:
1 (18.25 ounces) Duncan Hines Devils Food Cake Mix
1 (3.4 oz) package of instant chocolate pudding mix
1 cup buttermilk
½ cup warm water
¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 ounce bottle of red food coloring
2 eggs, I love Egg-Land’s Best eggs
2 whites
Ingredients for Skinny Cream Cheese Frosting:
4 ounces (½ of an 8 ounce package of reduced-fat cream cheese), see shopping tip
1½ cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon reduced-fat milk
Valentine candy for decorations, if desired
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray. Line the cups with cupcake papers.
2. In an electric mixer or using a hand mixer, combine all of the cupcake ingredients except the eggs and whites. Beat well.
3. Add the eggs and egg whites and beat well.
4. Fill each cupcake cup just to the top. Do not mound or over fill.
5. Bake for 25-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let them cool before frosting. Bake the remaining 6 cupcakes and cool.
6. To make the frosting-using a mixer, whip the cream cheese until smooth. Add the powder sugar, milk and mix until smooth. It should be quite thick.
7. Frost each cupcake and decorate with a Valentine candy, red and pink sugar or sprinkles, if desired.
8. Store in the refrigerator.
Makes 18 cupcakes
Food Fact
Some food historians think red velvet cake originated as a devil’s food cake. Chocolate devil’s food cakes became very popular in the early 1900s. Though some believe a chemical reaction between the old-style baking sodas and processed cocoa powders sometimes gave the cake a red tint, this phenomenon is actually created by adding a generous amount of red coloring.
Shopping Tip
You’ll fine decorative cupcake papers or festive candies at most supermarkets or crafts stores such as Michael’s.
Substitution Tip
You can prepare the cake batter and bake in a Bundt pan instead of the making cupcakes. Coat a Bundt pan with cooking spray. Fill cake pan evenly with batter. Bake for 55-60 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. When cake is cooled a little, remove from pan. Cool completely and drizzle frosting over the top of the cake.
Storage Tip
These cupcakes freeze great. I love to bake a recipe, let cool and frost. Once the frosting sets, freeze in plastic containers. When ready to eat, zap in the microwave for about 40 seconds. If you’re using foil lined cupcake papers, be sure to remove them before heating in microwave. Or, let them defrost on the kitchen counter.
Weight Watchers (old points) 5
Weight Watchers POINTS PLUS 6