Page 30 Red Velvet Cupcakes

"Food historians may differ about the origin of red velvet cake, but one thing is certain: The cupcakes have gained widespread popularity in recent years. Many believe the name comes from the naturally reddish hue of cocoa powder, which is enhanced by a chemical reaction between vinegar and baking soda. Today, most versions rely on food color (although some bakers use beet juice) to achieve a vivid shade. Gel-paste food color is more concentrated than the supermarket liquid variety; if you substitute the liquid, you may need to add an entire bottle (1.5 ounces) to achieve the desired shade. Cream-cheese frosting is the classic choice." - Martha

I can't remember the last time I made a Red Velvet cake or cupcakes. Time flies so fast, memories fade, and children grow up. I do remember that one of my aunts used to make Red Velvet cake all of the time for birthdays or other occassions when we would gather as an extended family. There is no better choice for a frosting than the cream-cheese icing. When I asked my husband which cupcake I should make from the book, he popped up with Red Velvet almost immediately. I couldn't believe that he said that because like I said, I don't even know when the last time was that I made it, so how could it have been on his mind?

Anyway, this time around I sort of followed Martha's recipe and then.....I used regular all-purpose flour instead of cake flour and I didn't have any buttermilk, again. Funny thing though, the batter which is usually the best didn't taste half as good as the cupcakes do! I think that's attributed to the baking soda/vinegar reaction that happens in the batter. And speaking of forgetting things, I had to run out of the house to go to church just as I put the cupcakes in the oven. I asked my husband to keep an eye on them while I was gone. I set the timer on the oven, set the portable timer and placed it in front of my husband as he lie on the couch watching football, and I told him how to test for doneness. When I arrived home, 1 1/2 hours later, I found my husband on the couch asleep, the cupcakes in the oven, oven turned off, and a crisp cupcake tops. Too bad that he actually got off the couch to turn off the oven timer and the oven temperature but neglected to take the cupcakes from the hot oven. Forgetfulness is haunting!