A few months ago, I was offered the chance to review a cupcake magazine. Yes, a cupcake magazine! How could I say no to that?
Well, I finally got around to making some cupcakes weeks and weeks later. Not sure why I waited so long. Maybe because I’m just so obsessed with cookies I can’t help myself but forget the cupcakes. It is a shame, too, because cupcakes have a place in my love of desserts.
Well my reason surely was not for a lack of inspiration. Cupcake Heaven is a colorful magazine full of over 100 recipes and photos to accompany every one. Other than a little bit of confusion over some baking terms (the magazine is based out of the UK), I enjoyed baking from it. There are a ton of bookmarked pages for me to try in the future, but the first recipe I had to try was their red velvet cupcake.
Given my love of red velvets it is actually shocking that I’ve never made my own before. This recipe worked out nicely and I made them into minis which is always more fun. Also, rather than topping them with traditional cream cheese frosting, I went with mascarpone to give them a little bit of a more sophisticated touch. We served these cupcakes at our housewarming party and they added such a nice color to the dessert display. When Matt took leftovers to work, these were the first of a variety of desserts to disappear.
Oh, and want to know an embarrassing secret? I used to not like cake. As in really dislike it so much that I’d request a brownie, cookie cake or ice cream pie for every birthday as a kid. My poor icing-loving mother would be forced to concede. And if you can believe it, not only did I dislike birthday cake, but I hated icing. Not sure when things turned around, but these days whenever I eat cake I feel the need to make up for those lost years and eat extra frosting. It is my way of apologizing to my former self for that self-deprivation.
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Mini Red Velvet Cupcakes with Mascarpone Frosting
Makes 22-24 mini cupcakes
Cupcake Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup buttermilk (low fat is fine)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon red food coloring
To Prepare Cupcakes:
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
Spray a mini-muffin pan with cooking spray or line it with paper cupcake liners
Sift together flour, baking soda and cocoa; set aside
In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy
On low speed, beat in eggs and half of flour mixture
Beat in buttermilk, vanilla and food coloring
Stir in remaining flour mixture just until combined, do not overmix
Pour batter into prepared cupcake tin (I used a cookie dough scoop, one scoop per cup)
Bake cupcakes for 12-14 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean; set aside to cool
Frosting Ingredients:
8 ounces mascarpone cheese at room temperature
4 ounces reduced fat cream cheese at room temperature
1 cup confectioners sugar
To Prepare Frosting:
Beat mascarpone and cream cheese together on high speed until light and creamy
Beat in sugar until mixture is smooth
Spread or pipe frosting onto cooled cupcakes and serve
Cupcake recipe from Cupcake Heaven Magazine
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Did you have any weird taste preferences as a kid?
Goodness, I can’t really imagine you being a child that didn’t like cake! These little beauties look to die for, by the way.
I know, sometimes I don’t even believe that was me!
The one time I tried red velvet cupcakes, the cake was really dry, and I was left disappointed. I never thought of trying some again, but now, seeing your recipe and the results you’ve got, I think I might just have to try it out and bake some of my own — it might be just what I need to change my experience :)
These were pretty good, although if you make them be very careful not to overbake them. That can definitely make the recipe hit or miss!
Whaaat? Not liking cake? That’s crazy talk!
I’m glad you outgrew it, because these look delicious!
These are adorable! Perfect for a winter’s party!
I’ll take a big bowl of that frosting and a spoon, please.
they’re adorable. I could pop these babies in my mouth like nobody’s business :)
Not liking cake? That is kind of like my 6 year old. He love the icing, and really only eats the cake to get the icing. But if you give him a cupcake the bottom is always left behind!
Love the mascarpone frosting – what a unique idea!
Hahaha! I used to sometimes eat cake and just leave all the icing for my mom.
I LOVE a mascarpone cream cheese frosting, these sound awesome!
These sound delicious! I love that they are mini, although I think I would eat at least 10 ;)! The mascarpone is a nice change from cream cheese.
These cupcakes look amazing and I love that mascarpone frosting. Yum!
A cupcake magazine sounds like such fun! And I love these cupcakes :) When I was younger I liked cupcakes, but not cake. I had so much logic :)
Haha oh to be young and make no sense:-)
That frosting sounds utterly heavenly and these cupcakes are so darn cute!
Simple and elegant!
When I was a little kid I wasn’t much of a fan of cake either — I passed it up at every birthday party. Now I live for cake, and while I’m a major fan of red velvet, I’ve never tried making a red velvet cake myself. That’s going on my list. Your cupcakes look incredible!
Thanks, Nicole. Isn’t it crazy how our tastes change?! Although I’d probably be better off if that hadn’t happened:-)
I looooooooooove red velvet anything and the frosting on these look so so delicious!
You are the cupcake queen! :)
Nice change with the frosting. I am serving mini red velvet cuppies for my party tomorrow. May have to change my frosting plans.
Love the use of mascarpone for frosting! And I had no idea there was such a things as a cupcake magazine, how awesome!
It is always okay to add extra frosting. ;) These look so yummy! What a fun review to do.
Aww, mini cupcakes are lovely! I love mascarpone for the frosting! Very festive looking.
Mmmm, that frosting sounds so good!
A magazine with all cupcake recipes? Sounds like a good read for sure! The cupcakes you made look beautiful!
i can never say no to a cute red velvet cupcake! this looks delicious!! thank you for sharing.
I am seriously obsessed with red velvet everything. I’ve never tried a Mascarpone frosting, that’s a great idea! Must try!! (And a magazine full of cupcakes – I’d prob try to make all of them & then be the size of a house!)
These sound so good. Nothing like a red velvet cupcake!
You had me at red velvet!!
Funny, I used to hate cake too, but as it turns out it was the yucky store bought cake with the yucky icing I really hated. Once I started baking my own cakes and buttercreams I was stunned…I actually liked it! :-) I totally get it.
These cupcakes look awesome and I love that you used mascarpone in the icing. So sophisticated!
I think that is part of what happened to me. I still don’t like most supermarket birthday cakes!
Red velvet is all the rage lately! I need to try this out and see what all the fuss is about.
These look so good – mini does make everything better, because then you can eat many :) I’ve been eyeing so many red velvet recipes…time to try one!
isn’t that frosting to die for? seriously
YUM! I love anything with mascarpone… well, and red velvet. Haha so this is a home run in my book! Looks awesome :)
These are too cute! And, anything with mascarpone in it is good in my book!!!
I loved ketchup and put it on everything. I mean every.thing. Now I cannot stand the stuff.
wow! these look amazing and I love this idea for frosting! what a great review!
These look delicious and how COOL that you got to review a cupcake magazine! Oddly enough, when I was a kid, I didn’t like cheesecake!
oh wow, i absolutely love the idea of pairing mascarpone frosting frosting with red velvet cupcakes. it sounds heavenly!
Red velvet is the best!
I can’t believe you used to hate cake Lauren hehe … but these cupcakes look awesome!
Haha I know, I was apparently crazy as a kid!
A cupcake magazine ???!!! sign me up! sounds awesome! I’ve always wanted to make a mascarpone frosting!