Preheat oven to 350 f/180c and prepare the pan with cupcake papers
Sift together the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl. Set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk together the cooled butter, buttermilk, eggs, vinegar vanilla, and red food coloring. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl combine the dry ingredients with the wet until smooth.
Add the batter to the prepared cap cake pan (I use an ice cream scoop to make sure they are all the same size).
Bake for approximately 20 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean.
Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes in the pan before transferring them onto a wire rack.
For the Frosting
Add 2 cups of sugar to a large bowl with the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla. Mix together until smooth (start with the lowest setting on the mixer and increase once the sugar gets mixed in.)
If the frosting seems too soft, mix in more sifted sugar a half cup at a time until it reaches the desired consistency.
To Assemble
Pipe or spread the frosting over the cooled cupcakes before serving.
Notes
Don't skip sifting of the dry ingredients as it helps produce a light, fluffy cake.
Don’t over mix the batter. Over mixing will result in a heavy, dense cake. When in doubt – mix by hand.
Be sure tomeasure your ingredients properly. Baking is a science. If you are not exact, things won’t work as expected.
Leave the cupcakes alone as they bake. Don’t open the oven door as cupcakes need consistent heat to rise properly. Your patience will pay off.
Always sift the sugar for the frosting to avoid lumps.
Using the right cream cheese is the key to making the perfect cream cheese frosting. Be sure to use the full-fat cream cheese that comes in a block. Low fat and tubbed varieties will result in a runny frosting.
If you don't have any buttermilk you can make your own.1 cup of milk plus 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice is equal to one cup of buttermilk.