Classic Red Velvet Cupcake

Classic Red Velvet Cupcake with Cream Cheese Buttercream Filling and Frosting

I've baked and blogged more than a couple Red Velvet Cupcake experiences (some successful and some were less successful, cake wrecks, err... interesting.  Check out this one, this one, and this one.

Tonight, I joined some friends as we celebrated our mutual friend's launch into a new job and relocation.  We met at one of the best hamburger places in Heidelberg...and I brought cupcakes.  Red Velvet to be exact.

I opted to core each cupcake to up the cream cheese buttercream factor.  This perfect little cupcake corer does the job every time.

After each cake was filled, I decided to pipe on a buttercream rose using my Wilton 1M Open Star piping tip.  It's a bit more challenging to swirl on the cream cheese buttercream in a 'high hat' fashion since the cream cheese is want to settle.  The rose is far more successful.

The Buttercream Rose begins in the center of the cupcake, working with the tip at a 90◦ angle to the cupcake surface...gently squeeze frosting in the center, pull down to the 6 o'clock position, then move counter clockwise all the way around the cupcake finishing back at the 6 - maintaining a consistent speed and pressure.

With the cupcakes finished, I took a few group snapshots and a close-up.  I was happy to bake these for a friend.

I'm so grateful for sobriety...which gives me the opportunity to grow with my life partner and share the occasional moment with our youngest when she pops into the kitchen and take a few snapshots.