Recipe Background
Red Velvet Muffins bring cozy vibes with a mascarpone topping, perfect for new beginnings.
When I first moved to my tiny city apartment, the cramped kitchen felt more like a storage closet than a culinary haven. It was during this time that I stumbled into creating these Red Velvet Muffins, seeking to bring a little color and warmth to my new, beige life. Nestled amongst my sparse pantry staples was a tin of cocoa powder and a neglected bottle of red food coloring. These became the core of my first experimental bake in my new home. At the time, I didn’t own a proper mixer, so I learned the hard way that you could still achieve a fluffy butter-sugar blend with a little elbow grease and patience. Those first muffins crumbled a bit too easily, but they carried with them the triumph of grounding myself in unfamiliar territory.
Adding vanilla extract was a revelation, offering a fragrant layer that mingled delightfully with the cocoa. I couldn’t help but smile watching the vivid red batter bloom, satisfaction bubbling alongside my first attempt. These muffins quickly became my staple for hosting new friends, a portable and crowd-pleasing treat that brought together neighbors I’d only just begun to know. A small kitchen tip that I learned was to let the muffins cool completely in the tray before lifting them out; this helped prevent them from crumbling. Each bake turned the small apartment space into a home filled with sweet aromas and eager faces savoring every bite.
The cream cheese and mascarpone mix was my secret icing weapon. It was the ultimate crowning glory that needed just a gentle hand to whip into submission, offering the perfect creamy balance to the muffins' modest sweetness. My friends, now regulars, were quick to ask for refills, claiming the muffins tasted even better the next day. These Red Velvet Muffins, born out of necessity and curiosity, have become a warm reminder of the days when the unfamiliar fear of a new chapter turned into exciting opportunities over shared bakes.
Ingredients
For the muffins:
- 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 2 eggs room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup whole milk room temperature
- red food coloring to taste
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
For the cream cheese frosting:
- 1/2 cup cream cheese room temperature
- 1/4 cup mascarpone cheese room temperature
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar sifted
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Prepare a 12-cup muffin tin with muffin liners.
- In a large bowl, add the butter and the granulated sugar and use an electric handheld mixer on medium speed to beat them together until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs to the butter mixture, 1 at a time, and beat into the butter mixture until incorporated before adding the next one.
- Add the vanilla extract to the butter mixture and beat to combine.
- In a bowl, add the milk and the red food coloring and stir to combine.
- Slowly stream the milk mixture into the butter mixture, while beating on low, until combined.
- Sift the flour, the cocoa powder, the baking powder, and the salt into the butter mixture and fold to combine until a batter just forms. Be careful not to overmix.
- In a small bowl, add the vinegar and the baking soda and mix to combine. It will bubble slightly.
- Immediately fold the vinegar mixture into the muffin batter until just combined.
- Fill the prepared muffin tin evenly with the batter, filling each well about 3/4 full.
- Bake the muffins until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20-22 minutes. Be careful not to overbake.
- Allow the muffins cool to room temperature.
- In a bowl, add the cream cheese, the mascarpone cheese, and the powdered sugar and use a clean electric handheld mixer on medium speed to beat until a light and fluffy frosting. Do not overbeat.
- Pipe the frosting evenly over the muffins.
- Serve.
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