Inside Stitch: The Official Vera Bradley Blog

Thursday is all about doing something thoughtful for someone you love. Whether Cupid’s arrow connects with your longtime crush, supportive spouse, an irreplaceable friend or your little ones, we think a sweet treat is a great way to show you care. And, aside from a box of chocolates, what confection could be more charming for the holiday than Red Velvet Cupcakes?

We turned to one of our favorite food bloggers (and fellow Hoosier), annie’s eats, for a sweet recipe that promises to win over your Valentine, especially joined with Jazzy Blooms accessories. Add a little extra affection by topping the treats with handmade sweet nothings, heart-shaped sprinkles or conversation hearts to get your point across. Just make sure to leave a few for yourself!

Red Velvet Cupcakes

From annie’s eats

Ingredients
2 ½ cups cake flour
1 ½ cups sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tbsp. cocoa powder
1 tsp. salt
2 large eggs
1½ cups vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk
2 tbsp. (1 oz.) liquid red food coloring
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. distilled white vinegar
Cream cheese frosting*

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350° F.  Line cupcake pans with paper liners.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the cake flour, sugar, baking soda, cocoa powder and salt; whisk to blend.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the eggs, vegetable oil, buttermilk, food coloring, vanilla and vinegar. Beat on medium speed until well blended. Mix in the dry ingredients on low speed and beat until smooth, about 2 minutes.
4. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared liners.
5. Bake, rotating the pans halfway through baking, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 18 minutes. Let cool in the pans 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
6. Frost cooled cupcakes as desired. (I used a large, unlabeled star tip to frost these cupcakes.) Enjoy!

Yields about 24 cupcakes

*We used store-bought frosting with good results.