Red Velvet Cupcakes with Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting (GF)

As much as the red velvet cake fad annoys me at times, I do enjoy a well made moist and tangy red velvet cupcake. Now, red velvet cheesecake, pancakes, yogurt, and body wash...that's another story. There are only so many nuances a red velvet cake has that another cake topped with cream cheese frosting doesn't have...right?

I'm continuing the Valentine's Day celebration with a gluten free red velvet cupcake recipe. They are moist, just the right amount of chocolate, and are topped with a vanilla bean cream cheese frosting.

A small note about these cupcakes is that I used dutch processed cocoa powder, not unsweetened cocoa powder, which is what I would recommend. The color of my cake came out a deep red, rather than a brighter red because of this, which I knew beforehand, but I didn't want to make a trip to buy a different type of cocoa. In case you're wondering, major grocery stores sell unsweetened cocoa powder, so pretty much any kind you find there should work.

For the Red Velvet Cupcakes (GF) Makes 20-24 cupcakes

1 cup superfine sweet rice flour
3/4 cup, plus 2 tbsp potato starch
1/4 cup, plus 1 tbsp sorghum flour
1/3 cup sifted almond flour
2 1/2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp xanthan gum
2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
3 eggs
1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 bottle liquid red food coloring, or several tbsp red gel food coloring

Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees. Line two 12-cup muffin tins with liners.

Combine all of flours and starches, the baking soda, salt, and xanthan gum. Set aside. Add oil, sugar, and eggs to bowl of stand mixer and beat with paddle attachment until creamed. Add vanilla. Combine cocoa powder and red food coloring so that it forms a paste. Add to mixture. Combine vinegar and baking soda in a small bowl. Mix together. Add immediately to cake batter and mix until combined.

Divide batter evenly among liners and bake at 325 degrees for 18-22 minutes.

For the Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting:

1 16-oz package cream cheese, room temperature
2 sticks butter, unsalted
1 vanilla bean
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Beat cream cheese and butter together using a stand mixer. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean and add. Add 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar and mix until fully combined.

Once cupcakes are cooled, frost and decorate as desired.