Red Velvet

Black velvet and that little boy's smile
Black velvet with that slow southern style
A new religion that'll bring ya to your knees
Black velvet if you please

I kept singing this the whole time I was baking

I had a bottle of liquid red food coloring that I was dying to use up. The little buggers have a tendency to drip somehow, so whenever I reach into the tin I keep all of my food coloring in my hand gets a rainbow painted on it >.< It bugs me, and I prefer gels anyway, so I tossed out the blue, green and yellow; saving the red for a project such as this.

However, I'm now regretting throwing the others out... Can you imagine green velvet cake?? That sounds fun... hm....

These were an absolute dream to frost; the sun was setting through my kitchen window, and was shining right on my back. That's, like, my favorite feeling in the world... God, I can't wait for summer!!!

Red Velvet Cupcakes via Eleanor Johnson

Cream Cheese Icing

2 8oz packages of cream cheese, room temp

I know it is tempting to use the store-brand to save a few pennies, but I honestly think that Philadelphia produces the best results. No, they are not paying me to say that

1/2 c butter, room temp

Confectionery sugar

Enough to suit your preferences. About 2 1/2 cups produces a fairly thick frosting, perfect for me, but it is always best to start with about 1/2 c and work your way up. This is advised due to discrepancies in the actual amount of sugar in a measured cup because of packing or sifting previously.

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

1/2 tsp Almond Extract

Whip the crap out of the cream cheese and butter until it is light and fluffy with NO LUMPS. Sift in the sugar (sifting is pretty important if you are looking for a smooth frosting. If you don't really care, don't bother. It won't hurt my feelings, and I know sifting sucks anyway!), bit by bit, and continue whipping until mixed thoroughly. Add extracts and use as desired!