Red Velvet Cupcakes with Blackberry Cream Cheese Frosting

If you aren't able to spend this Valentine's day with someone sweet, be sure to spend it with SOMETHING sweet. The base of this cupcake came straight from a box and I'm not ashamed to admit it. Sometimes you just don't need to fix what's not broken and in my opinion, Betty Crocker does it best when it comes to red velvet.

 

As I was making my favorite cream cheese frosting, I decided to throw in a little something extra that happened to be staring at me in the fridge. It turned out wonderfully and according to my hubby, tasted like ice cream (I took it as a compliment because he LOVES ice cream). Give this simple beyond simple number a try this Hallmark holiday and let me know what you think. Enjoy!

Makes about 24 cupcakes

Cupcake Ingredients
1 box Duncan Hines Red Velvet cake mix
3 eggs
1 1/4 cup water
1/3 cup cooking oil

Frosting Ingredients
3 tablespoons butter, softened
1 (8 oz) box cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
5 cups powdered sugar

Directions
Heat oven to 350. Place paper liners in each of 24 regular-size muffin cupcakes. Mix cupcake ingredients in large bowl. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full. Bake for 19-22 minutes. Let cool for about 30 minutes.

Whip together butter, cream cheese and vanilla. Add powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time until you achieve your desired consistency. Mix in a handful of crushed fresh blackberries. Frost cupcakes.

I recommend serving these, as well as any cream cheese dessert, chilled.

Key Lime Cupcakes

There's nothing like a bite of sweet sunshine to get you through that last stretch of winter. I made these cute little treats for a bachelorette party last weekend and they were a hit! Oh, and did I mention how SIMPLE these are to make? Trust me, you can't screw this one up.

Taylor, my friend, and her hubby-to-be are currently en route to Key West, Florida tie the knot (guess who's jealous). I dedicate this post to Taylor and Brett and wish them nothing but happiness and sunshine on their wedding day and beyond!

Makes about 24 cupcakes

Cupcake Ingredients
1 box lemon cake mix
1 box lime-flavored gelatin
3/4 cup water
1/3 cup key lime juice (trust me, it's at your local grocery in the juice aisle)
1/3 cup canola oil
3 eggs

Glaze Ingredients
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons key lime juice

Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients
1 package (8 ounce) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Crushed graham crackers for garnish (optional)
Sliced lime wedges for garnish (optional)

Directions
Heat oven to 350. Place paper liners in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups. Mix cupcake ingredients in a large bowl (I always use my handy dandy KitchenAid stand mixer, coincidentally key lime green). Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full.

Bake cupcakes for 19-24 or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cupcakes cool in pan for ten minutes. With toothpick or wooden skewer, pierce tops of cupcakes in several places.

In a small bowl, mix together glaze ingredients then drizzle over pierced cupcakes. Let cool completely, about 30 minutes.

In a stand mixer, beat together cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. On low speed, beat in vanilla and powdered sugar until thick enough to frost. Frost cupcakes.

Top with crushed graham cracker and a fresh lime wedge. I recommend serving any cream cheese dessert chilled.

This recipe was adapted from Betty Crocker's Key Lime Cupcakes.