Red Velvet Cupcakes With Cream Cheese Filling - Kicked Up Another Notch

Have you started thinking about Valentine's Day yet?  I know, we just took down the Christmas decorations and survived New Years Eve.  But, it's time.  Really, it is.  It will be here before you know it.  I started working on decorations this week, but have been sidelined by a few things that came up along the way.  Things like going to see Les Miserables today.  I have no words.  It was beautiful and beyond moving.  I will be thinking about it for days and days.  Probably forever.

Back to the subject.  Last night I had the urge to bake.  That happens to me sometimes, actually a lot of the time.  I had seen these Red Velvet Cream Cheese Cupcakes on Pinterest and thought they looked like just the thing to bake, so I printed out the recipe from LickTheBowlGood.blogspot.com.  When I read through the recipe I realized it only made 8 cupcakes.  Eight?  Dan could eat eight by himself in one evening.  So, I used a bit of her recipe and bit of my own idea and came up with these.  Are they good?  Heck yah!  Fabulous in fact.  I will give you her recipe (which I have NOT baked), and will tell you how I made mine.

Aldi's has a red velvet cake mix that is seasonal and it is fabulous.  I like it better than making red velvet from scratch if truth be told.  I bought 6 cake mixes at Christmas time so that I would have a few on hand when they were no longer available.  Then, I discovered this recipe and I am going to head up there tomorrow and see if they still have some in stock.  I will be making these again, plus I have a great cookie recipe to share with you later that is made from this same cake mix.  They would both be perfect for Valentine's Day.

Here is the recipe from LickTheBowlGood.

1 cup + 2 TBSP all purpose flour
2 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 + 1/8 tsp salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vinegar
1 large egg
1 TBSP red food coloring
3/4 tsp vanilla
3 TBSP sour cream

Filling:

4 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 Tbsp sugar
1 egg, beaten
1/4 tsp vanilla

Mix all the ingredients for the cupcakes together.  Make the filling in a separate bowl.  Put paper liners in 8 muffin cups.  Put 1 Tbsp batter in each cupcake paper.  Add 1 Tbsp filling to each cupcake paper.  Put another Tbsp batter on top of filling.  Bake cupcakes for 20-23 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

Now, here is what I did to make my version of this fabulous cupcake with the cream cheese filling.  I kicked it up a notch.  Shhhh, don't tell.

Make the red velvet cake mix according to package directions.  This cake mix made 24 cupcakes.  See the difference?  There are other brands of red velvet cake mixes available, I just really, really like Aldi's.

To make the filling I used 8 ounces of cream cheese softened, 4 Tbsp sugar, 2 eggs and 1/2 tsp vanilla. Mix all together until it is smooth.  Then, (yes, then) I added 2/3 cup of chocolate chips to the cream cheese mixture.  Red velvet cake with cream cheese and chocolate chips?  Yes, please!

Line 24 muffin cups with cupcake papers.  Add 1 Tbsp batter to each cupcake paper.  Add a scant 1 TBSP cream cheese filling to each cupcake paper, dropping it over the cake batter.  Again, add 1 Tbsp cake batter to each cupcake paper to cover the cream cheese.  Bake at 350 for 19-22 minutes, according to directions on the box.  Bake until a toothpick inserted in center cupcake comes out clean.  Remove from oven and let cool.

Now, (yes, now) I made a little icing glaze to go over the cupcakes.  I think they are plenty rich without a lot of icing, so this is what I did.

2 Tbsp butter, melted in saucepan
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup powdered sugar
1 or 2 TBSPS milk

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly.  Add the white chips and stir until they melt.  Add the powdered sugar and 1 TBSP milk.  If glaze appears to thick to drizzle, add a little more milk.  You don't want it too runny.

When cupcakes are cool, use a spoon and drizzle the icing over the cupcakes.  This will set in just a few minutes and they are ready to dive into.  Wow!  They are sooooooooo good.  Dan ate 3 in a row.
Here is how they look on the inside.

You have cream cheese and chocolate chips in the middle of red velvet cake.  Wowsa, they are awesome.  The glaze adds just a nice hint of icing.  Perfect.

Wouldn't these be beautiful for Valentine's Day?  You know any Valentine would love to receive some of these!  The great thing about using the cake mix is you don't have to mess with the red food coloring.  I have been known to splash it everywhere when mixing.  It can be a mess.

Feel free to try the recipe from Pinterest, I am sure it is very good.  I just took the easier road last night.  Sometimes it is just the thing to do - the easier road.  As it turned out, it was the right road.

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

To love another person is to see the face of God.  Victor Hugo.  Les Miserables  (I will never stop thinking about this movie.)