2eggs, at room temperature with yolks and whites separates
1teaspoonvanilla extract
½teaspoondistilled white vinegar
¼cupbuttermilk, at room temperature
¼cupBaileys Red Velvet Cupcake Liqueur
1tablespoonred gel food coloring
Baileys Cream Cheese Frosting
8ozcream cheese, at room temperature
½cupunsalted butter, at room temperature
3cupspowdered sugar
2tablespoonBaileys Red Velvet Cupcake Liqueur
¼teaspoonsalt
Instructions
Cupcakes
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 12 cupcake tins with paper liners. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the sugar, butter and oil until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks one at a time and beat until mixed. Add the vanilla and white vinegar and beat until combined. You can also use a hand mixer to do this.
In a measuring cup, carefully whisk the buttermilk with the red food coloring and the Baileys. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, alternating with the buttermilk and ending with the flour until just combined. Do not over-mix.
In a medium bowl, beat the 2 egg whites on high speed until fluffy peaks form, about 3 minutes. Gently fold the egg whites into the batter.
Pour the batter ⅔ full among the cupcake tins and bake for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. When cupcakes are done remove immediately from tins and leave on a cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.
Baileys Cream Cheese Frosting
Beat the cream cheese and butter together in an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the powdered sugar, Irish cream, vanilla extract and salt and beat until fluffy, about another 3 minutes.
Notes
Do not skip the buttermilk as it helps create the moistness you expect from red velvet cake. If you don't have it, make your own. See instructions above.
All refrigerated items should be at room temperature, which helps the batter mix easily and evenly.
When adding the batter to the muffin tin, don't fill more than ⅔ of the way as they do rise.
You know the cupcakes are done when you insert a toothpick in the center and it comes out clean.
Allow the cupcakes to completely cool before adding the frosting, otherwise it will melt.
If you want mini cupcakes, fill mini liners only halfway and bake for 10-12 minutes at 350°F. It yields about 3 dozen.