Red Velvet Cupcakes

Cake:

• 2 ½ cups flour
• ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup sour cream
• ½ cup milk
• 1 (1 ounce) bottle McCormick Red Food Color
• 2 teaspoons McCormick Pure Vanilla Extract

Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• ¼ cup butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons sour cream
• 2 teaspoons McCormick Pure Vanilla Extract
• 1 (16 ounce) box confectioners’ sugar

Directions

1. Gather all ingredients and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 30 muffin cups with paper liners.
2. Make cake: Mix together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.
3. Beat sugar and butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time.
4. Mix in sour cream, milk, food color, and vanilla.
5. Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed until just blended; do not over-beat. Spoon batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each 2/3 full.
6. Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cool in the pans on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes from the pans; cool completely.
7. While cupcakes are cooling, make frosting: Beat cream cheese, butter, sour cream, and vanilla extract in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in confectioners’ sugar until smooth.
8. Spread or pipe frosting onto cooled cupcakes.