Flour Buttercream Frosting + Red Velvet Cupcakes

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I rolled up my sleeves and spent some time this afternoon working as a sous chef for a neighbor who was pressed for time. While she made cupcakes, I made the frosting she wanted to decorate them with. I had seen her recipe before, but never made it because I have a favorite buttercream and can be a stick-in-the-mud when asked to change certain things. Well, I had no choice this afternoon, so I proceeded to make this strange sounding frosting. I must admit it is nice and I understand why folks are so enamoured with it. The frosting is light and fluffy with a pudding-like quality. I found it a tad too sweet, but I have a low tolerance for sugar and the fault is probably with my palate rather than any flaw within the recipe. I urge you to follow the directions carefully for best results. While I did not make them myself, I'm including my neighbor's recipe for red velvet cupcakes. They are delicious and make a great base for the flour based frosting. I hope you will try both recipes. I don't think you'll be disappointed. Here is how the frosting and cupcakes are made.


Flour Buttercream Frosting...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Serious Eats

Ingredients:
4-1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions:
1) Whisk together flour and sugar in a medium saucepan. Whisk in milk. Place saucepan over low heat and bring to a boil, whisking continuously, then cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Pour pudding onto a clean heatproof plate or shallow container. Immediately cover it with plastic wrap, pressing plastic wrap directly against the pudding's surface.
2) In a stand mixer fitted with a whisk or paddle, or in a mixing bowl if using a handheld mixer, beat butter until smooth and fluffy and lightened in color, about 2 minutes. Add cooled pudding one tablespoon at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add vanilla and salt and beat until buttercream looks thick, smooth, and creamy, about 3 minutes.
3) Use immediately or refrigerate in an airtight container or a zipper-lock bag for up to one week. To use buttercream that has been refrigerated, first allow to come to room temperature then beat until smooth and spreadable again. Cakes or cupcakes decorated with buttercream generally keep up to 3 days, stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Serve buttercream at room temperature.

Red Velvet Cupcakes...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of the Food Network

Ingredients:
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cocoa powder
1-1/2 cups vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 tablespoons red food coloring
1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 (12-cup) muffin pans with cupcake papers.
2) In a medium mixing bowl, sift together flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. In a large bowl gently beat together oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla with a handheld electric mixer. Add sifted dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until smooth and thoroughly combined.
3) Divide batter evenly among cupcake tins filling about 2/3 full. Bake in oven for about 20 to 22 minutes, turning pans once, half way through. Test cupcakes with a toothpick for doneness. Remove from oven and cool completely before frosting. Yield: 24 cupcakes.