Red Velvet, Avengers Birthday Cupcakes

Now how's that for a title! ha! My hubby's birthday is tomorrow and he's been asking me since his last birthday for these cupcakes and an Avengers theme. I think he's been feeling a tad left out since we always go kinda big on the kid's birthdays. ;) He's the one that found the cupcake liners and toppers on sale at Williams-Sonoma several months ago. You can find them HERE. I love how the website describes these toppers: "Team up with legendary superheroes as they battle evil, avenge dastardly deeds and spread delicious cupcakes throughout the universe."


Anyway! My husband requested red velvet cupcakes so I searched Pinterest and found a really delicious recipe via www.Torispelling.com.Don't they look scrumptious?! 

torispelling.com

INGREDIENTS FOR CUPCAKES:

• ½ cup of butter, softened
• 1 ½ cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 ½ tablespoons cocoa powder
• 2 ounces red food coloring
• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 ounces water
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda

INGREDIENTS FOR CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:

• 1 8 oz. package cream cheese
• ½ cup unsalted butter
• 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

MAKE CUPCAKES:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Grease cupcake pan or line with paper liners
3. Cream softened butter & sugar together until fluffy
4. Add eggs and blend well
5. In a separate bowl, combine cocoa & food coloring & stir
6. Sift flour and salt together into mixture
7. Add vanilla, buttermilk, and water to mixture
8. In another bowl combine vinegar and baking soda. Then fold into cupcake mixture.
9. Pour or spoon mixture into cupcake cups
10. Bake 15 to 20 mins or until a wood toothpick inserted into the middle of the cupcake comes out clean
11. Let cool for about 10 mins. Then put on rack or plate and let finish cooling.

MAKE FROSTING

1. Blend together softened cream cheese and softened butter
2. Add powdered sugar and vanilla extract
3. Blend until smooth
4. Frost cupcakes and enjoy!    

 Here is how the Avengers cupcakes turned out along with a few pictures of the happy birthday boy. =)

A little Thor action

Happy 29th Birthday!! =)

A week in pictures

This last week was very eventful. I haven't had much time to sit down and create any new posts but I had some good excuses. =) My Mom flew out to Colorado for a couple weeks and we all enjoyed our time with her. But on a sad note our sweet almost 12 year old cat 'kitty' died on Sunday. We noticed that for the past week she hadn't been eating and then on Sunday morning she crawled behind our couch and when we came back from church she had passed. It was a sad day and we miss our Kitty.

Colorado is always beautiful, even when it's windy.

Fun around the lake

Lake Loveland

Menchies

Frozen apple pie yogurt from Menchies makes anybody happy =)

 

It's always a good idea to shop at Ikea... =)

Drove by the Broncos Stadium. Too bad Tim Tebow wasn't there.

Emma's first time ice skating. She loved it! =)

Kitty's grave

DIA on a bright and sunny January day

Not pictured: 

• Story time with Grandma
• Hot chocolate and cookies
• Hemming pants
• Many episodes of Downton Abbey
• Tapas for supper
• Walking around historic downtown Fort Collins
• Gelato
• Church, fellowship and friends
• Puppet fun
• House hunting
• Attempt made at homemade laundry detergent...success =)
• Listening to my daughter as she reads
• Date night!