Red Velvet Cupcakes

• 24 paper liners for cupcake pans (2 1/2 –inch size)
• 1 package (18.25 ounces) plain German chocolate cake mix
• 1 package (3.4 ounces) vanilla instant pudding mix
• 1 cup sour cream (see Note)
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 bottle (1 ounce) red food coloring
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350° F. Line 24 cupcake cups with paper liners. Set the pans aside.
   
   
2. Place the cake mix, pudding mix, sour cream, water, oil, food coloring, and eggs in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more, scraping down the sides again if needed. The batter should look thick and well combined. Fold in the chocolate chips. Spoon or scoop 1/3 cup batter into each lined cupcake cup, filling it three quarters of the way full. (You will get between 22 and 24 cupcakes; remove the empty liners, if any.) Place the pans in the oven.
   
   
3. Bake the cupcakes until they spring back when lightly pressed with your finger, 18 to 20 minutes. Remove the pans from the oven and place them on wire racks to cool for 5 minutes. Run a dinner knife around the edges of the cupcake liners, lift the cupcakes up from the bottoms of the cups using the end of the knife, and pick them out of the cups carefully with your fingertips. Place them on a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes before frosting.

From whence it came:  My sister-in-law, Geralene, told me about a woman named The Cake Doctor.  Have you ever heard of her?  I hadn't either, but she has the coolest name ever.  I want her name.  I want to be called the cake doctor.  It's so much cooler than just being called Pam.  Anywho, The Cake Doctor takes regular old cake mixes and doctors them up.  She turns regular into really really yum-e!  Geralene made this recipe into a cake, and it was fabulous.  I've made it into a cake and into cupcakes, and both were divine!  When I made the cake I baked it in a 9"x13" pan at 325 degrees for about 50 minutes. 

Why it's blogable:  I served this cake to company and the little six year old girl who was visiting ate three pieces!  Three!  She is a little tiny girl and she ate three pieces!  And took another one home!  That just shows you how good this recipe is, and how much you need to try it!  Also, when The Spy Who Love Me saw that I was making Red Velvet Cake he kind of made a scrunched up face.  That's one way The Spy lets me know he's not thrilled.  He has other ways, but that's just one way.  Well, The Spy had to swallow his pride and beg for my forgiveness once he tasted this cake.  He was instantly sold, and you will be, too!

I frosted the cake and cupcakes with this heavenly frosting:
That's the Best Frosting I've Ever Had
I can't say enough about this frosting on top of this cake and cupcakes.  I can't say enough about this frosting.  Period!

I like to serve this cake and frosting refrigerated, but it's really good at room temp, too.

Click here to get the printables:
Red Velvet Cupcakes
That's the Best Frosting I've Ever Had

Hope you enjoy stirring it up!