Dreams are built with rising dough and sprinkles on rolling pin foundations and puffy clouds of flour floating high above. Cakebakes follows the trials and tribulations of Anna Ghirardelli on her quest to bake the perfect infectious confections and sugary treats.

Cinnamon Red Velvet Cupcakes (CupKaeps)

There are few things I love more than baking. Of course my family and friends, my fluffer pooch come to mind, and I guess my boyfriend, too… but there is one other thing that holds a special place in my heart…

Football (read: hand-egg, for you non-Americans).

Yes, I love football. A sensitive girly girl liking football is weird, you say? Maybe it’s because my Dad didn’t have any sons to ~~force~~ share his love of the game with, because there were just too many cute boys to look at, or even the fact I’m built like a linebacker. Whatever the reason, I love it! Though, I do lean a bit more towards the college games than the pros. My dad, a USC alumni, and our family have sported season tickets since before Bonnie loved Clyde. Fight on! I have been spending my Saturdays at the Coliseum, or stuck in traffic, for longer than I can even remember. While I used to have hysterical fun just shaking my red and gold pom-poms, I now live and die with each play. (Mainly dying these days; come on, Kiffin!)

When it comes to the wondrous American NFL, the teams I follow are always the ones where my Trojans end up. I will root for the Steeler’s because of Troy Polamalu, the Packer’s for Clay Matthews, the Texans for Brian Cushing, and most of all the unfortunate Jets for my man Mark Sanchez (~~also Tebow~~). Unfortunately, for the second year in a row, none of my Trojans will grace that which is the Superbowl gridiron. With no Men of Troy to root for, I must go with the California team: the San Francisco 49ers. Their colors are pretty close to USC, right!? And I always have my framed picture of Sanchez to hold during the game anyways!

But I digress… the 49ers have been great to watch through the playoffs, and the new hotshot quarterback, Kaepernick, has become a frequent topic for Cory and I. We love to talk about him for some reason. Maybe it’s because he was unknown until a few months ago or because he looks nothing like a usual quarterback usually does. Cory even wanted to call our Superbowl themed cupcakes ‘Cupkaeps’! So, on Superbowl Sunday, we will be cheering on Colin Kaepernick and the San Francisco 49ers while enjoying these delicious Cinnamon Red Velvet Cupcakes. I also could have mentioned at any point in this tale that my boyfriend is, and was, rooting for the Niners, but this story’s about me, darnit!

We decided on the deliciousness that is red velvet, as it most closely matches San Fransisco’s colors. But of course, we needed a secret ingredient, like Edward needs Bella! I chose chocolate chips, ooey gooey chocolate chips, but Cory chose cinnamon. For the sake of the pigskin, we settled it the only way possible: Madden 13. While I had the superhero quarterback that is Anna Ghirardelli (who’s superpower is using her looks to force Roughing the Passer calls), I could not beat him and his Canton Greats. How can I stop Jerry Rice and Michael Irvin?! As upset as I was, he had a point, claiming the cinnamon represented the spiciness that is San Fransisco.

Soon after, we collected our ingredients, and groceried it up… game on!

After all was said and done, the kitchen was saturated with the pleasing aroma of our Cinnamon Red Velvet Cupcakes. And upon tasting the delectable treats, we found we made the right choice in the secret ingredient: absolutely delicious!

Ingredients

Red Velvet Cupcakes

4 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter (kept at room temperature)
¾ Cup Sugar
1 Egg
¼ Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1 Teaspoon Cinnamon
½ Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
∞ Food Coloring (see below)
½ Cup Buttermilk
1 Cup All-Purpose Flour
½ Teaspoon Table Salt
½ Teaspoon Baking Soda
1 ½ Teaspoons Distilled White Vinegar

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

2 Cups Powdered Sugar, Sifted
3 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter (kept at room temperature)
½ Teaspoon Cinnamon
6 Ounces Cream Cheese, Softened
Gold and Red Sparkly Sprinkles to add that 49ers touch!

Note: I guess if you have to root for the Raven’s and want to make these delicious cupcakes don’t add the red food coloring and switch the sprinkles to purple and gold. Or for future recipe-in’, match up to whatever team colors you’re following.

Follow this for good yums. GOOD YUMS. Adapted from Joy the Baker & the Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook.

This recipe makes about twelve Cupcakes, so you might to want to double this one!

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Using a stand or hand mixer, mix the butter and sugar until well combined and the texture is fluffy (approximately three minutes). Add the egg, turn up the speed, and mix until combined.

Next, add the vanilla, cinnamon and cocoa powder and, of course, mix until combined. Now it is time for the red food coloring! I did not give an exact amount above because I do not use measurements for food coloring. I just start by putting a few drops in, letting it mix together, and then adding more. I keep adding drops little by little until the color is as bright or as subtle as I want it. Make sure that you scrape down the sides of the bowl and the bottom of the bowl frequently. If the batter is stuck anywhere the food coloring cant get to it!

Turn the mixer down to low and slowly pour in the buttermilk. Don’t pour it in too fast! Pour slowly so it combines as you pour, as well as so it doesn’t splash everywhere!

In a separate bowl, mix the flour and the salt.

Once the buttermilk has been mixed in to the batter, stop the mixer, add half of the salt and flour mixture, and let it blend until combined. Scrape down the sides and add the rest of the flour and salt. Once the flour is mixed in, add the baking soda and vinegar and mix for a couple of minutes.

Now, prepare the baking pan. You can line the muffin/cupcake pan with paper liners or just spray with Pam if you would rather not use the liners. Scoop the batter into the pan and make sure each scoop fills the pan at least half way full. For scooping, you can use anything that works, but I use an ice cream scoop with a lever. It makes it so easy to get the batter into the pan without making a mess.

Bake the cupcakes for about 20-25 minutes. Make sure not to over bake by inserting a toothpick or a knife into the middle of the cupcake after 20 minutes. If it comes out clean, they are done. If there is some batter on it, they need to be baked for a few more minutes.

Once the cupcakes are done, take them out of the oven, let them cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before removing them, and then complete the cooling process on a wire rack.

While the cupcakes are cooling you can make the frosting. With your mixer, beat the powdered sugar, butter, and cinnamon together until combined. Make sure to start the mixer slowly or you will end up with powdered sugar all over the kitchen! Add the cream cheese and mix until the frosting is smooth and light.