Hi friends! I hope everyone survived Halloween and the sugar induced comas. Our family had a blast and scared all the neighbors with witches, zombies, and the scariest bumblebee you ever saw.

Don’t fret though. If you haven’t had enough sugar, please let me help you. I’m always here to help. I have found what your Halloween was missing in cupcake #14!

Maybe it’s the red velvet…

Maybe it’s the mini chocolate chips…

Maybe it’s the mascarpone cheese…

Whatever it is, you need it. And you need it now.

Have you ever heard that good things come in 3s? Well this is true with this red velvet cupcake. I found this recipe from Liz at Little Bitty Bakes. Liz came up with this insane frosting that is making me a very happy woman. And Liz based her cupcake on Kevin and Amanda’s Best Chocolate Cake recipe. 3 wonderful bakers and 1 divine cupcake.

I have a confession. I have never been a red velvet fan. Typically, I find the cake very dry and often just taste like red dye. People look at me like I’m crazy when I say that. But it’s the truth. And my Jeff feels pretty much the same way. But not anymore.

The cake ingredients…

Our family is a democracy in which life threatening and world shattering decisions must be made like which cupcake liners look the best. I voted red. So did Jeff, Rebecca, Ben, and Samantha. My Emily, however, voted white because it was the underdog and not getting enough votes. She didn’t want the white liners to get their feelings hurt. Heaven forbid. 

The frosting ingredients…

And you know when the instructions say to let the cupcakes completely cool. Well please listen. This frosting is very soft and will melt. I promise. It’s true. So be patient. Drink a latte. Make your bed. Exercise. Just do something and let those puppies cool!

And here they are…

Overall, they tasted great and they are gorgeous. These would be beautiful around the Christmas holidays, Valentines Day, or anything needing a pop of deep red. And those of you who know me, know my love affair with all things red.

So please head over to Liz and Kevin & Amanda’s sites. They are insanely talented bakers and Liz has some amazing running resources as well if you feel the need to burn some calories after eating these cupcakes. The link to the recipe is here.

For those of you who are new to this site, welcome! Read below to understand why I am baking 52 cupcakes this year.

Story of the 52 cupcakes:  

I am making 52 cupcakes this year in honor of my chemotherapy buddy. When we were undergoing chemotherapy, people would bring cupcakes and other treats to the chemotherapy “lounge”.  We would smile, laugh, and talk about how we were so nauseous and that all we could eat was saltine crackers and Sprite. We were glad that our family and friends were comforted by them though.

My friend said, “If we survive this disease, we should eat a different cupcake every week for the rest of our lives.” My friend did not survive. So in honor of him, I am making a different cupcake every week for a year. Every time I make a new cupcake and lick my fingers, I think of him and his zest for life. So in honor of my friend and all cancer patients, I challenge you to eat a cupcake today and remember to always lick your fingers.