How to Make Valentine's Day Cupcakes

Do you need instructions for great Valentine's Day cupcakes? Whether you're looking for a sweet, special romantic treat to surprise your loved one with this Valentines Day or need to bake up a batch of cupcakes for a school party, this page on how to make Valentine's Day cupcakes will show you everything you need to know to start baking. These red velvet cupcakes are frosted with pink strawberry frosting, and embellished with candy hearts for an extra romantic touch.

The precise origins of Valentine's Day are not clear, but there are several stories as to how the holiday got started. Some say that the day is named after a priest named Valentine, who fought for men's right to get married after Emperor Claudius II outlawed it for young men (thinking that soldiers were more effective when unattached). Others say that Valentine aided Christians in escaping from Roman prisons, and was murdered for his acts of kindness. Another story states that Valentine was himself a prisoner, and was in love with a young girl (possibly the jail keeper's daughter). Just before his death, he wrote her a love letter--the very first valentine. Whatever its roots, Valentine's Day is now celebrated as a day of love all across the globe. http://www.history.com/content/valentine/history-of-valentine-s-day

While it is possible to use a cake mix to prepare your Valentine's Day cupcakes, the sentiment may seem more heartfelt if you bake them up from scratch. If you do choose to use a cake mix, however, you may ignore the For the Cupcakes section and simply follow any instructions on the package. The same, of course, goes for the frosting--if you don't trust your kitchen skills and would rather go with a "foolproof" topping, you may use packaged strawberry frosting. To make your cupcakes from scratch, you will need the following:

For the Cupcakes:

• 2 1/2 cups flour (all-purpose or cake flour)
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons red food coloring (may alter according to desired color)
• 1 teaspoon vinegar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon salt

For the Frosting:

• 16 oz cream cheese, softened at room temperature
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
• 8 ounces strawberries mashed with a potato ricer
• 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• Candy hearts and/or other cake decorations

You will also need 2 large mixing bowls, 1 medium mixing bowl, 2 cupcake tins (each capable of holding a dozen cupcakes), cupcake liners, and an electric mixer. Toothpicks are helpful to have for testing doneness.

The first step to take when making your Valentine's Day cupcakes is to heat your oven to 350 degrees. Next, place your cupcake liners into the cupcake tins.

Now, you will need to sift together your dry ingredients into a medium bowl. These include the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Next, using your electric mixer set on low, beat together the eggs, buttermilk, oil, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla into a large bowl. Pour your sifted dry ingredients into this mixture, and mix together until you have a smooth consistency.

Pour batter into the prepared muffin tins, and bake at 350 degrees for 20-24 minutes. Rotate the tins once during baking. When a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean, your cupcakes are done. Allow cupcakes to cool thoroughly before proceeding to frost and decorate.

Once your cupcakes are finished baking and are nearly cooled, it is time to get started on the strawberry cream cheese frosting. The first step here is to place the butter and cream cheese into a large bowl. Using your electric mixer, beat on medium until you have achieved a smooth consistency. Next, add the mashed strawberries, vanilla and lemon juice, and beat until well blended. Now, add the sugar a half-cup at a time, until you have reached the desired level of sweetness. Once you are happy with the flavor, spread the frosting onto the cupcakes.

Once the cupcakes have been frosted, you may decorate with candy hearts. You may also use cinnamon dot candies, gumdrops, or other festive candies. Enjoy!