Red velvet experiment: Part 1

I've developed an addiction to red velvet cupcakes lately. Unfortunately, as many sources have pointed out, it costs about $3.25 to buy one cupcake at a good cupcake shop. Yes, in most cases, you can probably make 24 cupcakes for under $3.

So, I'm on the quest for the perfect red velvet recipe. I started out cheap and easy. I bought a box of red velvet cake mix for the first time and a can of cream cheese frosting. As expected, they were OK but not great. (And the dye from the cake mix was frighteningly potent.)

Now I'm on a quest to try some homemade recipes. It'll probably be slow going. I can't bake an entire batch of cupcakes every week (for the sake of my health, if nothing else). But if you know of a good recipe, send it my way.

Also, I should note that even when I find a good recipe, I will still buy a $3.25 cupcake sometimes. I don't mind baking, but that $3.25 convenience fee saves me from having to find places to give away 23 cupcakes just so I can eat my one (or two ... or three).