Red Velvet Cupcakes

adapted from the NY Times Red Velvet Cake recipe
1c cake flour
1/3c cocoa
1/2tsp salt
2/3c vegetable oil
3/4c sugar
1 egg
1oz (2T) red food coloring
1/2tsp vanilla
1/2c buttermilk
1/2tsp baking soda
3/4tsp white vinegar

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.Line12-cupcake pans with cupcake liners and spray with cooking spray.Whisk cake flour, cocoa and salt in a bowl.Place oil and sugar in bowl of an electric mixer and beat at medium speed until well-blended. Beat in eggs one at a time.With machine on low, very slowly add red food coloring (and water or syrup, if necessary). (Take care: it may splash.) Add vanilla. Add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk in two batches.

Scrape down bowl and beat just long enough to combine.Place baking soda in a small dish, stir in vinegar and add to batter with machine running. Beat for 10 seconds.

Divide batter among 12-cupcake pans, filling each about 2/3 full. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. (Mine cooked for 27 minutes.)

Note:: The recipe above has been scaled down to 1/3 of the original recipe. The original recipe yields 3 dozen cupcakes:
3½ cups cake flour
½ cup cocoa powder
1½ teaspoons salt
2 cups vegetable oil
2¼ cups white sugar
3 large eggs
6 tablespoons (3 ounces) red food coloring
1½ teaspoons vanilla
1¼ cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons baking soda
2½ teaspoons white vinegar

Em's Magnificent Cream Cheese Icing
adapted form the 06/98 Epicurious.com Cream Cheese Icing recipe
1 8oz pkg of cream cheese - room temperature, divided in three parts
2 tablespoons unsalted butter - COLD
1 tablespoon shortening
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup powdered sugar

Directions
Beat cream cheese and butter in large bowl until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and combine very well. Add the first third of the cream cheese and combine very well. Add the shortening and combine very well. Add the remaining cream cheese one piece at a time, combining very well after each. Gradually add the sugar and combine thoroughly until light and fluffy.