Soft, velvety, chocolate cupcakes topped with sweet cream cheese frosting—that's how you show someone you care.

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin pans with paper liners.

Cream 1-1/2 cups butter and sugar until very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add red food coloring and 2 teaspoons vanilla; beat well. Scrape down bowl.

Whisk together flour, cocoa and salt. Add buttermilk to red batter in three parts alternating with the cocoa/flour ingredients, beginning with buttermilk and ending with dry ingredients. Scrape down bowl.

Stir together vinegar and baking soda in a small bowl. Add to batter and mix well. Scrape down bowl.

Divide batter among the prepared muffin pans. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Remove from the pans and cool completely on a wire rack.

To make frosting, beat together cream cheese and remaining 1/4 cup butter until light and fluffy. Beat in remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla. Slowly add powdered sugar and beat until fluffy. Frost cooled cupcakes.