Blood Curdling Red Velvet Cupcakes

I have made red velvet cake plenty of times before but this cake is now my favorite recipe.  I wish it did not have so much sugar though.  It is equal sugar to flour.  I usually will discard a cake recipe immediately if it has that much sugar.  But I had to try it because I wanted the affect for Halloween treats for a party!

Blood Curdling Red Velvet Cupcakes
Recipe from Donal Skehan, found here. This recipe will make 12 normal size cupcakes.  I have converted his recipe into cup measurements.  But I will tell you weighing is such a better way of making a recipe.

1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
7 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon cocoa
1/4 cup red food coloring
2 teaspoons white vinegar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla

"blood" drizzle
1 cup confectioners sugar
3 teaspoons red food coloring
1 or more teaspoons of water (maybe)

marshmallow frosting
4 egg whites
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar (you dont have to have this but it will help it a lot)

Preheat oven to 350F.  Beat sugar with butter.  Add in eggs one at a time, then vanilla.  In a separate bowl, mix buttermilk and red food coloring.  In another bowl mix cocoa and flour.  Mix alternately into butter mixture, ending with the dry ingredients.  In a small bowl mix baking soda with vinegar.  As it is fizzing add it in to the batter.  Pour into muffin tins, filling 2/3's full.

For the frosting, in a double boiler or bain marie*, combine cream of tartar, sugar and then egg whites, whisking the whole time.  You want the sugar to melt.  Once it is melted and beginning to thicken a little, remove from heat and keep beating with an electric mixer until soft peaks form.

Frost cooled cupcakes.

For the blood drizzle, combine confectioners and food coloring.  If the mixture is too thick to drizzle add in the water, one teaspoon at a time until you have the right consistency.

Drizzle over cupcakes.