True love is undeniable. Some things are meant to be.

Kind of like red velvet cake and vanilla buttercream frosting.

I now pronounce you, the most loved dessert. May you live happily ever after. Preferably not on my hips.

If I was going to get

a recipe for this southern staple from anybody, it was going to be the one and only Paula Deen. I’m so glad I did. The steps were easy to follow and the cake was insanely delicate and moist, even days after sneaking a few home from my future sister-in-law’s bridal shower. It was like eating a beautiful crimson cloud. And when paired with the frosting. Omigawd. Incredible.

To make these even more bridal shower-esque, I sprinkled them with white non-peril sprinkles and formed them on a cake board into the shape of a dress. I left two cupcakes in the center to create a belt, and coated them in purple sparkly cupcake gems to match her wedding colors.

Here comes the…cupcakes!

Ingredients:

Recipe courtesy of Paula Dean

*Makes 24 cupcakes*

For cupcakes:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cocoa powder

1 1/2 cups vegetable oil

1 cup buttermilk, room temperature

2 large eggs, room temperature

2 tablespoons red food coloring

1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Vanilla buttercream frosting (get recipe here)

For bride:

White non peril sprinkles

Cupcake gem sprinkles in the bride’s wedding color

White melting chocolate

Luster dust

Vanilla extract or lemon juice

You will also need:

1 cake board

Gem shaped chocolate mold

Food paintbrushes

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350° and line muffin pans with cupcake papers. In a medium mixing bowl, sift together flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder.

In the bowl of your mixer, gently beat together oil and vinegar,

Vanilla,

Buttermilk,

Eggs,

And food coloring.

Add the sifted dry ingredients to the wet and mix until smooth and thoroughly combined.

Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake tins about 2/3 filled.

Bake for about 20 to 22 minutes, turning the pans once, half way through. Test the cupcakes with a toothpick for doneness. Remove from oven and cool completely before topping with vanilla buttercream frosting.

To form cupcakes into a bridal gown, add white non-peril sprinkles to all, but two cupcakes. Cover the remaining two in sprinkles that match the wedding colors. Spread cupcakes out on a large cake board into the shape of a dress.

Make white chocolate gemstones and paint them with luster dust (I used silver, pink and teal). Form a necklace at the top of the board.

Eat and enjoy with the bride-to-be!