Red Velvet Cupcakes with Vanilla Vodka Buttercream: Rocking the Red Pump Project

These were actually made for a friend’s birthday party last weekend. His favorite cupcake is the red velvet variety. I also knew I was going to Rock the Red Pump soon so I decided multi task my red post.

I have rarely time to plan posts this far ahead and was quite pleased with myself. Enough about me, here is the most important part of this post:

The Red Pump Project raises awareness about the impact of HIV/AIDS on women and girls. They use the red shoe as a symbol of empowerment to represent women affected directly and indirectly with HIV/AIDS.

• Every 9.5 minutes, someone in the US will be infected with HIV.
• There are more than 1 million adults and adolescents in the United States living with HIV. Approximately one-fifth of them (21%) do not know that they have been infected.

• In 2006, women made up 25% of the persons living with HIV in the United States. Women also represented 27% of new HIV infections in 2006.
• High-risk heterosexual contact is the source of 80% of these newly diagnosed infections in women in the US.
• From the beginning of the epidemic through 2005, almost 86,000 women have died of AIDS and AIDS-related complications.
• The largest number of HIV/AIDS diagnoses during recent years was for women aged 15–39.
• Seven of the 10 states with the highest case rates among women are in the South.

Minority Women and HIV/AIDS

• HIV/AIDS disproportionately affects minority women in the United States. According to the 2005 census, Black and Latina women represent 24% of all US women combined, but accounted for 82% of the estimated total of AIDS diagnoses for women in 2005.
• HIV is the leading cause of death for Black women (including Black women) aged 25–34 years. The only diseases causing more deaths of women are cancer and heart disease.
• The rate of AIDS diagnosis for Black women was approximately 23 times the rate for white women and 4 times the rate for Latina women.
• In 2006, teen girls represented 39% of AIDS cases reported among 13–19 year-olds. Black teens represented 69% of cases reported among 13–19 year-olds; Latino teens represented 19%.

• In 2006, the CDC estimates that almost 46,000 young people, ages 13-24, were living with HIV in the US. Women comprised 28% of these HIV/AIDS cases among 13-24 year-olds.
• African-American young adults are disproportionately affected by HIV, accounting for 60% of HIV/AIDS diagnoses in 13-24 year olds in 2006.

• 1 stick butter – room temperature
• 1/2 cup Vanilla flavored vodka(I used Absolute)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4-5 cups powdered sugar

• Place butter vodka, vanilla and two cups of the powdered sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix on low until everything is combined.
• Add the rest of the powdered sugar one cup at a time.
• Load the frosting into a disposable pastry bag with the tip of your choice (I didn’t use one for the cupcakes pictured) and  frost the cupcakes.
• Optional – crumble some red velvet crumbs on top of the frosting for decoration.