Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Wow- it has been a while- sorry for the delay in posting everybody- life has been crazy busy but crazy good too :)

Tonight I started practicing a Red Velvet Cupcake with Cream Cheese frosting.  For the cupcake I used the standard WASC recipe, but used Red Velvet mix and added a 4th egg to try a new texture (which I must say I like better than the normal 3 egg recipe).  Instead of Almond extract, I just added an extra teaspoon of vanilla. I got a thumbs up from hubby which is a good thing- because he hates red velvet.

The cupcakes were great- but the reason I REALLY made this post was to highlight the cream cheese frosting.  I scoured the Internet for a cream cheese frosting recipe that would be heat-stable (due to the fact that this wedding is Mid-July in California- what was I thinking?! Lol) but still tasty and not over-sugary.  After reading MANY blog, forum and website recommendations (too many to even count at this point)- I decided to branch out and try my own mixture in hopes that something stable yet tasty would come out of it.  I think I might have something worth keeping- but I'll know better tomorrow after the cupcakes have been sitting out for a day on my table in this lovely California heat-wave we're having (tomorrow should be 91 F, so that will be a good test I hope).
 
Cream Cheese Cupcake Frosting Recipe
2/3 Cup Shortening
1/2 Cup Butter (Unsalted, room temperature)
8oz Cream Cheese (I prefer whipped)
1 teaspoon clear vanilla
1 teaspoon lemon juice
4 drops concentrated Cheesecake extract 
4 Cups powdered sugar (you can sift after measuring to avoid lumps)

Steps:
1) Blend together all ingredients (except the powdered sugar).  Mix long enough to get the lumps of butter/cream cheese/shortening out of the mixture- but not so long that the mixture starts to break down- approximately 45 seconds on high using a stand mixer- about 1.5-2 minutes using a hand-mixer.
2) Sift the powdered sugar, if desired, into another bowl.
3) Mix in the powdered sugar in 1/2 cup at a time with the mixer set on low, until all powdered sugar is incorporated.
4) Pipe onto cupcakes immediately, or cover and refrigerate until you are ready to pipe.

I hope this one holds up to the heat- I'll let you know what my findings are tomorrow!