Caterpillar Cake

Both of these cupcake recipes looked decent, but as always, I had to make changes to them to improve on them. To make the caterpillar, I used dates for the legs and sage leaves for the antennae. I used the same frosting for both types of cupcakes.
Red Velvet:
1 c unsalted butter
2 eggs
1 c sugar
2 T cocoa powder
2 oz red food coloring
1 1/2 c white flour
1 c white whole wheat flour
1 t salt
1 c buttermilk
1 t vanilla extract
1 t baking soda
1 t vanilla

Frosting:
2 T flour
1 c milk
1 c unsalted butter
1 c powder sugar
1 t vanilla

Cream together butter, sugar & egg. In a different bowl, mix together food coloring and cocoa. Add this to the butter mixture and mix together. Add flour and salt to the butter mixture alternately with the buttermilk and vanilla in 3 additions. Fold in the baking soda and vinegar. Pour into lined cupcake pans. Bake about 22 minutes at 350. Or, pour into 2 greased 9" pans and bake 30 minutes.

Frosting: Cook flour and milk over medium heat, whisking, until thickened. Let cool. Cream together butter, sugar and vanilla. Add the milk mixture to the butter mixture. Beat in any food coloring if wanted.

Buttermilk Cupcakes:
2 c white flour
2 c white whole wheat flour
2 t baking powder
2 t baking soda
1 1/2 t salt
1 c unsalted butter
1 1/2 c sugar
2 t vanilla
1 t almond extract
4 large eggs
2 cups buttermilk

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, add vanilla and almond. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well between each. Add buttermilk until combined. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add flour mixture to to butter mixture in 3 batches. Beat just until combined. Bake about 22 minutes in lined cupcake pans.