Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Mix together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.
In a large bowl, beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Mix in vanilla, buttermilk and food coloring.
Slowly beat in the flour mixture to the butter mixture. Mix until combined, do not overbeat.
Spoon batter into a paper-lined cupcake tin, filling each about 2/3 full. This recipe makes 30 cupcakes.
Bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of a cupcake comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool completely before icing them. Top with cream cheese frosting (recipe linked below).