These Red Velvet Cupcakes are soft and fluffy on the inside, have a delicious buttery flavor, and are topped with my amazing cream cheese frosting! The gel food coloring gives them that bright and iconic red color we all love when we think about red velvet!
The cupcake baking series is continuing on today, this time with a classic flavor: Red Velvet.
Last week I shared with you the first cupcake and that was Chocolate Peanut Butter. I hope you're ready for another delcious treat!
Around this time of the year you start to see a lot of red velvet desserts pop up in the store, like: red velvet cookies, cakes, cupcakes, even brownies!
There is just something so delicious and fun about this dessert that's dyed red, especially in cupcake-form. Let's get started, shall we bakers?
Red Velvet Cupcakes
Cupcake baking series, recipe number 2: Red Velvet Cupcakes.
I am a big fan of classic desserts, and with Valentine's Day just aroud the corner, I knew I needed an amazing red velvet recipe. Plus, who doesn't love to use a little bit of food dye in their desserts?
These cupcakes are soft, moist, fluffy, and light, while also being stable. They bake up to have a beautiful red color because of specific ingredients used, like gel food coloring.
Unlike a lot of my recipes, you will need a few specific ingredients in order to make these homemade red velvet cupcakes.
Why These Are The BEST Red Velvet Cupcakes:
- They have a perfect balance of chocolate and vanilla flavor.
- The red color is vibrant and bright.
- Both butter and oil are used to create a flavorful and moist cake.
- They're topped with a smooth and creamy cream cheese frosting.
- It takes less than 30 minutes to make!
What Is Red Velvet?
Esentially, red velvet is a mild-in-flavor chocolate cake that's dyed red.
What makes red velvet different than your average chocolate cake (or cupcake) are three very specific ingredients:
- Buttermilk
- Vinegar
- Red food coloring
Buttermilk is a lot thicker and creamier than just regular 2% milk. This is a must-needed ingredient for red velvet because it makes the cake extremely moist and adds a nice tangy flavor.
You should be able to find buttermilk at your local grocery store where the milk and heavy cream are located.
Adding just a teaspoon of vinegar helps with creating a tangy flavor for the cake batter. It also helps to enhance the red color in the food dye.
I recommend using a gel red food dye such as Betty Crocker or Wilton to get that deep and vibrant red color. If you must, you can use liquid food coloring, but you'll have to use a lot more of it in order to achieve that red velvet color.
Baking Tips Before Starting:
- Measuring Flour: To help ensure you don’t add extra flour, follow these three simple steps: 1) Fluff up the flour using a fork. 2) Spoon the flour into your measuring cup. 3) Scrape a knife across the top of the measuring cup to level out the flour.
- Cupcake Batter: Be careful not to overmix your cupcake batter and to fill the liners 2/3 of the way full (that's about 3 tbsp and using a cookie scoop helps).
- Must-Use Ingredients: What makes red velvet cupcakes red velvet are these specific ingredients: buttermilk, vinegar, and red food coloring. These are must-use ingredients.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: The cake batter (and frosting) comes together nicely when specific ingredients are at room temperature. I recommend removing the butter, egg, buttermilk, and cream cheese from the refrigerator 1 hour before you want to bake.
- Leftovers: Store leftover cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Ingredients In Red Velvet Cupcakes:
- All-Purpose Flour: The main structure for the cupcakes. Make sure you spoon and level the flour when measuring (see the note above under “Baking Tips”).
- Cocoa Powder: Just 2 tbsp of sifted cocoa powder adds a delicious chocolate flavor.
- Baking Soda: Used to help the cupcakes rise when baking.
- Salt: Enhances all of the other flavors.
- Unsalted Butter: Adds a nice buttery flavor to the cupcakes. We also use some in the frosting. Make sure the butter is at room temperature before using.
- Sugar: Adds sweetness and balances out the tangy flavors.
- Egg: One large egg helps to bind everything together.
- Vegetable Oil: Adds moisture. You can also use canola oil.
- Food Coloring: I recommend using gel red food coloring.
- Vanilla Extract: Adds flavor.
- Vinegar: White distilled vinegar adds a touch of tanginess.
- Buttermilk: Adds creaminess and helps the cupcakes to stay soft and moist.
- Cream Cheese: Always use the block-style cream cheese.
- Powdered Sugar: Used to sweeten and thicken the frosting.
How To Make Red Velvet Cupcakes:
- Dry Ingredients: Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium-sized bowl. Set aside.
- Wet Ingredients: Cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugar and beat until combined. Then add the egg, vegetable oil, red gel food coloring, vanilla extract, and vinegar and mix at low speed until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Combine Ingredients: Add half of the flour mixture and mix at low speed. Then mix in the buttermilk until almost combined and then the rest of the flour mixture. Use a silicone spatula to fold the rest of the batter together (the batter should be mostly smooth and slightly thin).
- Bake: Fill the cupcake liners 2/3 of the way full and bake for 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cupcake comes out clean. Allow them to cool completely before frosting.
Cream Cheese Frosting
Adding cream cheese frosting to these cupcakes really makes them special!
- In the bowl of an electric stand mixer (or a handheld) using the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter on high speed until combined and creamy (about 2 minutes). Add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract and beat on low speed for about 30 seconds. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat for an additional 1-2 minutes until smooth and creamy.
- Frost the cooled cupcakes. I placed the cream cheese frosting in a piping bag and used the Wilton 1A piping tip. Store leftover cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
You'll taste both vanilla and chocolate inside these red velvet cupcakes. And because there is buttermilk and vinegar, you'll also taste some tang.
Buttermilk is an important ingredient for these cupcakes. Using buttermilk adds creaminess and tanginess, but if you don't have any, you could always make your own. Simply mix 1 tablespoon of vinegar with 1 cup of milk. Remember, store-bought is best because it's thicker.
You can prepare the cupcakes 1 day in advance. Wrap each cupcake individually with plastic wrap and place them into an airtight container or large zip-up bag on the counter. Frost the next day and serve.
Recommended Baking Tools:
- Muffin pan
- Cupcake liners
- Mixing bowls
- Silicone spatula
- Wilton 1A piping tip
And there you have it! Homemade red velvet cupcakes with a classic cream cheese frosting!
Now you have two of the five cupcakes from the cupcake baking series.
Let me know on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, or in the comments below, how you liked your cupcakes. 🙂
Want to make sure you don’t miss the next cupcakes? Sign-up below to join my email list and receive a free gift as well!
More Cupcake Recipes:
Red Velvet Cupcakes
Equipment
- 12-count muffin pan
- Cupcake Liners
- Mixing Bowls
- Electric Stand Mixer
Ingredients:
Red Velvet Cupcakes
- 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder, sifted
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil (or canola oil)
- 1/2 tbsp red gel food coloring
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp white distilled vinegar
- 2/3 cup buttermilk, room temperature
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 8 ounce cream cheese (block-style), room temperature
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a 12-count muffin pan with cupcake liners. Set aside.
- Red Velvet Cupcakes: Whisk together the flour, sifted cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium-sized bowl. Set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric stand mixer (or handheld) using the paddle attachment, beat the butter on med-high until smooth and creamy. Add the sugar and beat for about 1 minute on med-high speed (will be crumb-like). Add the egg, vegetable oil, red gel food coloring, vanilla extract, and vinegar and mix at low speed until combined. You may need to scrape the sides of the bowl a few times.
- Add about half of the flour mixture and mix at low speed until almost incorporated (about 5-10 seconds). Then mix in the buttermilk until almost combined. Finally, mix in the rest of the flour mixture. Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and use a silicone spatula to fold the rest of the batter together (the batter should be mostly smooth and slightly thin).
- Fill the cupcake liners 2/3 of the way full (about 3 tbsp of batter, I use my cookie scoop) and bake for 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cupcake comes out clean. Allow them to cool in the pan for 5 minutes and then transfer them over to a wire rack to finish cooling.
- Cream Cheese Frosting: In the bowl of an electric stand mixer (or a handheld) using the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter on high speed until combined and creamy (about 2 minutes). Add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract and beat on low speed for about 30 seconds. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat for an additional 1-2 minutes until smooth and creamy.
- Frost the cooled cupcakes. I placed the cream cheese frosting in a piping bag and used the Wilton 1A piping tip. Store leftover cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Leave a Reply