Do you love red velvet cake? Try Red Velvet Cupcakes! Top these classic red velvet cupcakes with a tangy cream cheese frosting and serve at your next birthday party or garden potluck.
Red Velvet Cake is classic Americana cuisine with roots in the South. Deliciously festive, rich, aromatic, Red Velvet is like yellow cake but with a little kiss on the cheek of chocolate.
Video: How to Make Red Velvet Cupcakes
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Red velvet cupcakes
The best red coloring
The red color can come from beets or even strawberries, but I personally prefer it uncompromisingly red food coloring and in bulk, as it better camouflages the brown chocolate without altering the flavor.
Be careful when assembling this recipe as the dough may stain so you may not want kids assembling it (better to get them frosting).
How to serve Red Velvet Cupcakes
Here I’ve transformed red velvet cakes into little red cupcakes and topped with a dollop of cream cheese frosting, they make a colorful and delicious dessert for late winter picnics and are especially cute for Valentine’s Day or the 4th of July when topped with some blueberries.
How to store Red Velvet Cupcakes
- Frosted Cupcakes: You can keep the frosted cupcakes at room temperature for a few days. If your kitchen is warmer than 70°F or your cupcakes have been out for a while, refrigerate them.
- Unfrosted Cupcakes: Store the unfrozen cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature. Frost within 2 days. To freeze baked cupcakes without icing, wrap them individually in plastic and seal in a plastic bag or tub. Best used within a month.
- Cream Cheese Frosting:Frosting will keep refrigerated for up to a week and frozen for up to 2 months. Allow the frosting to come up to temperature before frosting the cupcakes.
If you want to freeze the frosted cupcakes, pre-freeze them so the frosting will keep its shape. Then wrap each pre-frozen cupcake in plastic wrap and seal in a ziplock bag or plastic tub. Eat within a month for the bast flavor.
Swaps & Substitutions
- For the Dutch processed cocoa you can use natural cocoa powder.
- You can use all-purpose flour instead of cake flour, although the cupcakes won’t turn out as light and tender.
- If you don’t have buttermilk, add 1 tablespoon of distilled white vinegar to 1 cup of milk and let sit for 10 minutes.
- You can use gel food coloring, but use less than the 1 1/2 tablespoons liquid food coloring required. Stir into the buttermilk mixture, one dab at a time, until a rich red color.
CONTINUE READING:
Try these other cupcake recipes!
- Double Chocolate Cupcakes
- Coconut Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Apple Carrot Cupcakes
- Gluten Free Chocolate Banana Cupcakes
From the editors of Simply Recipes
Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
You can make your own buttermilk by adding a tablespoon of distilled white vinegar to the milk and letting it sit for about 10 minutes.
ingredients
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1 1/2 cups sugar
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1/2 cup (1 floor) unsalted butterroom temperature
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2 big eggs, room temperature
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2 1/3 cups cake flour
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2 tablespoon Cocoa powder processed in the Netherlands
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1 teaspoon baking soda
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1 teaspoon baking powder
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1/2 teaspoon Salt
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1 Cup buttermilk
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1 1/2 tablespoon red food coloring
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1 teaspoon vanilla extract
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1 teaspoon distilled white wine vinegar
Cream Cheese Frosting:
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1/2 Cup (1 double crochet) Butter, room temperature
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8th ounces cream cheeseroom temperature
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2 to 3 cups powdered sugar
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1 teaspoon vanilla extract
method
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Preheat oven to 350°F:
Line a muffin tin with muffin paper.
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Make the cupcake batter:
Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed for 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating until each is fully incorporated. Be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl to ensure even mixing.
In a large bowl, sift together cake flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl, whisk together buttermilk, vinegar, vanilla extract, and red food coloring.
Add 1/4 of the dry ingredients and mix, then add 1/3 of the wet. Mix until just combined to avoid over-mixing. Continue adding in a dry, wet, dry pattern, ending with the dry ingredients.
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Share the cupcake batter:
Scoop it into cupcake papers about 1/2 to 3/4 of the way full.
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Bake cupcakes:
Bake for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. After the first 15 minutes of baking, rotate the pan to ensure even baking.
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Cool the cupcakes:
Allow the cupcakes to cool in the pan for a minute, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
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Prepare glaze:
Beat the butter and cream cheese for the frosting for about 3 minutes. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure even mixing. Add vanilla extract and mix. Add powdered sugar, taste continuously until the desired sweetness is reached. (See Cream Cheese Frosting for full instructions.)
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Frost the cupcakes:
Pipe onto the cooled cupcakes and enjoy!
| nutritional information (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 263 | calories |
| 12g | Fat |
| 38g | carbohydrates |
| 3g | protein |
