There’s nothing quite like a decadent piece of red velvet cupcakes covered in cream cheese frosting is there?
Red velvet cupcakes are so much more than a white or chocolate cake tinted red. Some say red velvet is popular because of the rich flavor and bright, vibrant color.
This iconic cake started in the south and is a masterpiece of flavors, textures, and compliments sweet frosting. Today you’ll learn all my tips and tricks that I’ve picked up from the bakery so you can create your own Red Velvet Cupcakes at home!
I’ve worked this recipe a ton, and I have really strived to give this cake its own unique flavor. Of course, you get hints of chocolate and vanilla, but my secret ingredient is cinnamon!
The hint of cinnamon gives the red velvet cupcakes a warm and comforting flavor that really makes the red velvet its own cake!
As the traditional cake recipe goes you add the tangy buttermilk to make it fluffy while the light spice of the cinnamon is a perfect complement to cream cheese frosting.
Red Velvet is one of my most popular flavors, and I love making it around all year round but especially around the holidays because the deep red color is so vibrant and festive!
Are you ready, let’s get started!
How to Make Red Velvet Cupcakes
You’ll start by preheating the oven to 350℉. In a large mixing bowl, combine all-purpose flour, cornstarch, milk cocoa powder, sugar, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon. Whisk all the dry mix ingredients together to sift the dry mix ingredients and de-clump the flour. I find that whisking the dry ingredients is a fast, easy way to sift larger amounts of dry ingredients.
In a stand mixer bowl with a whisk attachment, combine the vegetable oil, eggs, liquid red food color, and vanilla extract. Carefully mix together on low speed. Make sure it’s on low speed or else the red food color will get everywhere. It’s quite tricky to clean up later. Continue to mix until all the wet ingredient has incorporated together, you don’t want to see any more streaks of eggs.
On low speed gradually add ⅓ of the dry mix ingredients into the wet ingredients bowl then add ½ of the amount of buttermilk and another ⅓ of the dry mix. At this stage stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
Next, begin the mixer again on low speed and add the other ½ of the buttermilk. Then add the last ⅓ of the dry mix. Slightly increase the speed to medium and mix until the cake batter is smooth.
It’s Time to Bake
Once all ingredients are incorporated, and you no longer see any buttermilk or dry mix, stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl including the center of the bowl where the dry mix might have settled.
Then line the cupcake pans with paper liners and use an ice cream scoop or ⅓ measuring cup to portion out the cupcakes. Use a slightly rounded scoop of the cake batter to fill each cupcake liner. A single batch of this recipe makes enough for 20-24 regular size cupcakes. Place the cupcake pans into the oven and bake for 18-20 minutes.
After 18 minutes, carefully check the cakes with a toothpick. If the toothpick comes out clean, then the cupcakes are done, if not add 2 more minutes and recheck them.
Let’s Get Decorating
Once the cupcakes are done baking, take them out of the oven and set aside to cool. After about 5 minutes, or until you can touch the pans, of cooling in the pan remove from the cupcake pans to finish cooling, this prevents the cupcakes from drying out and over baking.
Cool completely and frost with cream cheese buttercream. Decorate by placing the frosting into a pastry piping bag with a star tip. Swirl the frosting on each cupcake into the desired design. Add sprinkles or dried red velvet cake crumbs around the edges for a fun tasty decoration. Serve and enjoy!
You May Also Enjoy:
- Spicy Red Hot Red Velvet Cake (recipe)
- 10 Scratch Made Frostings for Beginner Bakers (tutorial)
- How to Cut & Serve Cake (free guide)
- Common Baking Mistakes & How to Avoid Them (free ebook)
- Cake Planning Checklist (freebie)
- How to Decorate Your First Cake (free course)
There you have it, Red Velvet is so much more than colored chocolate or vanilla cake. This cupcake recipe is full of flavor and truly is its own. Enjoy making and decorating your own homemade red velvet cupcakes!
Happy Baking!
Hey, if you liked this tutorial, you really should check out, Cake Decorating Creator Program, my online cake program. I coach you on everything I teach on these cake tutorials so that you can uplevel your baking and decorating skills. We 10x it so you get the results you want most. Like any new skill, it’s important to learn from the ground up to build a foundation, so you can take on any cake challenge. It is an investment your future self will thank you for. Check it out at XOKatieRosario.com/creator-program. I will see you there!
Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
Red velvet cupcakes are a popular flavor that’s rich flavor and bright, vibrant color. Homemade Red Velvet cupcakes are so much more than dyed chocolate or vanilla cake.
Ingredients
Red Velvet Cupcakes Dry Mix Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/2 cup milk cocoa powder
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Red Velvet Cupcakes Wet Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
- 2 whole eggs
- 2 Tablespoons liquid red food color
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1 cup or 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup or 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 3 - 4 cups powdered sugar (sifted or whisked to de-clump)
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
Red Velvet Cupcakes
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Preheat the oven to 350℉.
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In a large mixing bowl, combine all-purpose flour, cornstarch, milk cocoa powder, sugar, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper. Whisk all the dry mix ingredients together to sift the dry mix ingredients and de-clump the flour.
-
In a stand mixer bowl with a whisk attachment, combine vegetable oil, eggs, red food color, and vanilla. Carefully mix together on low speed. Continue to mix until all the wet ingredient has incorporated together.
-
On low speed slowly add ⅓ of the dry mix ingredients into the wet ingredients then add ½ of the buttermilk and another ⅓ of the dry mix. At this stage stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
-
Next, begin the mixer again on low speed and add ½ of the buttermilk. Then add the last ⅓ of the dry mix. Continue to mix until the cake batter is smooth. Once all ingredients are, and you no longer see any buttermilk or dry mix, stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl including the center of the bowl where the flour might have settled.
-
Then line the cupcake pans with paper liners and use an ice cream scoop or ⅓ measuring cup to portion out the cupcakes. Use a slightly rounded scoop of the cake batter to fill each cupcake liner. A single batch of this recipe makes enough for 20-24 regular size cupcakes. Place the cupcake pans into the oven and bake for 18-20 minutes.
-
After 18 minutes, carefully check the cakes with a toothpick. If the toothpick comes out clean, then the cupcakes are done, if not add 2 more minutes and recheck them.
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Once the cupcakes are done baking, take them out of the oven and set aside to cool. After about 5 minutes, or until you can touch the pans, of cooling in the pan remove from the cupcake pans to finish cooling, this prevents the cupcakes from drying out and over baking.
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Cool completely and frost with cream cheese buttercream. Decorate by placing the frosting into a pastry piping bag with a star tip. Swirl the frosting on each cupcake into the desired design. Add sprinkles or dried red velvet cake crumbs around the edges for a fun tasty decoration. Serve and enjoy!
Cream Cheese Frosting
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In a stand mixer bowl, combine the butter and cream cheese. Blend on medium-high until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to make sure the butter and cream cheese is really smooth. Continue to cream them together until light and fluffy about 5 minutes.
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Next, add the salt and vanilla extract. Add in half of the powdered sugar then scrape down the sides of the bowl.
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Then add the other half of the powdered sugar. Once all the powdered sugar has been added turn up the speed gradually and mix on medium-high until the frosting is smooth and creamy but do not overmix or else the frosting will become soupy.
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Refrigerate the frosting for 10 minutes to set and firm it up.
Recipe Notes
Important note: makes sure the cakes or cupcakes are cooled completely. Cream cheese frosting typically does not do well in warm weather, so it’s always best to refrigerate the cake to make sure it doesn’t melt.
Pro Tip: use the block of cream cheese, not cream cheese spread. Cream cheese is sold in 8-ounce blocks, and you’ll need 1 block of the full-fat stuff for the best results. I’ve gotten many questions about cream cheese frosting being too runny, but you can quickly fix this by using the block of cream cheese.
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