Get ready to fall in love with the BEST red velvet cupcakes! They are rich, buttery, and incredibly moist with a light and airy texture. The sweet, tangy cream cheese frosting on top is absolutely perfect!
These red velvet cupcakes are a mini, slightly adapted version of my favorite red velvet cake recipe. They taste just as delicious and are so easy to make! From start to finish the cupcakes only take about 30 minutes, and then you just have to wait for them to cool enough before topping them with the best sweet, tangy cream cheese frosting.
Cupcake Ingredients:
- Cake flour: Cake flour gives the cupcakes a light, airy ("velvet") texture. It can be found in the baking aisle next to the regular flour.
- Cocoa powder: A hint of chocolate flavor is key for red velvet cupcakes.
- Baking soda: Baking soda is a leavener that works with acidic ingredients to make the cupcakes rise.
- Butter: Red velvet is known for its rich, buttery flavor. Creaming the butter with sugar also whips air into the butter which helps make the cupcakes light and airy.
- Eggs (room temperature): Room temperature eggs mix into the batter more easily and evenly which makes for less mixing. To quickly bring eggs to room temperature, place them in a bowl of lukewarm water(not hot!) for 5- 10 minutes.
- Sour cream + buttermilk: These both add a ton of moisture and provide the acidity that reacts with the baking soda and causes the cupcakes to rise.
- White vinegar: A very small addition of vinegar in the batter (adds no flavor) ensures the baking soda has plenty of acidic ingredients to work with to make sure the cupcakes rise.
- Red food coloring: Gel or liquid red food coloring. Mix in the food coloring last and add more until you're happy with the color.
How to Make Red Velvet Cupcakes:
- Preheat your oven to 350° and line a 12-count muffin pan with cupcake liners.
- Add the cake flour to a medium bowl and use a sieve to sift in the cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a large bowl, beat the softened butter with the sugar until smooth and creamy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add eggs, one at a time, and mix until just combined after each. Add the vanilla extract, white vinegar, sour cream, and buttermilk. Mix until smooth and scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until smooth. Mix in the red food coloring and add more until you're happy with the color.
- Pour the batter evenly into cupcake liners, filling them almost all the way full. Tap the pan on the counter to release any trapped air bubbles and bake in the preheated oven for 15-17 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean when the cupcakes are done.
- Let the cupcakes cool slightly before removing them from the pan, then let them cool completely in the fridge or freezer before frosting.
Tips for Making Red Velvet Cupcakes:
- If you don't have cake flour you can also easily make your own: Take 1 and ¼ cups all-purpose flour + ¼ cup cornstarch. Then just sift them together a few times, and you have cake flour!
- Measure the flour correctly: Stir the flour around in the bag to loosen it up, then lightly spoon it into your measuring cup and level it off with the flat side of a knife. Don't pack the flour into the measuring cup.
- Make sure you use unsalted butter and let it soften completely to room temperature. Leave it out on the counter for at least 1 hour to come to room temperature. Properly softened butter should be firm enough to hold its shape but easily pliable when gently pressed in.
- It's always best to use unsalted butter for baking. If salted butter is all you have, leave out the extra salt in the recipe.
Make the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- ½ cup (1 stick) salted or unsalted butter, softened to room temperature.
- 1 - 8 oz. package block-style cream cheese, softened to room temperature.
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract (I used clear)
- 3 cups powdered sugar
In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with the softened butter until smooth. Add in the vanilla extract and powdered sugar and mix until smooth.
How to Frost Cupcakes:
To pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes you will need a piping bag and a piping tip, I used a Wilton 1M tip which is an open star tip that looks like the nozzle on a can of whipped cream.
To pipe the frosting, start in the center of the cupcake and then work your way to the outside edge. Slowly pipe the frosting around the outside edge of the cupcake, and then work your way back towards the center. I find it easier to go in a counter-clockwise direction.
Tips for Frosting Cupcakes:
- Make sure your frosting is completely softened to room temperature or it will be really difficult to pipe.
- Only fill the piping bag about halfway full. If you overfill the bag then frosting can start to come out the other end and create a big mess.
- To add the frosting to your piping bag, place the bag with the tip facing down inside a tall glass. Fold the edges of the bag down around the outside of the glass and use a rubber spatula to add the frosting to the inside. Pull the edges up and squeeze the frosting down towards the tip to get rid of any air bubbles.
More Cake Recipes:
- Chocolate Bundt Cake
- Caramel Cheesecake
- Eggnog Cupcakes
- Berry Cream Cake
- Chocolate Peppermint Cheesecake
📖 RECIPE
Red Velvet Cupcakes
Get ready to fall in love with the BEST red velvet cupcakes! They are incredibly moist with a light and airy texture, and the tangy cream cheese frosting on top is like the perfect bow that ties the whole thing together.
Print Pin RateServings: 12 cupcakes
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 and ½ cups cake flour*
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
- ½ cup butter, unsalted and softened to room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup buttermilk
- ½ cup full-fat sour cream
- ¼ teaspoon white vinegar
- gel or liquid red food coloring
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 1 - 8 oz. package block-style, full-fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- ½ cup salted or unsalted butter (1 stick), softened to room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a 12-count muffin pan with cupcake liners.
- Add the cake flour to a medium bowl and use a sieve to sift in the cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a large bowl, beat the softened butter with the sugar until smooth and creamy. Add the room temperature eggs, one at a time, and mix until just combined after each. Add the vanilla extract, white vinegar, sour cream, and buttermilk. Mix until smooth and scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Don't overmix.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and use a whisk to mix until smooth. Mix in the red food coloring and add more, a little at a time, until you’re happy with the color.
- Pour the batter evenly into cupcake liners, filling them almost all the way to the top. Gently tap the pan on the counter to release any trapped air bubbles and bake the cupcakes in the preheated oven for 15-17 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean when the cupcakes are done.
- Let the cupcakes cool slightly before removing them from the pan, then let them cool completely in the fridge or freezer before frosting.
- Make the cream cheese frosting: In a large bowl, use a hand-held mixer to beat the softened cream cheese and the softened butter until smooth. Add the vanilla extract and the powdered sugar and mix until smooth and creamy.
- Frost the cooled cupcakes as desired and serve. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Notes
*To make your own cake flour take 1 and ¼ cups all-purpose flour + ¼ cup cornstarch and sift them together a few times. Unfrosted cupcakes can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cupcake (frosted) | Calories: 478kcal | Carbohydrates: 60.3g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 25.1g | Saturated Fat: 15.5g | Cholesterol: 97mg | Sodium: 297mg | Potassium: 98mg | Fiber: 0.6g | Sugar: 46.8g | Calcium: 50mg | Iron: 1mg
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