Red Velvet Cupcakes

Print Recipe

4.91 from 42 votes

A perfectly, moist and fluffy red velvet cupcake topped with cream cheese frosting.

Prep Time20

Cook Time18

Total Time38

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: cupcakes

Servings: cupcakes

Calories: 302kcal

Author: Heather Perine

Ingredients

For the cupcakes

2½ cups (300 grams) cake flour spooned and leveled
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick, 113 g) unsalted butter softened to room temperature
1½ cups (300 g) granulated white sugar
2 large eggs room temperature
½ cup (120 mL) canola oil
2 Tablespoons (1 oz.) liquid red food coloring
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup (240 mL) buttermilk
1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar

For the frosting:

8 oz. (227 g) cream cheese room temperature
8 tbsp. (113 g) unsalted butter at room temperature
2 tsp. vanilla extract
pinch of salt
4 cups (452 g) confectioners’ (powdered, icing) sugar

Instructions

Prep pans and preheat. Preheat the oven to 350° F/180^oC. Line cupcake pans with paper liners.
Combine dry ingredients. In a mixing bowl, whisk together cake flour, baking soda, cocoa powder, and salt and set aside. 2½ cups (300 grams) cake flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 2 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder 1 teaspoon salt
Cream butter and sugar. In a second mixing bowl with a hand mixer or in your stand mixer with paddle attachment cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes on medium speed. Add eggs and beat to combine. Add vanilla, oil, and red food coloring. 1/2 cup (1 stick, 113 g) unsalted butter 1½ cups (300 g) granulated white sugar 2 large eggs ½ cup (120 mL) canola oil 2 Tablespoons (1 oz.) liquid red food coloring 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Alternate the flour and buttermilk. Stir vinegar into buttermilk. Add and alternate the flour and buttermilk mixture, starting and ending with the flour mixture into the butter mixture. Beat just until combined. Do not overmix. 1 cup (240 mL) buttermilk 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
Bake. Divide the batter between the prepared paper liners, filling each about 2/3 full. Bake for about 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Frost cooled cupcakes as desired.
Make the frosting. To make the frosting, combine the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat on medium-high speed until well combined and smooth, about 2-3 minutes. Mix in the vanilla extract. Gradually beat in the confectioners’ sugar and pinch of salt until totally incorporated, increase the speed and then beat until smooth. Frost cooled cupcakes as desired. (I used a large, unlabeled star tip to frost these cupcakes.) 8 oz. (227 g) cream cheese 8 tbsp. (113 g) unsalted butter 2 tsp. vanilla extract pinch of salt 4 cups (452 g) confectioners’ (powdered, icing) sugar

Video

Notes

Make Ahead and storage: Store any frosted cupcakes covered in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Because of the cream cheese frosting, I recommend storing in the refrigerator. The frosting should not stay out at room temperature. You can make the red velvet cupcakes up to 2 days in advance, unfrosted. Just wrap the unfrosted cupcakes in plastic wrap and keep at room temperature. The frosting can be made up to a week in advance. Just store in your refrigerator for up to a week. You may need to place them back in your mixer and rewhip back to the same consistency. You can also make the cupcakes and freeze for up to 2 months. Learn how to freeze your cupcakes here. Thaw at room temperature then frost.
Cake flour: If you don't have cake flour, you can use AP flour but your cupcakes won't be as light and fluffy. Or you can make your own cake flour by measuring out the 2 1/2 cups AP flour, remove 2 1/2 Tbsp. Replace with 2 1/2 Tbsp. cornstarch and then sift. Results won't be quite the same but will come close!
Buttermilk: If you don't have buttermilk on hand, then you can replace with 1 cup milk, and 1 Tbsp. lemon juice (or vinegar) mixed together. Let it sit for 10 minutes to thicken/react.
Red food coloring: You can reduce or omit the food coloring, or use an all-natural food coloring brand.
Layer cake: Here is my layer cake recipe.
Mini cupcakes: you can bake these into mini cupcakes. You will need to bake them significantly less. I would bake them for 10-12 minutes.

Nutrition