My red velvet cupcake recipe bakes up chocolatey and just the right amount of dense, meaning they won’t fall apart when you peel back that wrapper (nothing worse than a crumbly cupcake!). The secret to making red velvet is to mix the dry ingredients first, then slowly bring in the wet ones. Finish them off with my classic cream cheese frosting, and you’re all set!
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Red Velvet Cupcakes Ingredients
For the Cupcakes
- All-Purpose Flour: You can use gluten-free. Cake flour (even homemade) will make lighter cupcakes.
- Granulated Sugar: Basic white sugar is perfect.
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: Use natural cocoa like Hershey’s, or Dutch-process if that’s what you have.
- Baking Soda & Kosher Salt: Make sure your baking soda is fresh!
- Vegetable Oil: Any neutral oil like canola also works fine.
- Buttermilk: Store-bought or homemade (mix milk with a splash of vinegar or lemon juice and let it sit for 5 minutes).
- Egg: Room temp is best.
- Coffee: If you don’t drink coffee and have leftovers, you can use instant espresso and make it according to the package directions and measure out the 2 tablespoons for this red velvet cupcake recipe. It’s great to keep on hand in your pantry for recipes like this!
- Vanilla Extract: Pure vanilla is best.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: White vinegar or lemon juice can be swapped in.
- Red Food Coloring: Liquid is my go-to here, but gel or paste gives you a brighter red. Natural color (like beet juice) works too, just less vibrant. You can also switch it up to blue coloring for gorgeous blue velvet cupcakes!
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- Unsalted Butter: Room temp is important. You can use salted butter, just leave out extra salt.
- Cream Cheese: If you don’t have full-fat block cream cheese, go for mascarpone.
- Powdered Sugar: Grab some or make your own.
- Kosher Salt & Vanilla Extract: The higher quality the vanilla extract, the better. McCormick’s pure vanilla extract is SO good!
How To Make Red Velvet Cupcakes
Prep Your Muffin Tin
Step 1: Line your muffin tin with paper cups. You can also spray it liberally with nonstick baking spray.
Mix the Cupcake Batter
Step 2: Add flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt to the bowl of your stand mixer.
Step 3: Mix on low speed.
Step 4: Slowly add the oil and buttermilk. The mixture will look chunky.
Step 5: Increase the speed to medium-low and add the egg, combining well and scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
Step 6: Slowly add the coffee, vanilla, vinegar, and food coloring.
Step 7: Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix the batter until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
Scoop and Bake
Step 8: Divide the batter evenly among the prepared cups, filling each cup 2/3 of the way.
Step 9: Bake until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs (don’t overbake!), rotating the pan halfway. Cool in the pan briefly, then transfer to a platter to cool completely.
Mix the Frosting and Frost the Cupcakes Up!
Step 10: Add butter and cream cheese to the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on high speed until it begins to thicken and become fluffy.
Step 11: Add the salt and vanilla and stir in.
Step 12: Reduce the mixer speed to low and add in the powdered sugar.
Step 13: Return the mixer to high once all the sugar is incorporated, and continue whipping for a few more minutes.
Step 14: To assemble, pipe or scoop the frosting on top of the cooled cupcakes and serve!
Red Velvet Cupcake Recipe
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Equipment
- Cupcake tin
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes
- 1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour sifted
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup + 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- ½ cup buttermilk room temperature
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 2 tablespoons coffee strong and hot
- 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons liquid red food coloring
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- ¼ cup unsalted butter ½ stick, room temperature
- 8 ounces 1 block cream cheese somewhat softened but still stiff
- 1 ½ cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325°F and place the rack in the middle position. Prepare a cupcake tin either by lining with paper cups or by spraying liberally with nonstick baking spray.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt and mix on low speed.
- Slowly add the oil and buttermilk. The mixture will look chunky.
- Increase the speed to medium-low and add the egg, combining well and scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
- Slowly add the coffee, vanilla, vinegar, and food coloring. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix the batter until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
- Divide the batter evenly among the prepared cups, filling each cup 2/3 of the way. Bake for 18-20 minutes, turning the pan halfway through baking. The cupcakes are done baking when an inserted toothpick comes out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs attached. Do not overbake.
- Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then remove the cupcakes from the pan and place on the serving platter. Let cool completely, about 30 minutes.
- While cooling, make the frosting by adding butter and cream cheese to the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on high speed until it begins to thicken and become fluffy.
- Next, reduce the mixer speed to low and add in the powdered sugar. Once all the sugar is incorporated, return the mixer to high to continue whipping, about 2 minutes.
- Finally, add the salt and vanilla and stir in.
- To assemble, pipe or scoop the frosting on top of the cooled cupcakes and serve.
Notes
- Sift that powdered sugar. Do it once or twice, and your frosting will be silky smooth and lump-free. Exactly what you want on your red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting!
- Room temp ingredients are your best friends. Everything (except that hot coffee) blends way better when it’s not ice-cold.
- Don’t overmix the batter. Once it’s combined, step away from the mixer, boos! Too much mixing leaves you with tough cupcakes.
- Keep that oven door closed. Don’t peek until the end, or your red velvet cupcakes might sink in the middle.
Nutrition
Recipe Tips
- Sift your powdered sugar. Doing it once or twice keeps your frosting smooth and lump-free.
- Room temp ingredients are key! Everything (except that hot coffee) mixes easier and gives you a fluffier cupcake.
- Don’t overmix. Once the batter’s combined, stop mixing boos. Overdoing it makes cupcakes tough.
- Keep the oven door closed. Don’t peek until the end, or your easy red velvet cupcakes might sink in the middle.
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Recipe Help
You probably opened the oven door too early. Tat quick temp drop will make them collapse. If you didn’t, check your baking soda (might be old) or your oven temp (might not be accurate). Grab an oven thermometer and double-check it.
Hot coffee blooms the cocoa, which brings out that deep, rich chocolate flavor. Cold or lukewarm coffee won’t do the same thing.
Chill it in the fridge for 15-20 minutes, then whip it again. If it’s still too loose, add a little more powdered sugar.
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