Easy Red Velvet Cupcakes

One Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Icing sprinkled with cake crumbs and more cupcakes in the background - 4

Red Cupcakes swirled with frosting and sprinkled with cake crumbs and more cupcakes in the background. - 5

This recipe for Easy Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting makes a delectable treat that’s a snap to throw together!

Red Cupcakes swirled with frosting and sprinkled with cake crumbs and more cupcakes in the background. - 6

Red Velvet Cupcakes With Cream Cheese Frosting

There’s something about a red velvet cake that just makes you feel good. For me, It’s not just the taste, but the nostalgia it brings. Memories of family, holidays, and home. I think these cupcakes should be loved all year long – not saved for special occasions.

These little beauties are soft and fluffy. The cake is a bright, beautiful red, topped with a tangy, sweet, cream cheese frosting, these cupcakes are the perfect treat.

Why This Recipe Works

Using a combination of butter and oil adds flavor as well as moisture.
Buttermilk adds acid to help the baking soda do its job, giving the cupcakes a super moist crumb, and a tangy flavor.
Vinegar provides extra acidity to ensure the best possible rise for a light, fluffy cake.

What Flavor Is Red Velvet

Red velvet cake has a light chocolate flavor with a hint of vanilla and tangy notes that come from the buttermilk and vinegar.

Easy Cupcakes Recipe

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This recipe is super simple to make. In just three steps the batter is ready. There’s no need for a mixer or special equipment. You just sift together the dry ingredients, mix the wet with the food coloring, and mix them together! It’s that simple!

Why Vinegar Is Added To Red Velvet Cake

Vinegar is an acid that activates baking soda. Combined with the buttermilk that’s also used, the extra acidity ensures the cake rises well, producing a light, fluffy cake. Not only that, but it also enhances the tanginess that the buttermilk provides.

How To Make Red Velvet Cupcakes

Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl. Set aside.

A mound of sifted flour and cocoa powder - 8

In a small bowl, whisk together the cooled butter, buttermilk, eggs, vinegar, vanilla, and red food coloring. Set aside.

a jug of the wet ingredients mixed with the red food coloring - 9

If you don’t have any buttermilk you can make your own.

1 cup of milk plus 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice is equal to one cup of buttermilk.

In a large mixing bowl combine the dry ingredients with the wet until smooth.

Add the batter to the prepared cup cake pan (I use an ice cream scoop to make sure they are all the same size).

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Bake for approximately 20 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

While the cupcakes cool, prepare the frosting by adding powdered sugar to a large bowl with the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla.

a bowl of powdered sugar with butter, cream cheese, and vanilla - 13

Mix together until smooth (start with the lowest setting on the mixer and increase once the sugar gets mixed in).

Pipe or spread the frosting over the cooled cupcakes before serving. You can also decorate with crumbs taken from each cupcake before serving.

a Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Icing sprinkled with cake crumbs and more cupcake in the background - 15

Tips For best Results

Don’t skip sifting of the dry ingredients as it helps produce a light, fluffy cake.
Don’t over mix the batter. Over mixing will result in a heavy, dense cake. When in doubt – mix by hand.
Be sure to measure your ingredients properly . Baking is a science. If you are not exact, things won’t work as expected.
Leave the cupcakes alone as they bake. Don’t open the oven door as cupcakes need consistent heat to rise properly. Your patience will pay off.
Always sift the sugar for the frosting to avoid lumps.
Using the right cream cheese is the key to making the perfect cream cheese frosting. Be sure to use the full-fat cream cheese that comes in a block. Low fat and tubbed varieties will result in a runny frosting.

Can cupcakes be frozen?

Yes, cupcakes freeze well. Just put the cooled, unfrosted cupcakes in a sealed freezer bag and freeze for up to three months.

How do you store frosted cupcakes?

Frosted cupcakes should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature. Resist the urge to store cupcakes in the refrigerator as it will quickly dry them out so it’s best to avoid doing so unless it’s very hot in your house.

Is a red velvet cake just a chocolate cake?

No, red velvet cake is not chocolate cake although it does have a mild chocolate flavor. It’s made using cocoa powder, vanilla, and buttermilk for flavor.

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Ingredients

For the cake:

▢ 1½ cups granulated sugar
▢ 2½ cups all-purpose/plain flour
▢ 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
▢ 1 teaspoon baking powder
▢ 1 teaspoons baking soda
▢ 1 teaspoon salt
▢ 8 oz butter ((1 cup/2 sticks) melted and cooled)
▢ 2 large eggs
▢ 1 cup buttermilk
▢ 1 teaspoon vinegar
▢ 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
▢ 1 tablespoon red food coloring gel

For the Frosting:

▢ 2 cups powdered sugar ((plus more if needed) sifted)
▢ 4 oz butter softened ((½ cup/1 stick) softened)
▢ 8 oz cream cheese ((a full-fat block) softened)
▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

For The Cupcakes

Preheat oven to 350 f/180c and prepare the pan with cupcake papers
Sift together the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl. Set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk together the cooled butter, buttermilk, eggs, vinegar vanilla, and red food coloring. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl combine the dry ingredients with the wet until smooth.
Add the batter to the prepared cap cake pan (I use an ice cream scoop to make sure they are all the same size).
Bake for approximately 20 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean.
Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes in the pan before transferring them onto a wire rack.

For the Frosting

Add 2 cups of sugar to a large bowl with the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla. Mix together until smooth (start with the lowest setting on the mixer and increase once the sugar gets mixed in.)
If the frosting seems too soft, mix in more sifted sugar a half cup at a time until it reaches the desired consistency.

To Assemble

Pipe or spread the frosting over the cooled cupcakes before serving.

Tips

Don’t skip sifting of the dry ingredients as it helps produce a light, fluffy cake.
Don’t over mix the batter. Over mixing will result in a heavy, dense cake. When in doubt – mix by hand.
Be sure to measure your ingredients properly . Baking is a science. If you are not exact, things won’t work as expected.
Leave the cupcakes alone as they bake. Don’t open the oven door as cupcakes need consistent heat to rise properly. Your patience will pay off.
Always sift the sugar for the frosting to avoid lumps.
Using the right cream cheese is the key to making the perfect cream cheese frosting. Be sure to use the full-fat cream cheese that comes in a block. Low fat and tubbed varieties will result in a runny frosting.
If you don’t have any buttermilk you can make your own . 1 cup of milk plus 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice is equal to one cup of buttermilk.

Nutrition

Update Notes: This recipe was originally posted in 2014, but was republished in 2020 with new photos and tips.