These Red Velvet Cupcakes are fluffy and moist with a subtle chocolate flavor and topped with whipped cream cheese frosting. They practically melt in your mouth and are perfect for Christmas, Valentine’s Day, or any celebration.
Red velvet desserts are my go-to for holidays because the red and white contrast feels both romantic and festive. A bright red cake topped with white cream cheese frosting is hard to resist.
This easy red velvet cupcake recipe yields cupcakes so tender and moist the liners often peel away effortlessly.
The recipe uses buttermilk for tang and tenderness. If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, you can make a quick substitute—details below.
Red Velvet Cupcakes
What makes red velvet different from a chocolate cupcake? Red velvet is essentially a vanilla-based cupcake with a touch of cocoa, plus a slight tang from buttermilk and vinegar. Red food coloring gives it the classic scarlet hue, while the fine crumb and buttery flavor keep the texture velvety.
Paired with a lightly sweet whipped cream cheese frosting, these cupcakes are a crowd-pleaser.
Ingredients in Red Velvet Cupcakes
Most ingredients are pantry staples. Below are the key components and useful notes on substitutions:
- All-Purpose Flour – Works fine here; stirring, spooning, and leveling are important when measuring. If you have cake flour, it can replace the all-purpose flour plus cornstarch.
- Cocoa Powder – Adds a subtle chocolate note; regular or Dutch-processed cocoa both work.
- Cornstarch – Helps mimic the tenderness of cake flour by limiting gluten formation. You can omit it and use a little more flour, but cornstarch improves the velvety texture.
- Baking Powder – Leavening agent; double-acting is standard.
- Salt – Enhances overall flavor.
- Unsalted Butter – Room temperature for easy creaming and better flavor control.
- Granulated Sugar – Sweetens the cupcakes; you can pulse it briefly in a food processor to make a finer sugar (caster sugar) if desired.
- Large Eggs – Room temperature eggs incorporate better and help with structure.
- Oil – Adds extra moisture; using both butter and oil keeps the cake tender and flavorful.
- Buttermilk – Adds acidity and tenderness; bring it to room temperature before using. See substitute below if needed.
- Red Food Coloring – Liquid or gel. This recipe uses about 1 tablespoon liquid food coloring; if using gel, a few drops usually suffice.
- Distilled White Vinegar – Adds tang and reacts with cocoa to develop color and flavor.
- Vanilla Extract – Enhances flavor; clear vanilla can be used if you want to preserve color.
No buttermilk? Mix 1 cup regular milk with 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar or lemon juice and let sit 5–10 minutes until slightly curdled. Use in place of the buttermilk called for in the recipe.
Red Velvet Chemical Reaction – Vinegar
Red velvet gets some of its character from acidity. Buttermilk and vinegar both contribute tang and react with compounds in cocoa powder to deepen the color and sharpen the flavor. Still, to achieve the bright red most people expect, you’ll want to add red food coloring—the cocoa and acid are what make it authentically red velvet rather than just a dyed white cake.
Sifting the Dry Ingredients
For the finest, most tender crumb, sift the flour, cocoa, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt at least twice. Sifting incorporates air and ensures even distribution; a sieve or fine mesh strainer works well. Pro tip: sift onto parchment to make pouring easier.
How to make Red Velvet Cupcakes
These cupcakes come together quickly with a stand mixer or hand mixer:
- Cream room-temperature butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.
- Add eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition to emulsify the batter.
- Mix in oil, buttermilk, red food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla until combined. Scrape the bowl.
- Fold in the sifted dry ingredients and mix just until incorporated. Avoid over-mixing.
- Spoon the batter into lined muffin tins (about 2/3 full). A #24 scoop makes even portions and yields about 20 cupcakes.
- Bake at 350°F (175°C) for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Let cupcakes cool completely before frosting.
Cream Cheese Frosting
Cream cheese frosting is the classic partner for red velvet. A whipped cream cheese frosting keeps the topping light while still delivering that tangy, sweet finish. For the pictured cupcakes you may need 1.5–2 times a standard frosting batch to pile it high.
Baking Tips and Storage
Sift the dry ingredients. This is especially important when using all-purpose flour instead of cake flour—sifting twice gives a lighter, airier crumb.
Use room-temperature ingredients. Let eggs, butter, and buttermilk sit at room temperature for 30–60 minutes before mixing so the batter combines evenly.
Use a scoop for even cupcakes. A #24 scoop helps portion the batter so cupcakes bake uniformly and look consistent.
Refrigerate leftovers. Store frosted or unfrosted cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Remove 20–30 minutes before serving to take the chill off.
Freeze for longer storage. Wrap cupcakes individually or in small groups in plastic wrap and place in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature. If freezing with frosting, flash-freeze until firm, wrap individually, then transfer to a container; thaw in the fridge overnight or at room temperature for 1–2 hours.
More Red Velvet Desserts
- Red Velvet Cake Roll
- Red Velvet Brownies
- Mini Red Velvet Cheesecakes
- Red Velvet Truffles
- Red Velvet White Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Red Velvet Waffles with Cream Cheese Drizzle
- Red Velvet Skillet Cookie
- Red Velvet Blossoms
- Red Velvet Cheese Ball
Red Velvet Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups (210 g) all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup (27 g) cocoa powder
- ¼ cup (40 g) cornstarch
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, room temperature (1 stick)
- 1 ½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- ¼ cup (59 ml) oil (canola or vegetable)
- 1 cup (237 ml) buttermilk, room temperature
- 1 Tbsp red food coloring
- 1 Tbsp distilled white vinegar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line muffin tins with paper liners.
- Sift the flour, cocoa, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt twice.
- Cream the butter and sugar in a stand mixer until pale and fluffy.
- Add eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition.
- Add oil, buttermilk, red food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla. Mix to combine and scrape the bowl.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until just combined; do not overmix.
- Use a #24 scoop to divide batter into cups; this yields about 20 cupcakes.
- Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Cool completely before frosting.
Notes
- To make buttermilk: stir 1 cup milk with 1 Tbsp white vinegar and let sit 5–10 minutes until slightly curdled. Use the entire mixture.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature 20–30 minutes before serving.
- Freeze cupcakes wrapped in plastic in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature.
- If freezing frosted cupcakes, freeze until firm, then wrap individually and return to the freezer. Thaw in the fridge overnight or at room temperature for 1–2 hours.
Nutrition
Recipe adapted from a classic red velvet cupcake recipe.
*Originally published 12/7/11.