Red Velvet Cupcakes
User Reviews
5
Red Velvet Cupcakes
Description
This recipe for Red Velvet Cupcakes uses a combination of all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, sugar, butter, eggs, buttermilk, vanilla, and red food coloring to create cupcakes with a distinctive red hue and subtle chocolate flavor. The batter is carefully mixed to form a smooth, sandy texture before adding wet ingredients. Baking until springy yields cupcakes with a tender, moist crumb and even rise.
The cream cheese frosting consists of butter, cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, and salt, whipped to a smooth, spreadable consistency. It complements the slight cocoa notes of the cupcakes with its tangy sweetness and creamy texture.
The recipe provides useful tips such as using a kitchen scale for precise measurements, customizing cocoa powder amounts for richer chocolate flavor, and advice on personalizing the red color intensity. It also suggests practical methods to make sour milk if buttermilk is unavailable and warns about food coloring stains. Additionally, adding cupcake crumbles to the frosting can serve as decorative topping.
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes:
- 1⅔ cups all-purpose flour 200g
- 2 teaspoons cocoa powder
- 1 cup granulated sugar 200g
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ cup butter room temperature (170g, unsalted
- 3 large egg room temperature
- 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
- ¾ cup buttermilk 180ml
- red food coloring
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 1½ cups (3 sticks) butter room temperature (340g, unsalted
- 1½ pounds (6 cups) confectioners sugar sifted (720g)
- 16 ounces cream cheese room temperature (452g)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 pinch kosher salt
Instructions
For the Cupcakes:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place 16 cupcake papers in cupcake pans.
- In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, sift the flour, sugar, cocoa powder baking powder, and baking soda tgoether. Add the salt and give it a whisk to combine.
- Cut the room temperature butter into tablespoon-sized pieces then add to the dry ingredients. Using a paddle attachment, mix on low using until a sandy mixture forms.
- In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, vanilla, and food coloring. (Use 1 to 2 tablespoons of liquid food coloring, or 5 to 6 drops of gel food coloring. More will give a richer red.)
- Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients while mixing on low. Mix until combined, scraping the bowl down as needed. Distribute the batter evenly into cupcake papers.
- Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until springy to the touch. Let cool for a few minutes in the pans then remove and cool completely on a wire rack.
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter on medium speed until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Add the room temperature cream cheese, vanilla, and salt to the creamed butter. Beat together on medium speed until well combined. Scrape down the bowl.
- With the mixer on low speed, add the sifted confectioners sugar a cup at a time. Mix until combined. If you’re wanting a stiffer buttercream, keep adding more sifted confectioners sugar until it’s the desired texture or chill the buttercream for a few minutes before piping.
- Transfer the buttercream to a piping bag fitted with a star tip and pipe large dollops on top of each cooled cupcake.
Notes
- Use a kitchen scale to measure ingredients accurately, especially flour, for consistent results.
- Adjust cocoa powder amount to increase chocolate flavor, adding an extra tablespoon if desired; consider adding milk if doing so.
- Customize red color intensity using 1–2 tablespoons of liquid or 5–6 drops of gel food coloring; more for a richer red tone.
- Be cautious with food coloring to avoid stains on hands and surfaces; clean spills promptly.
- If no buttermilk is available, make sour milk by adding vinegar or lemon juice to whole milk and letting it curdle before use.
- For stiffer frosting, increase confectioners’ sugar gradually until desired consistency is reached.
- Use crumbled cupcakes as a garnish for the frosting to add texture and color contrast.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 16cupcakes
Amount Per Serving
Calories 622 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 622kcal | 31% |
| Carbohydrates | 67g | 22% |
| Protein | 5g | 10% |
| Fat | 38g | 58% |
| Saturated Fat | 23g | 115% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 2g | 12% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 10g | 50% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 135mg | 45% |
| Sodium | 202mg | 8% |
| Potassium | 93mg | 2% |
| Fiber | 0.4g | 2% |
| Sugar | 56g | 112% |
| Vitamin A | 1270IU | 25% |
| Calcium | 71mg | 7% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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