Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
User Reviews
4.9
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Prep Time
30 mins
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Cook Time
20 mins
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Cooling
1 hr
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Servings
12 cupcakes
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Calories
392 kcal
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Course
Baked Goods
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Cuisine
American
Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
Description
This recipe produces red velvet cupcakes by combining cake flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt in the dry mix. The wet ingredients include softened butter, caster sugar, eggs, vegetable oil, buttermilk, vanilla extract, white vinegar, and a generous amount of red food coloring. Butter and sugar are creamed until pale and fluffy, then eggs are added individually. The remaining wet ingredients are incorporated before the sifted dry ingredients are gently mixed in to maintain tenderness.
The cupcakes bake to a soft but firm texture with a slightly domed, smooth surface thanks to the use of cake flour and baking powder. The cocoa powder provides a slight chocolate flavor without bitterness. White vinegar helps preserve the red color and tenderize the crumb. The cream cheese frosting is made from softened block cream cheese, butter, vanilla, salt, and sifted powdered sugar for a smooth, pipeable consistency, offering a creamy, tangy finish that balances the sweet cake.
These cupcakes are ideal for celebrations where their bright color and classic frosting style are appreciated. The recipe includes notes on ingredient temperatures and handling to ensure the best texture and rise, such as using room temperature eggs and not over-softened butter.
The choice of cake flour over all-purpose makes a noticeably more tender crumb, while the vinegar and buttermilk contribute to the characteristic flavor and softness. Proper preparation of frosting with block cream cheese rather than spreadable tub varieties helps achieve a stable, creamy topping suitable for piping.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients:
- 1 1/3 cups cake flour (sub plain / all purpose flour, Note 1)
- 1 tbsp cocoa powder , unsweetened (Note 2)
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder (not baking soda, Note 3)
- Pinch of salt
Wet Ingredients:
- 60g / 4 tbsp butter softened (Note 4, unsalted
- 2/3 cup caster sugar aka superfine sugar
- 2 egg at room temperature (Note 5, large
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil (or canola)
- 1/2 cup buttermilk , at room temperature (Note 6)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp white vinegar (Note 7)
- 1 tbsp red food colouring (yes, 1 whole tablespoon!)
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 1/3 cup butter softened (Note 4, unsalted
- 170g / 6oz cream cheese softened (Note 8, Philadelphia brand, block form
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 2 1/2 cups icing sugar sifted (Note 9, soft mixture, powdered sugar
Instructions
Cupcakes:
- Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F (160°C fan). Line a standard 12 hole muffin tin with cupcake liners.
- Sift Dry ingredients together into a bowl.
- Cream butter: Put the butter in a separate bowl and beat on speed 2 for 1 minute with an electric mixer or stand mixer (paddle attachment).
- Cream sugar: Add sugar then beat for a further 2 minutes, same speed, until the butter is very pale yellow, almost white.
- Beat in eggs: Add the eggs one at a time beating for 30 seconds on speed 1 after each addition.
- Add remaining Wet ingredients: Add oil, buttermilk, vanilla and red food colouring then beat on Speed 1 until incorporated and the batter is smooth.
- Beat in flour: Sprinkle the Dry ingredients across the surface and mix on Speed 1 for just 20 seconds. Scrape down sides of the bowl, then mix again for 10 seconds. The batter should now be smooth - few small lumps is ok. Do not keep beating - overworks batter = cupcakes not as soft!
- Fill pan: Divide the batter between the 12 cupcake liners - it should fill 3/4 of the way, but it depends on the size of the cupcake liners you use.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the middle cupcake comes out clean.
- Cool: Immediately remove cupcakes onto a wire rack. Cool completely before frosting with cream cheese frosting.
Frosting:
- Cream butter: Place butter in a bowl and beat for 1 minute until it's smooth and starts to become paler in colour - speed 6 on stand mixer, speed 9 for electric beater.
- Cream cream cheese: Add cream cheese then beat for a further 1 minute on the same speed until smooth.
- Add icing sugar: Add icing sugar in 4 batches, beating in between until incorporated, starting on speed 1 so you don't get a dust storm in your face!
- Beat until fluffy: Add vanilla and salt, then beat for 2 minutes until fluffy - speed 6 with stand mixer, speed 9 with electric beater. It should be creamy but still hold its shape in a peak (see video). If it's too sloppy, place in fridge for 30 minutes, then beat again.
- Pipe: Transfer into piping bag with desired piping tip. Pipe onto cupcakes - makes enough to generously frost 12 cupcakes as pictured in post.
Notes
- Use cake flour for a tender crumb and shaped dome; all-purpose flour works but alters texture and dome shape.
- Unbleached cocoa powder imparts mild chocolate flavor; dutch-processed is optional.
- Baking powder gives better dome shape than baking soda in this recipe.
- Butter should be softened to about 18°C/64°F to cream properly without being greasy.
- Use room temperature large eggs for better incorporation; warm refrigerated eggs in warm water if needed.
- Buttermilk is preferred for tenderness; homemade substitute is acceptable.
- Vinegar helps maintain red color and tender crumb.
- For frosting, use block-style cream cheese (Philadelphia brand or equivalent) rather than spreadable tubs for proper texture.
- Soft icing sugar gives a light, fluffy frosting suitable for piping and spreading.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 12cupcakes
Amount Per Serving
Calories 392 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 392cal | 20% |
| Carbohydrates | 48g | 16% |
| Protein | 4g | 8% |
| Fat | 21g | 32% |
| Saturated Fat | 14g | 70% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 5g | 25% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 68mg | 23% |
| Sodium | 93mg | 4% |
| Potassium | 118mg | 3% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 37g | 74% |
| Vitamin A | 529IU | 11% |
| Calcium | 57mg | 6% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
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