These homemade red velvet cupcakes recipe is soft and moist with a hint of chocolate flavor, and smooth and creamy cream cheese frosting. These cupcakes are a bright color of deep red with hints of cocoa. Perfect for birthdays, Valentine's Day or an afternoon tea treat, or any celebration.
Unlike a basic chocolate cupcake, red velvet cupcakes have a subtle cocoa flavor with the slight tang of buttermilk and vinegar. The combination creates a tender crumb that pairs beautifully with tangy cream cheese frosting.
Why this recipe is a hit
Soft and moist texture
Mild chocolate flavor
Beautiful red color
Smooth homemade cream cheese frosting
Simple ingredients
Perfect for parties and celebrations
Easy to prepare at home
Can be made ahead of time
Red velvet cupcakes ingredients
For the cupcakes
1½ cups (190 g) all-purpose flour
1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
½ cup (115 g) unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp red gel food coloring
½ cup (120 ml) buttermilk, room temperature
1 tsp white vinegar
½ tsp coffee powder, optional
For the cream cheese frosting
8 oz (225 g) full-fat cream cheese, softened
½ cup (115 g) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups (240 g) powdered sugar, sifted
1 tsp vanilla extract
1–2 tbsp heavy cream or milk, if needed
Equipment you'll need
12-cup muffin/cupcake pan
12 cupcake liners
Two mixing bowls
Electric hand mixer or stand mixer
Whisk
Rubber spatula
Measuring cups and spoons
Piping bag and decorative tip, optional
How to make red velvet cupcakes
Step 1
Preheat your oven to 175°C (350°F) and line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners. It is always good to have the pan prepared before making the batter so that you can pour the prepared batter directly into the pan.
Step 2
In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Mixing these dry ingredients ensures that the cocoa powder and baking soda are well incorporated into the flour.
Set this bowl aside.
Step 3
In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar together for about 2–3 minutes, or until the mixture is lighter and fluffy.
This will help to incorporate air into the batter and make the cupcakes less dense.
Step 4
Add the eggs and mix well. Add the vanilla extract and mix until combined.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula so that all the ingredients are well incorporated. This will prevent lumps in the batter.
Step 5
Add the red gel food coloring and mix in until the batter has an even red color.
Gel food coloring is preferred over liquid food coloring as it will impart a more intense flavor.
The amount of gel food coloring required will vary depending on the brand and color intensity.
Step 6
Add about one-third of the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix gently. Then add half of the buttermilk and mix. Keep adding the dry ingredients and buttermilk alternately, finishing with the dry ingredients.
Mix only enough to combine the ingredients. Avoid overmixing as it will make the cupcakes tough and chewy.
Step 7
Add the vinegar and gently fold into the batter.
Vinegar reacts with baking soda to help loosen the batter and make the cupcakes light.
If you're using coffee power, then add it here. Coffee does not give cupcakes a coffee flavor, rather it enhances the chocolate flavor.
Step 8
Divide the batter evenly among the 12 cupcake liners (fill each liner about ⅔ full). Avoid using this cupcake batter in a full cupcake liner as cupcakes need some space to expand during baking.
To make cupcakes of uniform size, use an ice cream scoop or cookie scoop.
Step 9
Bake the cupcakes in a preheated oven for about 18–22 minutes.
Start checking for doneness from 18 minutes onwards. Insert a toothpick into the center of a cupcake. If it comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, then they are done.
Do not overbake as the cupcakes will become dry.
Step 10
Remove the cupcakes from the oven and allow them to cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Then, transfer them to a wire rack and let them cool completely before frosting.
Do not frost cupcakes unless they are completely cooled as the frosting will melt and slide off warm cupcakes.
How to make cream cheese frosting
Step 1
Place the softened butter in a mixing bowl and beat it for about 1–2 minutes until smooth and creamy.
Step 2
Add the softened cream cheese and beat briefly until smooth.
Avoid overbeating cream cheese frosting as it can become too soft.
Step 3
Add the sifted powdered sugar and mix on low speed. Once incorporated, increase the speed slightly and beat until smooth.
Step 4
Add the vanilla extract and mix until the scent of vanilla extract comes out.
If frosting is too thick, add 1 tbsp of heavy cream or milk at a time until desired consistency is achieved. On the other hand, if it is too soft, then refrigerate for 15–30 minutes before piping.
How to decorate cupcakes
Once cupcakes are completely cool, transfer the frosting into a piping bag with a decorating tip of your choice and pipe a swirl of cream cheese frosting onto each cupcake.
For a classic red velvet cupcake look, you can decorate it with:
Red velvet cake crumbs
White chocolate shavings
Small red sprinkles
Chocolate curls
A light dusting of powdered sugar
For an elegant look, keep the decoration simple so the red cupcake and white frosting stands out.
Expert tips for perfect red velvet cupcakes
Use room-temperature ingredients
Room-temperature butter, eggs, buttermilk, and cream cheese always blend more smoothly and result in a creamy batter and frosting.
Don't overbake
Cupcakes are done baking when the toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Use a kitchen scale
Using a kitchen scale makes it easy to measure precise quantities of ingredients without any guesswork.
Let cupcakes cool down completely
Before frosting, cupcakes should be cooled completely so that the frosting doesn't melt and slide off. If the cupcakes are warm, then it is best to wait for them to cool completely before frosting.
Pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes
Rather than spreading or swirling the frosting on top of the cupcakes, it is best to pipe it as this creates beautiful swirls and makes it easier to decorate the cupcakes.
Use a piping bag with a decorator tip
It is always a good idea to use a piping bag with a decorator tip as it allows you to control how much frosting you are putting on the cupcakes.
I hope you enjoyed this article and found these tips helpful in making the best red velvet cupcakes recipe. Feel free to comment below with any questions or recipes of your own.
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