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Red Velvet Cupcakes

Teresa Ambra
Captivate your taste buds with a batch of these spectacular Red Velvet Cupcakes. Every bite will knock your socks off! These festive, beautiful and elegant cupcakes are perfect for Christmas or Valentine's Day and are so drool-worthy you're sure to want seconds. The Cream Cheese Frosting puts them over the top. All your friends and family will swoon over this amazing Red Velvet dessert.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Course Cakes and Cheesecakes, Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 20
Calories 432 kcal

Equipment

  • 2 12-tin regular sized muffin pans
  • 20 muffin liners
  • 1 large mixing bowl
  • 1 electric mixer
  • 1 medium mixing bowl
  • 1 wooden spoon
  • 1 rubber spatula
  • 1 piping bag and tip if desired
  • measuring cups
  • measuring spoons

Ingredients
  

CAKE:

  • 2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (bleached flour toughens baked goods)
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1 tsp. cocoa
  • 1 1/2 cups canola oil or avocado oil
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  • 1 oz. bottle red food coloring (one fluid ounce)
  • 1 cup buttermilk or soured milk (see preparation method below)

CREAM CHEESE ICING:

  • 1/2 cup salted butter softened
  • 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese softened
  • 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  • 16 oz. powdered sugar
  • 1 oz. red sanding sugar (optional) if desired
  • 1 oz. sugar pearls (optional) if desired

Instructions
 

CAKE:

  • Preheat oven to 350°.
  • Place cupcake liners in 20 muffin tins.
  • Spray each paper liner with cooking spray; set aside.
  • Mix flour, sugar, baking soda and cocoa with oil.
  • Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.
  • Spoon mixture about 7/8 full into each cupcake liner.
  • Bake in preheated oven at 350° for 20-24 minutes.
  • Allow cupcakes to cool in pans about 10 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.

CREAM CHEESE ICING:

  • Soften cream cheese and butter.   
  • Add vanilla and powdered sugar and mix together with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy.
  • Cut tip off a decorating bag.
  • Place a star tip in bottom of the bag (or whatever pattern you desire).
  • Fill decorator bag about 3/4 full with icing.
  • Pipe cream cheese frosting on cooled cupcakes.
  • Sprinkle with red sanding sugar (if desired).
  • Place a sugar pearl in center of each cupcake or sprinkle several over top of the icing if you prefer.
  • Refrigerate cupcakes until ready to serve.
  • Store leftovers in refrigerator.

Notes

NOTE: To make buttermilk, measure 1 cup whole milk or half-and-half into a measuring cup. Add 2-3 tbsp. white vinegar or lemon juice. Allow to sit on counter for about 5 minutes until milk thickens.
 
NOTE: My cupcakes took 24 minutes to bake.
 
NOTE: For super rich cupcakes, double the icing.
 
NOTE: These cupcakes will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week if necessary.
 
NOTE: I used a double-batch of frosting for 20 cupcakes.
 
© Can’t Stay Out of the Kitchen

Nutrition

Calories: 432kcalCarbohydrates: 54gProtein: 5gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 33mgSodium: 204mgPotassium: 78mgFiber: 1gSugar: 41gVitamin A: 195IUCalcium: 61mgIron: 1mg
Keyword cake, chocolate, cream cheese, cupcakes, dessert, red velvet, red velvet dessert
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