These Red Velvet Cupcakes are soft, light, moist, and topped with an easy cream cheese frosting. Perfect for any occasion!
One of the most requested recipes I’ve had in the last couple of months has been for red velvet cupcakes. I love red velvet but it’s such a unique flavor and can be a little hard to get just right.
I spent a while testing different variations when it came to these cupcakes, from using just butter to just oil and also a combination of the two. I think it’s safe to say that more cupcakes went through my kitchen than I care to admit, but I finally landed on the perfect recipe.
These cupcakes are buttery, moist, soft, and taste just like a classic red velvet cupcake. I topped these cupcakes with a simple cream cheese frosting, but I’ve included some notes for a couple other options you can try too!
How To Make Red Velvet Cupcakes
You’ll start by whisking together the dry ingredients:
- Cake flour: Cake flour has a lower protein content than all-purpose flour, which helps create a lighter and softer cake. If you don’t have any cake flour on hand, I’ve included a note in the recipe for how to make your own. I do find that actual cake flour works best to create a soft cupcake, my favorite brand is Pillsbury Softasilk.
- Cocoa Powder: You’ll only be using 2 tablespoons of unsweetened natural cocoa powder in this recipe. It provides a little chocolate flavor, but it’s not too overpowering.
- Baking Soda + Salt: To help the cupcakes rise and for flavor!
Then you’ll mix up your wet ingredients:
- Butter + Sugar: I use unsalted butter and granulated sugar in this recipe. It’s important to cream together the butter and sugar for 4-5 minutes. This will incorporate more air into your cake batter and create a lighter cupcake.
- Egg + Vanilla Extract: You’ll be using one large egg and a teaspoon of pure vanilla extra. A room temperature egg is best, so just be sure to set it out ahead of time with your other ingredients.
- Distilled White Vinegar + Red Food Coloring: A little vinegar helps the cupcakes rise and enhances the color of the red cupcakes. I used liquid food coloring for these cupcakes.
- Oil: Wait, what?! I found that the cupcakes made with just butter were too dry and the cupcakes made with just oil were a little bland. The solution? I used a combination of butter and oil to give the cupcakes a buttery taste and keep them moist (just like my lemon blueberry bundt cake!).
- Buttermilk: It’s best to set the buttermilk out ahead of time to come to room temperature. Instead of mixing all of the buttermilk directly in with the rest of the wet ingredients, you’ll alternate mixing it in with the dry ingredients.
Once you’ve mixed up the cupcake batter, you’ll divide it evenly between 16 cupcake liners in muffin pans and bake them. Make sure you don’t overfill the cupcake liners, otherwise the cupcakes will overflow. I only fill my liners about halfway full, it won’t seem like much but the batter rises quite a bit in the oven.
I used my homemade cream cheese frosting for this recipe because it pairs perfectly with red velvet. If you’re looking for a different kind of frosting, my homemade vanilla buttercream or even chocolate buttercream would be delicious on these cupcakes too.
For the frosting, I used my Wilton 1M piping tip. I absolutely LOVE that piping tip and use it all of the time. You can use it to frost a tall swirl (like in these pictures) or make a simple rose design. I have a full tutorial for how to frost cupcakes here, super easy too!
Baking Tips For Red Velvet Cupcakes
- When measuring your cake flour, avoid scooping it from the container with your measuring cup. Instead, stir the flour around, spoon it into your measuring cup, and level it off with the back of a knife.
- Once you’ve whisked together the dry ingredients, I suggest sifting them. This will ensure that there are no lumps of cocoa powder in your cupcakes.
- Only fill your cupcake liners about halfway full. It won’t seem like much, but the batter will rise quite a bit as the cupcakes bake in the oven.
- You should be able to get about 16-17 cupcakes with this recipe. You can crumble up one of the extra cupcakes and sprinkle it on top of the frosting for a little extra decoration!
Red Velvet Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the red velvet cupcakes:
- 1 and 1/3 cups (145 grams) cake flour (spooned & leveled)
- 2 tablespoons (10 grams) natural unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup (60 grams) unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) oil canola or vegetable work well
- 1 tablespoon liquid red food coloring
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
- 2/3 cup (160 ml) buttermilk room temperature
For the cream cheese frosting:
- 1/2 cup (115 grams) unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 1 (8-ounce) package brick-style cream cheese softened to room temperature
- 2 cups (240 grams) powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
To make the red velvet cupcakes:
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line two standard 12-count muffin pans with 16 cupcake liners and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cake flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Then sift the dry ingredients to remove any lumps of cocoa powder. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large mixing bowl using an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar on medium speed for 4-5 minutes. Add the egg and mix until fully combined, then mix in the oil, red food coloring, vanilla, and vinegar stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Mix in the dry ingredients in three additions alternating with the buttermilk, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Make sure to mix each addition until just combined and be careful not to over mix the batter.
- Evenly distribute the batter between all 16 cupcake liners in the prepared muffin pans, only filling each one about halfway full.
- Bake in separate batches at 350°F (177°C) for 15-18 minutes or until the tops of the cupcakes spring back when lightly touched and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Carefully remove the cupcakes from the pan and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
To make the cream cheese frosting:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large mixing bowl using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the butter and mix for about 30 seconds-1 minute until well combined and smooth. Add in the powdered sugar and vanilla extract and continue mixing until fully combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Once the cupcakes have cooled completely, pipe the frosting on top.
I made these with my daughter for valentine’s day. We followed the recipe exactly as written including all the extra tips, including the frosting. These are some of the most delicious cupcakes I have ever tried! MUCH better than the local fancy cupcake store. I will definitely be saving this recipe to make again! Thank you!
These turned out fantastic! Compared a number of different recipes and very happy I went with this one. Was a little hesitant about filling the cupcakes so low but they rose beautifully, perfect size.
Made these for a wedding. Super delicious and made 12 x 57g cupcakes that made perfectly filled and level cupcakes. Colour and flavour… AMAZING!! I’m about to try this recipe as a cake and make it a purple velvet.
Can I use self raising flour instead cake flour for red Velvet cupcakes
I wouldn’t recommend it for this recipe. Self rising flour has baking powder and salt added to it and this recipe doesn’t use baking powder.
Is it possible to make this a pink velvet cupcake by taking out the coca powder? Also, if I wanted to make a blue velvet cupcake.. Can I keep the cocoa powder and just change the food coloring?
I haven’t tried it without the cocoa powder, you may need to replace it with more flour. You can use blue food coloring too, but you may need to adjust the amount.
The supermarket was out of red food colouring so I had to buy blue instead. It turned the cake a very dark turquoise instead of blue 😂. The amount definitely needs to be adjusted.
Ignoring the colour though, the cupcakes turned out amazing! They were soft and moist and so, so delicious! I am definitely making these again later – just with red colouring instead haha. Thank you so much for this great recipe!
Hey Danielle! Can I use gel food coloring?
Yes, that would be fine! I would start with about 1 teaspoon, then add more if needed.
I did this and they were so yummy. Everyone that took a bite loved them
Hello! I’ve been trying your cupcakes recipes and this one is, by far, my personal favourite! In my country Red Velvet is not such a common flavour, so it was totally new for me and I truly, truly love it!
I was wondering, can I use this recipe for a single cake instead of the cupcakes? I would like to make some Red Velvet truffles so I was planning on skipping the cupcake paper liners, but I’m afraid I could alter the flavour or texture.
Could you give me some advice, please?
Yes! You can bake this in one 9-inch round cake pan for 30 minutes.
I love this recipe it came out perfectly so beautiful fluffy and moist
Much love from Nigeria ❤️
Hi Danelle,
I baked this for the first time. My cupcake turned out yummy. But i may have made some errors. My cupcakes has holes (not sure the correct word to use, but it had tunnels?) May i over mixed it? I used almond milk instead of regular milk. may that have caused it?
Also, i never used food coloring, but your measurement is 1 tablespoon; is that correct?
I will for sure bake it again, hopefully my consistency is ok.
Thank you
wilma
Hi, Wilma! I’m glad you enjoyed the cupcakes! Tunneling can occur for a few reasons, but over mixing the batter can cause that to happen. You also want to make sure to use buttermilk in these cupcakes and not almond milk/regular milk. And yes, the 1 tablespoon for the food coloring is correct.
Thank you Danielle for your help.All the way from Fiji.
Hi Danielle, Im planning to make this beautiful cupcakes. But I want 12 cupcakes only, Is there an alternative measurements for 12 cupcakes only?
Hi, Cherry! Unfortunately there’s not a good way to adjust the recipe for just 12 cupcakes. You can just bake 12 and discard the leftover batter or use any extra batter to make a small cake.