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Home » Recipes » Cakes & Cupcakes Recipes

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Published: Feb 3, 2023 by Natalie · This post may contain affiliate links · 2 Comments

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A red cupcake with frosting on top on a white plate.

These soft Red Velvet Cupcakes have a gorgeous red color and are topped with classic cream cheese frosting. The recipe is super easy and they make the best special occasion treat for Christmas and Valentine’s Day!

A red velvet cupcake with cream cheese frosting on a white plate.

These red velvet cupcakes are soft, moist and delicious cupcakes. Cream cheese frosting makes them extra decadent. They are the perfect treat for a special occasion or for someone special!

I love red velvet cake. These have the look and taste of red velvet cake. Their cute cupcake size makes them easy to pack up and share.

For more Valentine’s Day cupcakes, try my Cupcakes with Hearts in the Middle, White Chocolate and Raspberry Cupcakes, and these Strawberry Filled Cupcakes.

Jump to:
  • Why This Recipe Works
  • Ingredients
  • SUBSTITUTIONS & VARIATIONS
  • Instructions
  • Expert Baking Tips
  • Recipe FAQs
  • More Recipes You Will Love
  • Red Velvet Cupcakes

Why This Recipe Works

  • They are super soft, moist and fluffy.
  • Cocoa powder gives them the perfect hint of chocolate flavor. Be sure to also check out these chocolate peanut butter cupcakes!
  • Luscious cream cheese frosting tastes so good on top of these flavorful cupcakes.
  • You can make these cupcakes in just a few simple steps.
  • Their bright red color makes them so festive. For another festive treat, try my Christmas donuts!

Ingredients

Labeled ingredients needed to make red velvet cupcakes on a table.
  • Flour: Cake flour works best for red velvet. Cake flour is lighter than all-purpose flour and gives red velvet cupcakes their soft, light texture.
  • Cocoa powder: Red velvet cupcakes call for a small amount of cocoa powder. I recommend natural cocoa powder. For another yummy treat with cocoa powder, try my chocoalte raspberry muffins!
  • Unsalted butter: Make sure butter is room temperature.
  • 2 Eggs: Use large, room temperature eggs.
  • Oil: Vegetable or canola oil will work. The oil makes and keeps them nice and moist and the butter adds richness and flavor.
  • Red Food Coloring: Red food coloring is optional. It gives these cupcakes their signature red color. Add as much or as little as you like. Use either liquid or gel food coloring. I prefer gel because it’s more concentrated and you don’t need to use as much.
  • Buttermilk: Buttermilk makes these cupcakes tender and fluffy. It also adds tangy flavor. See my recipe notes in the recipe card for a buttermilk substitute. If you have leftover buttermilk, make my raspberry muffins!
  • Cream cheese: Use full-fat blocks of cream cheese for the frosting. Do not use the cream cheese sold in a tub.

SUBSTITUTIONS & VARIATIONS

  • I recommend cake flour. It has less gluten than all-purpose flour so it gives these cupcakes a lighter, more tender texture. If you don’t have cake flour, you can swap in all-purpose flour.
  • If you don’t have buttermilk, make your own buttermilk substitute. Add 1and 1/2 teaspoons of fresh lemon juice or distilled white vinegar to 1/2 cup of whole or 2% milk. Stir and let it sit for 10 minutes before using.
  • Top your cupcakes with sprinkles.
  • I sprinkled my Cupcakes with Hearts in the Middle with crumbs from one cupcake. They were gorgeous!
A bright red velvet cupcake with frosting piped on top.

Instructions

A glass mixing bowl with dry ingredients and a whisk in it.
A glass mixing bowl with butter creamed and a mixer.

Step 1: Whisk to combine the sifted flour and cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Step 2: Beat the butter on medium low speed for 1 minute. Add the sugar and beat til butter lightens to pale yellow in color, about 2 minutes.

A large mixing bowl with red cupcake batter and a mixer.
A glass mixing bowl with red velvet batter in it and a mixer.

Step 3: Add the eggs one at a time and beat on low for 30 seconds. Add the oil, buttermilk, red food coloring and vanilla extract.

Step 4: Add the dry ingredients. Beat until just combined. Do not overmix.

A cupcake pan with red batter in it.
A batch of red cupcakes on a baking rack.

Step 5: Evenly distribute the batter between 18 cupcake liners. Fill 2/3 of the way full (use about 1/4 cup batter per cupcake). Bake at 350 F for 16-20 minutes.

Step 6: Transfer cupcakes onto to a cooling rack to cool. Once cooled, top with cream cheese frosting.

Expert Baking Tips

  • For soft cupcakes, mix the dry ingredients until just combined. Avoid overmixing.
  • Use an ice cream scoop to fill the cupcake liners. Using a scoop is less messy and makes the cupcakes the same size.
  • You can also use an ice cream scoop to frost the cupcakes! I love using cookie and ice cream scoops for frosting. It gives all the cupcakes the same amount of frosting. It’s also super easy!

Recipe FAQs

What is the actual flavor of red velvet?

Red velvet has a vanilla flavor with a hint of chocolate. It has a slight tang to it and is almost always accompanied by creamy, luscious cream cheese frosting.

What food coloring is best for red velvet?

Use either liquid or gel red food coloring. I prefer gel food coloring because it is more concentrated. You can use less of it and get more color.

How do I store these cupcakes?

Store unfrosted cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Store frosted cupcakes in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Freeze unfrosted cupcakes for up to 1 month. Bring cupcakes to room temperature before serving then frost.

More Recipes You Will Love

  • A batch of blondies cut into squares on parchment paper.
    Christmas Blondies
  • A cupcake topped with a swirl of frosting sprinkled with brown sugar.
    Brown Butter Cupcakes
  • Boston cream pie cupcakes on a cooling rack.
    Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes
  • A raspberry cupcake with chocolate ganache and a raspberry on top on a plate.
    White Chocolate and Raspberry Cupcakes

Did you try this recipe or any other recipe on my website? Please leave a 🌟 star rating and 📝 comment below.

Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest!

Red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting piped on top.

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Natalie
Soft and moist Red Velvet Cupcakes topped with cream cheese frosting are the perfect easy dessert for a holiday or special occasion! 
5 from 6 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 35 minutes mins
Cook Time 22 minutes mins
Course Cupcakes
Cuisine American
Servings 18 cupcakes
Calories 252 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

Red Velvet Cupcakes

  • 1 1/3 cups cake flour
  • 1 tablespoon unsweetened natural cocoa powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter room temperature
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs room temperature
  • 1/4 cup oil vegetable or canola
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk room temperature
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon white vinegar optional
  • 1 tablespoon liquid red food coloring or 1 1/2 teaspoons gel red food coloring

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter room temperature
  • 8 ounces full fat cream cheese room temperature
  • 3 cups powdered sugar sifted, add up to 3½ cups, as needed
  • 1 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions
 

Red Velvet Cupcakes

  • Preheat oven to 350 F. Line muffin pans with 18 paper liners. 
  • Sift together the flour and cocoa powder. In a medium sized bowl, whisk to combine the sifted flour and cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. 
  • In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter for one minute on medium low speed. Add the sugar and beat on medium low for two minutes, until butter lightens to pale yellow in color.
  • Add the eggs one at a time and beat on low for 30 seconds. Add the oil, buttermilk, red food coloring, vinegar (if using) and vanilla extract. Add the dry ingredients. Beat on medium low speed until just combined. If the batter has some small lumps, it’s fine. Be careful not to overmix. 
  • Fill 18 muffin cups evenly with batter. Fill 2/3 of the way full (use about 1/4 cup batter per cupcake). Bake 16-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center of a cupcake. Transfer cupcakes onto to a cooling rack to cool. Cool completely before frosting. 

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • Beat the butter and cream cheese on medium speed using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until smooth.
  • Turn the mixer to low and gradually add the powdered sugar until combined. Once the sugar has been incorporated, turn the mixer to high and beat for 1-2 more minutes until light and fluffy. Frost cupcakes and enjoy. 

Notes

Food Coloring: Use 1 tablespoon liquid food coloring or about 1 and 1/2 teaspoons red gel food coloring. Add more or less depending on how red you want the cupcakes to be. Use gel food coloring sparingly since it’s very concentrated. 
Cocoa powder: I like to use standard cocoa powder for red velvet cupcakes. It adds a mild chocolate flavor. You can substitute it with Dutch processed. You can also add a little more cocoa powder for a stronger chocolate flavor. Keep in mind more cocoa powder could change the color of the cupcakes.
Flour: I recommend using cake flour. It will give you light, soft cupcakes. Equal parts all-purpose flour can be used as a substitute.
Buttermilk: For best results, use buttermilk. That said, if you don’t have buttermilk, you can make your own. Stir 1 1/2 teaspoons white vinegar or fresh lemon juice into 1/2 cup whole or 2% milk. 
Do not overmix: Add the dry ingredients and mix until combined. Do not mix more than necessary or our cupcakes will not be soft and fluffy.
Storage: Store leftover cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Freeze unfrosted cupcakes in a freezer safe container for up to 1 month. Thaw at room temperature then top with frosting.
Oreos: I originally made this recipe with Oreos. I recently modified the recipe slightly and omitted the Oreos. That said, you can still include them! Just place an Oreo in each cupcake liner before adding the batter. The batter will bake on top of the Oreos! 
Decoration: Decorate with sprinkles or crumbs from an extra cupcake. Add extra red food coloring to one cupcake before baking. Use that cupcake for bright red crumb decorations. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupcakeCalories: 252kcalCarbohydrates: 19gProtein: 3gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 59mgSodium: 168mgPotassium: 50mgFiber: 0.3gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 522IUCalcium: 37mgIron: 0.3mg
Tried this Recipe? Let us know!Let us know how it was!

This site contains affiliate links which means that I may receive commissions for purchases made through these links. Please know I only link to products that I use and can recommend based on my experience.

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Comments

  1. Barbara Briggs Ward

    January 02, 2021 at 12:17 pm

    5 stars
    Absolutely sound and look delicious. Valentine’s Day is coming!

    Reply
    • Natalie

      January 10, 2021 at 2:43 pm

      Thank you Barbara! 🙂 Yes- these would be perfect for Valentine’s Day!

      Reply

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I’m Natalie, the baker and photographer here at Parsley and Icing! Here you will find a collection of delicious and decadent dessert recipes made with fresh, from scratch ingredients! More About Natalie and Parsley and Icing

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