This recipe makes red velvet cupcakes that are moist, fluffy and has the best flavour. They are topped with cream cheese frosting which really brings out the flavour of these cupcakes.

Previously, I was adamant that I didn’t like red velvet cake as I found most brands from the supermarket were too sweet. That all changed when I began baking them myself. Though I like sweet things, I do love some balance and these cupcakes are not overly sweet with most of the sweetness coming from the cream cheese frosting.

This red velvet cupcake recipe includes cocoa powder which gives them a undertone of chocolate flavour and red food colouring to give them the beautiful red colour that is associated with the red velvet cake.

My family love these cupcakes so much that I sometimes make a batch with no frosting and they absolutely enjoy them just as much as they do with frosting. Not adding frosting is also another way to reduce the calories in the cupcakes.

Ingredients for Red Velvet Cupcakes

Please find the full list of ingredients and quantities in the recipe card at the end of the post.

Ingredients for the Cupcakes

Flour – I use self-raising flour.
Bicarbonate soda – also known as baking soda.
Cocoa powder – use unsweetened good quality cocoa powder.
Salt – I use fine sea salt.
Butter – I use unsalted butter.
Sugar – I use caster sugar for this recipe but granulated is fine.
Vegetable oil – or any unflavoured oil such as canola oil or rapeseed oil.
Eggs – eggs should be room temperature.
Vanilla – use good quality vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste.
Buttermilk – room temperature.
White distilled vinegar – this helps to enhance the red colour in the cupcakes.
Red food colouring – I use food colour gel. Ensure any food colouring used is stable enough for baking as some food colourings are only for colouring frosting.

Ingredients for the Cream Cheese

Butter - unsalted butter which should be soft at room temperature.
Cream cheese – use full fat cream cheese.
Icing sugar – also known as powdered sugar or confectioners sugar.

How to Make Red Velvet Cupcakes

1. Preheat the oven to gas mark 4/350^oF/180^oC/160^oC fan and line a 12-count muffin tin with 12 muffin cases. To a large bowl, add the, self-raising flour, bicarbonate soda, cocoa powder and salt. Mix together and set aside.

2. Melt the butter in the microwave at 20 seconds increments then set aside to cool. Once the butter has cooled mix in the sugar and vegetable oil. Mix in the eggs, vanilla extract and buttermilk then add and mix in the white distilled vinegar and red food colouring.

3. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and combine all the ingredients together. Once combined and smooth, spoon the mixture into the muffin cases. As I previously mentioned, if you use cupcake cakes then the recipe will make around 16.

4. Bake for 20 – 25 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Once you remove them from the oven, allow to cool in the muffin tin for 15 minutes then transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack to completely cool.

5. To make the cream cheese frosting, add the butter to a stand mixer bowl. If using a hand whisk then add to a large mixing bowl. Using a paddle attachment cream the butter until it is light and fluffy. Beat in the cream cheese and icing sugar until fully combined then place the bowl in the fridge while you prepare your piping bag.

6. Once you have prepared your piping bag, use a spoon and add the cream cheese to the piping bag then pipe the cream cheese frosting onto your red velvet cupcakes.

Recipe Tips

I use muffin cases which are just slightly larger than cupcake cases. If you’re using smaller cases then the recipe will make around 16 cupcakes.
If you want your frosting to be thicker, you can add more icing sugar but you do run the risk of the cream cheese being too sweet.

Nutrition

Storage

Once frosted, these cupcakes can sit at room temperature for a few hours. Any leftover cupcakes should be stored in the fridge in an airtight container and can last for around 4 days.

If the weather is hot or humid then store in the fridge immediately until serving. You can also store in the freezer for up to 3 months.

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Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

This recipe makes red velvet cupcakes that are moist, fluffy and has the best flavour. They are topped with cream cheese frosting which really brings out the flavour of these cupcakes.

Prep Time20

Cook Time20

Total Time40

Yield: 12 serving

Calories: 597kcal

Ingredients

For the Red Velvet Cupcakes

250g self-raising flour
¾ teaspoon bicarbonate soda
2 teaspoon cocoa powder
¾ teaspoon salt
60g unsalted butter soft at room temperature
200g caster sugar
60ml vegetable oil
2 medium eggs room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
200ml buttermilk room temperature
1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
1 -2 teaspoon red food colouring add as much as you need to get your desired colour.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting

150g unsalted butter soft room temperature
300g cream cheese
600g icing sugar

Instructions

Preheat the oven to gas mark 4/350^oF/180^oC/160^oC fan and line a 12-count muffin tin with 12 muffin cases. To a large bowl, add the, self-raising flour, bicarbonate soda, cocoa powder and salt. Mix together and set aside.
Melt the butter in the microwave at 20 seconds increments then set aside to cool. Once the butter has cooled mix in the sugar and vegetable oil. Mix in the eggs, vanilla extract and buttermilk then add and mix in the white distilled vinegar and red food colouring.
Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and combine all the ingredients together. Once combined and smooth, spoon the mixture into the muffin cases. As I previously mentioned, if you use cupcake cakes then the recipe will make around 16.
Bake for 20 – 25 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Once you remove them from the oven, allow to cool in the muffin tin for 15 minutes then transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack to completely cool.
To make the cream cheese frosting, add the butter to a stand mixer bowl. If using a hand whisk then add to a large mixing bowl. Using a paddle attachment cream the butter until it is light and fluffy. Beat in the cream cheese and icing sugar until fully combined then place the bowl in the fridge while you prepare your piping bag.
Once you have prepared your piping bag, use a spoon and add the cream cheese to the piping bag then pipe the cream cheese frosting onto your red velvet cupcakes.