These red velvet cupcakes are incredibly moist and delicious with a hint of cocoa flavor, topped with silky-smooth, tangy cream cheese frosting. They’re perfect for Valentine’s Day, Christmas, or any special occasion!
WHY YOU’LL LOVE THESE RED VELVET CUPCAKES:
- Super Moist: Buttermilk keeps these cupcakes extra moist with a perfect texture.
- Beautiful Color: Gel food coloring and Dutch process cocoa powder give these cupcakes a deep, gorgeous red hue.
- Delicious Frosting: Cream cheese frosting is smooth, creamy, and slightly tangy, making every bite irresistible.
Red Velvet Cupcakes
Ingredients
**For the Cupcakes:**
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoons 141 g all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ tablespoons 8 g Dutch process cocoa powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 5 tablespoons 70 g unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup 150 g granulated sugar
- 1 egg at room temperature
- 1 egg yolk at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup 120 ml buttermilk, at room temperature
- 1 ½ teaspoons red gel food coloring
**For the Cream Cheese Frosting:**
- ½ cup 112 g unsalted butter, softened
- 4 oz. 114 g cream cheese, cold
- 2 cups 260 g powdered sugar
- Sprinkles for decorating optional
Instructions
**For the Cupcakes:**
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a cupcake pan with 12 liners and set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream the softened butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer on high speed until fluffy, about 1-2 minutes.
- Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla to the butter-sugar mixture. Mix on medium speed until pale and smooth, about 1-2 minutes.
- Alternate adding the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the mixture, mixing on low speed until just combined and smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Gently fold in the red gel food coloring until evenly combined.
- Divide the batter among the cupcake liners, filling each about ¾ full.
- Bake for 17-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
**For the Cream Cheese Frosting:**
- Beat the softened butter in a bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until pale and fluffy, about 5-10 minutes.
- Add the cold cream cheese and mix on medium-high speed until well combined.
- Gradually sift in the powdered sugar, mixing on low speed at first, then increasing to high speed until the frosting is smooth and fluffy.
**Assembling the Cupcakes:**
- Once the cupcakes are completely cooled, transfer the cream cheese frosting to a piping bag fitted with a decorative tip.
- Pipe a generous amount of frosting onto each cupcake.
- Decorate with sprinkles if desired.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to three days.