Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
These red velvet cupcakes are a gorgeous red color, moist and fluffy, have the most amazing flavor, and are topped with a luscious cream cheese frosting. An easy recipe that is great year-round!
I found long ago that getting a really, really good red velvet cupcake could be totally elusive. Some are dry, some are TOO red. It propelled me to make a great version at home.
I did some reading, I looked at a lot of recipes, and in the end I decided to try this one, which originated at the Hummingbird Bakery. And I'm so glad I did, because I don't think a better one could exist.
If you are looking for a super moist red velvet cupcake recipe, this is IT! They are everything you could hope for - moist, fluffy, a tiny bit chocolatey, and a perfect vehicle for a heaping pile of cream cheese frosting!
Don’t save these just for Valentine’s Day; they are great at Christmas, birthdays, or as an everyday treat!
Key Ingredient Notes
While we use some pantry staples like flour, sugar, and vanilla extract, below are notes on the essential ingredients for our red velvet cake recipe:
- Cocoa Powder – Use unsweetened, natural cocoa powder here. We want to avoid Dutched since it has already been alkalized.
- Vinegar – The reaction of the vinegar with the buttermilk helps to pull out the red hue in the cocoa powder. For this recipe, we use white vinegar, but you could also substitute apple cider vinegar.
- Buttermilk – Using soured milk is a key component to red velvet cakebatter, as the acidic liquid is needed to combine with the baking soda and cocoa powder to get the rise and texture right.
- Baking Soda – This works magic with the cocoa powder and buttermilk to get a beautiful rise and tender crumb.
- Red Food Coloring – We want to boost that beautiful red color! You can use either 2 tablespoons of liquid food coloring or 5 to 6 drops of gel food coloring.
How to Make Red Velvet Cupcakes
Step #1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a standard muffin tin with paper liners.
Step #2: Cream the butter and sugar together, then add the egg and beat until well incorporated.
Step #3: In a separate bowl, combine the cocoa powder, vanilla extract, and red food coloring, which will make a thick paste. Add it to the batter and mix until combined.
Step #4: On low speed, alternate adding the buttermilk and flour, then beat on high until smooth.
Step #5: On low speed again, add the salt, baking soda, and vinegar. Beat on high until the mixture is completely combined and smooth.
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Step #6: Divide the cupcake batter evenly between the liners and bake for about 20 minutes. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before adding the frosting.
Decorating the Cupcakes
I love to pair red velvet with my favorite cream cheese frosting; it’s so thick and luscious, plus the slight tang is a great contrast to the sweetness of the cupcake. However, you could also use a seven-minute frosting, vanilla frosting, or even a chocolate frosting!
Some decorating options:
- Use an offset spatula to spread the frosting on the cupcakes.
- Place frosting in a piping bag and use piping tips to pile the frosting high! My favorite tip for those pretty swirls on the top of cupcakes is a Wilton 1M or Ateco #826 open star tip.
- The most traditional garnishment for red velvet cupcakes is to crumble one cupcake and use the cupcake crumbs to decorate the other cupcakes.
- Or use your favorite sprinkles, popular options are heart sprinkles or red, white, and pink jimmies!
Recipe Notes & Tips
- Buttermilk Substitute: If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, use this at-home substitution – Pour 1 teaspoon of lemon juice or white vinegar into a measuring cup. Add enough milk (I recommend 2% or whole) to measure 1 cup total. Stir together and let it sit for 5 minutes, then use it as directed in the recipe below.
- Adjusting to Make a Whole Cake: This recipe can be doubled to yield two 9-inch cake layers (bake time 25 to 30 minutes), or a 9×13-inch cake (bake time about 30 minutes).
- Mixer: This recipe can be successfully made using either a stand mixer or a hand mixer; either one will work!
Storage & Freezing Instructions
- Unfrosted Cupcakes – Unfrosted cupcakes can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. They can also be frozen for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container or bag; thaw at room temperature (should take 30 minutes to 1 hour).
- Cream Cheese Frosting – The frosting itself can be made and stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 1 week. It can also be frozen in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 3 months; thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
- Frosted Cupcakes – Frosted red velvet cupcakes can be kept in an airtight container and refrigerated for up to 1 week. I do not recommend freezing the frosted cupcakes.
More Red Velvet Recipes to Try:
- Red Velvet Cheesecake
- Red Velvet Poke Cake
- Red Velvet Roll Cake with White Chocolate-Cream Cheese Filling
- Red Velvet Whoopie Pies
- Red Velvet Ice Cream
Watch the Recipe Video:
If you make these red velvet cupcakes and love them, remember to stop back and give them a 5-star rating - it helps others find the recipe! ❤️️
Red Velvet Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes:
- 4 tablespoons (57 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ¾ cup (149 g) granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 2½ tablespoons (13 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons red food coloring
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup (120 ml) buttermilk
- 1 cup (125 g) + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1½ teaspoons distilled white vinegar
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2 cups (227 g) powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 8 ounces (227 g) cream cheese, chilled and cut into 8 pieces
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a standard muffin/cupcake pan with liners.
- On medium-high speed, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Turn the mixer to high and add the egg. Scrape down the bowl and beat until well incorporated.
- In a separate small bowl, mix together the cocoa powder, vanilla extract and red food coloring to make a thick paste. Add to the batter and mix on medium speed until completely combined. You may need to stop the mixer to scrape the bottom of the bowl, making sure that all the batter gets color.
- Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly add half of the buttermilk. Add half of the flour and mix until combined. Scrape the bowl and repeat the process with the remaining milk and flour. Beat on high until smooth.
- Again, reduce the mixer speed to low and add the salt, baking soda and vinegar. Turn to high and beat for another couple of minutes until completely combined and smooth.
- Divide the batter evenly between the cupcake liners and bake for about 20 minutes, or until a thin knife or skewer inserted into the center of the largest cupcake comes out clean.
- Cool for 10 minutes and then remove cupcakes from the pan and place them on a cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.
- Make the Frosting: Using an electric mixer, beat the butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt on low speed until smooth, then mix for an additional 2 minutes, scraping down the bowl as needed.
- Increase the speed to medium-low and add the cream cheese one piece at a time and mix until smooth, then mix for an additional 2 minutes.
Notes
- This recipe can be doubled to make an 8 or 9-inch layer cake.
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
This recipe was originally published on November 8, 2010.
Photography by Dee Frances.
I’ve had one piece of red velvet cake in my 23 years, and it immediately turned me off of the flavor for a good 10 years. Today, however, I had a hankering for a good red velvet cupcake and simultaneously needed a blood-colored sweet for my friend’s impromptu Dexter themed birthday.
A quick Google search for “good red velvet cupcake recipe” brought me here… and I’m sure glad it did! These turned out absolutely excellent!! Moist, chocolatey with a beautiful, rich color.
I substituted 1/2 tsp of the cocoa powder for chocolate chili blend I had on hand. I also ended up mixing in some blue food coloring as I ran out of red…and when you live 45 mi from the nearest grocery store..you work with what you’ve got!
Thanks for the great post!!
I made these last night for my birthday. I brought them to my job and have been receiving nothing but compliments. Thank you!!
Hi Michelle
Made your red velvets earlier this week. Made 100 cupcakes for a baby-shower and they came out brilliant! This recipe is definitely replacing my old default(nigella) red velvet recipe (first time someone beat a nigella recipe for me, you should be proud). Perfect colour(yes, that’s how we spell it here), moist and good flavor. Red velvets round here tend to too bright and flavorless. What I did defferent though is I poked a hole in each with the back of a wooden spoon – like in you red velvet poke cake recipe – and drizzled some condensed milk in there before frosting. . Awesome!
My attempt has been a big fat fail! For some reason my cupcakes taste extremely salty ):
Was your butter salted? That’s a common mistake people make because the butter NEEDS to be unsalted, otherwise it’s not going to taste the same.
These Red Velvet Cupcakes are perfect! I’ve made 3 batches and every time they have been a hit! I add a little slurp of buttermilk to the red food dye and cocoa to make a bit more of a paste. Love them!
Michelle thank you for the recipe, loved it!!!
Will this frosting work good under fondant???
Hi Andrea, So glad you enjoyed it! I think this would work just fine underneath fondant.
I made these for my boyfriend and he LOVED them. I’ve tried MANY red velvet cupcakes but none came even close to your recipe. These cupcakes are PHENOMENAL. I can’t wait to make them again!
I tried the frosting and it didn’t come out fluffy at all :/
I’m not a huge fan of red velvet, but since they were for someone else I made these. I omitted the red food coloring and subbed that with water. Other than that followed the recipe to a T. The cake (for red velvet) was fine – light and not too sweet, but I wasn’t a fan of the frosting, and really, I didn’t find the cupcake flavorful enough to merit eating. I tried one cupcake and tried to like it, bc it wasn’t bad, but in the end I didn’t finish it. This is rare for me, to say the least :) I’m guessing if the frosting had some more cream cheese, it would have helped make the flavors a bit more interesting. The texture of the cake and frosting were both nice, but for me the flavor just wasn’t there. No offense to MIchelle, I just thought it might be nice for those deciding to try out the recipe to see more diversity of opinion.
I have to made 100 Red Velvet cupcakes on Sunday and I have 5 recipes that I am taste testing….I made the first one last night and they were really, really good and I was going to stop there, but the recipe called for oil and I really wanted to try a recipe that called for butter, so yours was next in line…
Well, I made them and I am thrilled to say, that I found the best Red Velvet cupcake recipe EVER!!!!!! Soooooo good and so easy!!!!!
Thanks for posting this…
Ve…
Ok. So I tried this recipe about a week ago, not sure how they would turn out…..but they were AMAZING, it was my very first time baking any ‘red velvet recipe’ and I would have to say.. but this recipe beats all the others I looked for online… I gave them to friends and baked them for a party it was a huge success, everyone loved them. Thank you soo very much for the recipe.
This was my second time with red velvet cupcakes, I was so scared as the first time was a total disaster. But yayyyy this time it was a big hit, everyone liked it and they were in 2 hours. Thanks for this great recipe.
Hi! I made these and while they tasted fine, the cupcakes didn’t rise very much and they were more thick than they were fluffy. I realised afterwards I used baking powder instead of baking soda, would that have caused the difference? They turned out lovely all the same but hopefully I can improve the next batch just a bit :) Thanks!
Hi Maddie, Yes, that absolutely could have been the reason.
Does Apple cider vinegar work?? Or does it have to be white vinegar
Hi Madie, I haven’t used apple cider, but other readers have mentioned that they’ve used it and have had good results. Enjoy!
made these over the weekend but i cut the recipe in half and still use 1 small egg and it turned out perfect. want to make the full recipe this weekend but i’m afraid if i use 1 egg it won’t be as moist. is it okay to use 2 eggs?
Hi Samantha, I don’t recommend it. You might end up with cakier, drier cupcakes.
YUM! I’ll be making these this week.. :)
I was wondering about using red velvet bakery emulsion instead of the food coloring. Any idea how that would turn out?
Hi Alicia, I am not sure, I have never used it.
Hi Michele,
I’m planning to make this to a layer cake, are there any changes in the ingredients and the cooking time? I love your cupcake recipes and has always been my go to recipe if I have to make one.
Thanks.
Hi Joy, No changes to the ingredients, but the baking time will increase just a little bit. Start checking early so you don’t over-bake!
Your recipe is perfect in every way. Perfectly domed cupcakes in exactly 20 minutes. The yield was a perfect 24 and the flavor is fabulous. Thank you so much for sharing. This recipe saved my life yesterday. I had to make 4 dozen cupcakes. I followed a different recipe and all of them imploded when I took them out of the oven. This recipe saved me from having a nervous breakdown!
if i want to add alcohol to this is it okay to cut the buttermilk in half and do 1/4 cup buttermilk and 1/4 cup alcohol of my choice?
and is it okay to use a buttermilk substitute?
Hi Jessica, I would not cut the buttermilk, as the alcohol won’t add the same amount of moisture and fat that the buttermilk will. I’m not sure what you mean by buttermilk substitute?
if i want to make 6 cupcakes do i still use 1 egg?
No, you should crack an egg, lightly beat it, then weigh it, and use half.
Hey… does your recipe really don’t have baking powder included? Thanks!
Correct, no baking powder, just baking soda.
I was wondering if you are unable to get buttermilk ( I live in Mexico ) and it is very haed to find here. Can you make a sour milk by adding lime juice to milk and will it still have the same effect as buttermilk?
Hi Jason, Yes, you can make your own, I’ve only ever done it using lemon juice, but I think lime juice should work. Here is my method: https://www.browneyedbaker.com/substitutions/
Are you sure you meant 3 tbsp of red food coloring? Isn’t it too much ? And also I noticed your recipe is different than joy the baker
Hi Destiny, Yes, 3 tablespoons of red food coloring to get the color you see in the photos. You can use less if you prefer a less deep red color. My footnote states that the recipe was adapted from Joy the Baker, so it may differ slightly.
Hey I was wondering what cupcake pan you use and what cupcake liners? My cupcakes always come out looking short in height and wide in diameter. Thanks
Hi Angela, I use this Wilton cupcake pan, and I use white paper liners from the grocery store: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000F5K3J8/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B000F5K3J8&linkCode=as2&tag=broeyebak-20
You have got to tell me what food coloring you used! Please! The color is plain gorgeous!
Hi Angela, I just used McCormick red food coloring from the grocery store.
I have tried this recipe twice and both times it was perfect! These are very moist and delicious. Now this is my go-to recipe. Thanks!
Which cream cheese do you use?
Hi Fatima, I use Philadelphia cream cheese.
Hi! Tried doubling the recipe like stated for a 9″ round cake pan and it overflowed everywhere! Maybe a 9×13 would be better? The taste was still amazing though, once I got the mess cleaned up! :)
Hi Carrie, Did you use just one 9″ pan? That would be the problem. It makes a 9″ layer cake, which means two layers. You would have needed to divide the batter between two pans. It would definitely be too much for just one pan.
I made these for my sister’s baby shower & everyone loved them. I only had a tablespoon and a half (if that) of liquid food color but they came out very well and looked great. They were moist and the top did not cave in. Thank you so much!