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 tried to make red velvet cupcakes for the first time today (well, actually my first time for any type of cupcakes). They came out decent but looked brown :( Does it matter that I used gel food coloring & dark cocoa powder?
Your cupcakes look WAY better than the ones I made, I’m going to try again and hopefully they’ll come out better…practice makes perfect, right?
Hi Faith, Hmm the gel coloring may have done it. I know from coloring fondant and icing that it can sometimes take a LOT of gel color to get a deep color, and that’s especially the case with reds and black. Give it another go with liquid coloring and see if they turn out more red. Let me know how it goes!
These turned out perfect!
Woo!!!
is white vinegar a must ingredient?
It is, it is key to the texture of the cake due to its chemical reaction with the baking soda and the buttermilk. This gives the cake the light and fluffy texture.
I made them today. They came out fluffly and moist. But instead of regular cream cheese, I used low fat. I think next time I’ll use regular because I could taste more of the butter and it was runny :/ Other than that they came out good.
Gini, Glad you enjoyed the cupcakes! Hope you’ll try the frosting again; I definitely use full fat cream cheese when I bake, I think you can really tell the difference!
I made these cupcakes the other day for work and they were fantastic. One of my co-workers said they tasted better than the one she had at the Hummingbird Bakery in London so very high accolades. I was wondering what tip you use to swirl your icing on? I use the Wilton large star tip but I love how your icing looks.
Wow, Megan, better than the original bakery’s? That’s quite a compliment! For the frosting I use a Wilton 1M tip and just swirl away!
These cupcakes look great! I have been looking for a great red velvet recipe (I’ve tried a few in the past) to use for the cupcakes for my brother’s wedding in a few weeks. I’ll give this one a try!
I loved reading the history of red velvet cakes. What pretty little cupcakes these are!
Michelle my experience with red velvet has been quite similar to yours. I was intrigued by the hype and the first recipe I tried was from a church lady cookbook that a friend got when she was living in Atlanta. I figured that southern church ladies would know their red velvet. Everyone else loved them but I was underwhelmed (and alarmed at the three BOTTLES of red food colouring it called for). This weekend I made cupcakes for a charity sale and went hunting high and low for a red velvet recipe. I settled on this same one from Joy! Unfortunately I didn’t try one so I’ll have to make another batch to taste test. I also used your chocolate buttercream recipe to frost some of the chocolate cupcakes. It was great!
Three bottles?! Eek! Great minds think alike, awesome you made these this past weekend too! You definitely have to make them again so you can have a taste :) Glad you liked the chocolate buttercream!
My sister and I just made these and they turned out so moist and delish. I will be adding this recipe to my personal collection.
Yay for sisterly love and good cupcakes :) Glad you girls enjoyed them!
These look soooo good – I adore red velvet. Actually, what I really adore is cream cheese icing. And I had to comment because I’ve been to The Hummingbird Bakery, and it’s wonderful!! I’ve looked at the cookbook before and wasn’t sure if I sure invest or not, but I think these cupcakes just sealed the deal. It’s mine!
Hi Ellen, Great to hear from someone who has been to the bakery! Once you give these a try and let me know how they compare :)
You’re making my cupcake strike difficult.
Cupcake strike?! Whaa??
I made these last night!!! They are all gone. . . so good.
Woo! So happy you loved ’em!
Woo hoo! I’m glad you like red velvet now=) I’d be interested to know where you had that nasty red cupcake at; I’m from Pittsburgh myself. I hope it wasn’t from Vanilla (Pastry Studio)! They’re my favvvvvvv. Not a fan of Dozen’s, however=P
Hi Sherry (and fellow ‘Burgher)! Nope it wasn’t Vanilla Pastry Studio; it was Dozen.
Yuck. Figures as much!
I like red velvet cupcakes OK, but I’ve never really gotten the crazy appeal about them. But yours look amazingly beautiful!! Now I get the appeal of these :)
They sound awesome – and look pretty sexy too! :)
I like my cupcakes and cakes moist and delicious and your Red Velvet looks exactly what I’m looking for. And also, I’m always impressed by the way you pipe the frostings on your cupcakes.
I fell in LOVE with Red Velvet on my 40th birthday when my husband took me to Captiva Island. The Bubble Room has the BEST Red Velvet cake w/cream cheese frosting, and a slice easily feeds 4 or more! It’s huge! YUMmmmm…. It’s a don’t miss if you are ever in that area.
I’ve never had a “great” local ‘burgh red velvet cupcake. I’ve also made VERY dry attempts myself. I can’t wait to try your new recipe. Should be great for the holidays. Thanks
That’s funny Michele growing up in Orlando I ate frequently at the Bubble room in Fern Park, (North of Orlando) Fl. I guess it was their beta site before they moved to Captiva? When I was down in Captiva staying at South Seas Plantation last year I drove right by the Bubble Room and almost got rear ended as I slowed down because I knew I was going get me some of that, “Million dollar cake” red velvet cake. When I was young I always had to share mine someone which you know how that went :o(. I was told it gets even better if you can somehow manage to let it sit a day or so in the refrigerator untouched. Yea right in your dreams!
So funny, I actually just made these over the weekend for a girlfriend’s birthday. Yours look beautiful, love the deep red color, but I must admit I actually like that fake-red color, especially when using multicolored sprinkles. I used Annie’s recipe and it was so beyond moist. I love the cream cheese frosting but my real favorite way to make is with the cooked icing which is actually the original red velvet pairing.
i’m always skeptical of the bright red velvet cupcakes, that are basically just white cake dyed red. love that this recipe has cocoa in in. there’s also a red velvet whoopie pie recipe in the new baked explorations book that looks great!
I always wondered about the red velvet hype and where it originated, this was a very interesting post. It doesn’t really exist over here in Italy, but will be sure to have some on my Xmas trip back home.
these look delish! I remember hearing that the color will only change with cocoa thats not Dutch processed, I think… Do you know anything about that? xoxo
Hi Nuha, Yes! I read the same thing – the reddish hue doesn’t come out with Dutch-processed cocoa.
Beautiful as always. Love red velvet!
I made red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting for my sister’s wedding a few years back. They had fondant gerber daisies on them. I hate fondant but the bride was going for a certain look. I used a recipe from an old cookbook I found at my local library, and the cupcakes and frosting were very good – I just peeled the fondant off to eat them. These look fantastic. I’m glad you decided that red velvet was worthy of your touch!
I’m so happy you posted this because I’ve been looking for a really great red velvet recipe since the last one I tried was not very good. These look and sound like my ideal red velvet cupcake. Can’t wait to try them!
Not sure why, but I love Red Velvet. Normally, I am not a dessert person, but if red velvet cake is on the menu I am saving room.
I’ve never had a good red velvet cupcake. I’ve always found them to be dry and flavourless. But if you say this one is good I have to give them another shot!
The heart shaped sprinkles are too cute! I love the color of these; I’m not a fan of the fakey vibrant red color.
Wow, these cupcakes are absolutely gorgeous!
Wauuu!!!
They look great!!!
Mglòria from Gourmenderies
Great color! Sometimes the red is too brilliant which results in a really bitter cupcake. Yours looks spot on.