Red Velvet Cupcakes: Recipe and Baking Tips
Written by MasterClass
Last updated: Feb 11, 2023 • 3 min read
These buttery red velvet cupcakes make the ultimate colorful treat for any Valentine’s Day or birthday celebration.
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What Are Red Velvet Cupcakes?
Red velvet cupcakes are small, handheld cakes made from cocoa-flavored, red-tinted, moist batter and topped with cream cheese frosting. While a regular cake bakes in a large pan, cupcakes bake in specialized pans with six or more small cup-shaped wells. Tangy cream cheese frosting is the traditional topping for dense, decadent red velvet cupcakes, but you can use glaze, ganache, or buttercream to garnish these baked goods.
4 Tips for Making Red Velvet Cupcakes
Follow these tips to bake moist, flavorful red velvet cupcakes every time.
- 1. Mix the batter properly. For light, airy cupcakes, mix your batter until it has just come together. Overmixing the batter will activate the gluten in the flour, resulting in tough, chewy cupcakes.
- 2. Adjust the food coloring. Adjust the amount of liquid food coloring or gel food coloring in the recipe until you’ve reached the desired red tone. Alternatively, omit the food coloring to make cupcakes with more traditional coloring.
- 3. Experiment with toppings. Cream cheese frosting is the most traditional topping for red velvet cupcakes, but switch it up by using buttercream frosting, glaze, or ganache. Top the frosted cupcakes with shaved chocolate, crushed nuts, chocolate sprinkles, or coconut flakes for added flair.
- 4. Store properly. Unfrosted red velvet cupcakes will keep well in an airtight container on the countertop for up to 4 days. Once you have added the cream cheese frosting, the cupcakes should only sit out at room temperature for a maximum of 3 hours, or else the frosting will melt. Frosted red velvet cupcakes will keep well on a covered plate in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. For long-term storage, keep the unfrosted cupcakes in a freezer-proof container or ziptop bag in the freezer for up to 1 month.
Homemade Red Velvet Cupcake Recipe
makes
12 cupcakesprep time
20 mintotal time
40 mincook time
20 minIngredients
For the cupcakes:
For the cream cheese frosting:
Make the cupcakes:
- 1
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners.
- 2
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, or in a large bowl with a handheld electric mixer, mix the dry ingredients. Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cocoa powder, and salt until combined.
- 3
Add the cubes of butter to the dry ingredients and mix on low until the mixture achieves a texture similar to wet sand, about 2 minutes.
- 4
In a separate medium bowl, combine the wet ingredients. Whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, vanilla extract, and red food coloring until combined.
- 5
With the mixer running on low speed, add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, mixing until the batter is smooth and well combined, 2–3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- 6
Pour the cupcake batter into the paper liners, filling each cup about ⅔ full.
- 7
Transfer the pan to the oven, and bake until a toothpick inserted through the center of a cupcake comes out clean, about 20 minutes.
- 8
Remove the cupcakes from the oven, and let them cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the frosting and assemble the cupcakes:
- 1
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large mixing bowl using a handheld electric mixer, beat the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla extract together on medium speed until light and fluffy.
- 2
Sift together the powdered sugar and salt and add to the cream cheese mixture. Continue mixing until smooth.
- 3
Add the milk and mix until smooth.
- 4
Transfer the cream cheese frosting to a piping bag.
- 5
Frost the cupcakes. Pipe the cream cheese frosting onto each of the cooled cupcakes. Serve the cupcakes on their own or with a scoop of vanilla cream.
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