Red Velvet Cupcakes

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There’s something undeniably charming about red velvet. It’s classic, a little indulgent, and always feels like a treat. These Red Velvet Cupcakes strike the perfect balance between rich and light. They offer a subtle chocolate flavor, a gentle tang from buttermilk and vinegar, and a soft crumb that practically melts in your mouth.

I adapted my favorite Red Velvet Cake recipe, refining and retesting until it worked just as beautifully in cupcake form. After a few tweaks, the result is tender, fluffy cupcakes that bake up perfectly and stay moist long after they’re frosted.

Ingredients Needed

The full list of ingredients found in the recipe card is on the longer side, but each ingredient plays an important role in creating that signature red velvet texture and flavor. Here are a few key ingredients worth noting:

For the cupcakes:

•  Buttermilk: A must for rich, tender, and moist cupcakes. It also activates the baking soda and provides the classic tang that red velvet is known for. I don’t recommend using a DIY buttermilk (made from milk and vinegar or lemon juice). Plain Kefir is a better substitute, or use whole milk in a pinch, knowing the texture and flavor will change. 
• Hot coffee: Just like in my Best Chocolate Cake recipe, these Red Velvet Cupcakes use hot coffee. The heat of the liquid helps to bloom the cocoa, bringing out its full flavor. You won’t taste the coffee, but it does help to balance the sweetness. Hot water works as a substitute.

For the cream cheese frosting:

• Powdered sugar: I recommend investing in organic powdered sugar that contains tapioca starch instead of cornstarch. It dissolves much more readily for a smooth, creamy frosting.
• Cream cheese: Use regular, full-fat cream cheese at a cool room temperature. The whipped or spreadable cream cheese made for bagels doesn’t work here.
• Butter: Use unsalted butter at cool room temperature (about 67°F). Butter that’s too warm can lead to runny frosting.

Find the full list of ingredients in the recipe card below.

Sprinkle of Science

How to Make Red Velvet Cupcakes

Prepare to do some whisking and combining! You’ll need 3 separate mixing bowls– one small, one medium, and one large. 

• Use the small bowl to whisk the hot coffee and unsweetened cocoa powder together. 
• The medium mixing bowl is for whisking together the dry ingredients. 
• The large bowl is for the wet ingredients and for combining all three mixtures — but pay close attention to when and how everything is incorporated.

Be careful not to overmix, and scrape down the sides and bottom of each bowl to ensure no clumps remain. The cupcake batter should have a thin, pourable consistency. Distribute it evenly into the lined cupcake pan, filling each liner about 2/3 full to allow enough room for the batter to rise. 

To make the frosting, beat the cream cheese and butter using the paddle attachment of a stand mixer on medium-high speed until smooth. Add in the vanilla and beat until combined, then reduce to low speed and gradually add the sifted powdered sugar. The frosting should be light, creamy, and fluffy once fully mixed.

Pro Tips for Perfect Cupcakes 

The recipe is relatively simple to follow, but these tips will help create delicious, bakery-worthy cupcakes every time.

• Use high-quality liners: These are my favorite because they don’t stick to the cupcakes. If this is a common issue, check out my tips for preventing cupcake liners from sticking. 
• Food coloring: Gel food coloring creates a more vibrant red velvet color than liquid food coloring. Buy more than you think you’ll need — it’s better to have extra. I like Americolor, Chefmaster, or Wilton gel food coloring for this recipe.

• Use room temperature ingredients. Let the eggs and buttermilk come completely to room temperature for a uniform, cohesive cupcake batter.
• Measure the flour correctly. Too much flour will result in dry, tough cupcakes. Use a digital scale for accuracy or the scoop-and-level method.
• Don’t reduce the sugar. Sugar does more than sweeten! It plays a major role in the moisture and overall texture.
• Make sturdier frosting for decorative piping. Totally optional, but adding an additional 3/4 cup (94 grams) of powdered sugar creates a sturdier, more pipeable frosting. This works beautifully with my Cream Cheese Frosting recipe.
• Use real buttermilk. It gives these cupcakes their signature softness, subtle tang, and bakery-quality crumb. For the best texture and flavor, it’s worth using the real thing instead of a DIY substitute.
• Don’t overbake. Overbaking sacrifices the signature softness and balance — timing it right is what keeps these cupcakes tender, flavorful, and bakery-worthy.
• Cool completely before frosting. If the cupcakes are even slightly warm, the frosting can melt and slide off, losing its shape and volume. Fully cooled cupcakes also won’t absorb the frosting unevenly and compress the crumb.

Storing, Freezing, and Make-Ahead

Store cupcakes covered at room temperature for up to 1 day, or in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. 

To freeze, wrap unfrosted cupcakes individually in plastic wrap to prevent freezer burn. Place them in an airtight container or freezer bag and store them on a flat shelf where they won’t get crushed. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before frosting and serving. 

To make the cupcakes ahead of time, store completely cooled, unfrosted cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. The tops may become a little sticky, but it’s nothing frosting can’t cover, and they’ll still taste incredible!You can also make the frosting up to 3 days in advance — store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Bring it to room temperature, then re-whip with an electric mixer before using to restore that light, creamy texture.

More Dessert Recipes You’ll Love

• Red Velvet Cake
• Best Chocolate Cupcakes
• Carrot Cake Cupcakes
• Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies
• Red Velvet Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting

How to Make

Red Velvet Cupcakes

By: Tessa Arias

4.92 from 98 votes

Yield: 12 cupcakes

Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Cook Time: 20 minutes mins

Total Time: 35 minutes mins

Review Print

These Red Velvet Cupcakes are soft, moist, and pretty simple to make from scratch. With a subtle chocolate flavor, a tender crumb, and just the right amount of tang, this recipe is unbeatable!

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Ingredients 

For the cupcakes:

• ▢ ¼ cup (56 grams) plain hot coffee or boiling water
• ▢ 2 tablespoons (12 grams) unsweetened natural cocoa powder
• ▢ 1 cup + 2 tablespoons (140 grams) all-purpose flour
• ▢ ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ▢ ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• ▢ ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon, optional
• ▢ 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
• ▢ ¼ cup (55 grams) fresh vegetable oil
• ▢ ½ stick (57 grams) unsalted butter, melted
• ▢ 1 large egg, at room temperature
• ▢ ½ cup (119 grams) buttermilk, at cool room temperature (67°F)
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 1 ½ teaspoons red gel food coloring
• ▢ ½ teaspoon distilled white vinegar

For the cream cheese frosting:

• ▢ ¾ stick (85 grams) unsalted butter, at cool room temperature (67°F)
• ▢ 1 ½ cups powdered sugar (188 grams), sifted (Don’t skip sifting!)
• ▢ 6 ounces (170 grams) cream cheese, completely softened to room temperature (brick-style, not spreadable)
• ▢ 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla paste or vanilla extract

Instructions 

For the cupcakes:

• Preheat oven to 350°F and line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
• In a glass measuring cup or small bowl, whisk the hot coffee and cocoa powder together, then cover and let stand for 5 minutes.
• In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar, vegetable oil, and melted butter.
• Add in the egg and whisk for twenty seconds, or until very well combined.
• Add in the buttermilk, vanilla, and red food coloring and whisk to combine. Then whisk in the vinegar and coffee mixture.
• Using a fine-mesh sieve, sift the flour mixture into the batter in three additions, whisking until each addition is incorporated. The batter will be thin.
• Using a spring-loaded scoop, divide the batter evenly among prepared muffin cups. Lightly tap the bottom of the muffin pan against the counter several times to release any air bubbles.
• Bake until cupcake tops are no longer sticky to the touch and a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean (about 17-20 minutes). It’s normal for the tops to look slightly spongy.
• Let cupcakes cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes before removing from the pan to cool completely (about 1 hour).

Make the frosting:

• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the softened butter and sifted powdered sugar on low. Gradually increase to medium-high to prevent a sugar cloud.
• Beat for 3 minutes until smooth. (It may look dry at first, but it will come together like magic!)
• Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl and paddle, then add the cream cheese and beat on medium-high for 1 minute until fluffy.*
• Add the vanilla and beat for 30 seconds until fully incorporated. Scrape down the bowl again as needed.

Show us!If you make this recipe, be sure to snap a picture and share it on Instagram with #handletheheat so we can all see!

Recipe Notes

*If the frosting is too thick, add a splash of milk or cream. If it’s too thin, add more sifted powdered sugar.

Photos by Joanie Simon.