This Valentine’s day, make these gorgeous red velvet cupcakes! They're the perfect treat to celebrate the day. The cupcakes are incredibly soft, moist and tender. They're frosted with the best cream cheese frosting that just melts in your mouth.

The amazing red velvet flavour is achieved by having a perfect balance between the acidity and the chocolate. It’s a showstopper for sure and a perfect treat for your loved ones! These cupcakes will surely be your go-to choice for this special occasion!

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE?

• Super soft with a velvety texture! These cupcakes are very soft, moist and have a velvet-like texture. They also have a true red velvet flavour which is a perfect balance between acidity and chocolate with a beautiful red colour.
• Super easy to make and perfect for any occasion! These little beauties will be perfect for Valentine’s Day or Galentine’s day!
•  It’s the perfect treat for your loved ones!

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WHAT YOU'LL NEED FOR THIS RECIPE!

Scroll down to the recipe card for the complete list of ingredients and their exact quantities.

FOR RED VELVET CUPCAKES

• Plain flour/All-purpose flour: Make sure, to measure it correctly. The best way to measure all-purpose flour is by using a digital scale. If you don’t have then spoon the flour into the measuring cup and then scrape a knife across the top of the measuring cup to level the flour.
• Cocoa powder: It is added to add a hint of cocoa flavour.
• Unsalted butter & vegetable oil: I always love the buttery taste in red velvet cupcakes but at the same time I need softness in it when cold. Butter gives flavour and oil gives softness to them when cold. You can make them in advance and they will stay moist and softer for several days in the fridge if stored in an airtight container or properly wrapped in cling wrap. Make sure to buy unsalted butter because you can control the amount of salt according to the recipe requirement. Butter should be at room temperature, which means it should be softened enough so that when you press using a little pressure, your finger will leave a dent.
• Granulated sugar: adds sweetness.
• Eggs: The eggs should be at room temperature. two eggs are enough for this recipe because we need them to hold the batter together but we also don't need any eggy taste.
• Vanilla extract: Adds flavour. Always use good quality vanilla extract.
• Baking soda: It is used as a leavening agent which causes the cupcakes to rise.
• Salt: It balances the sweetness and enhances the flavour of chocolate.
• Buttermilk: It is an important part of baking. It helps the leavening agent and makes the cupcakes light and fluffy. I used here store-bought buttermilk. It is best to use store-bought buttermilk, but if you don’t have one, you can make your own (take 1/2 cup milk at room temperature and add 1 1/2 tsp lemon juice, stir to mix and set aside for 10 minutes. Before adding to the batter, remove 1 tbsp of it and use rest of almost 1/2 cup of buttermilk as homemade buttermilk is thinner than the store-bought).
• White vinegar: It is added to make this cake light and tender as well as to preserve the red colour. Red velvet cake is a perfect balance between acidity and chocolate flavour with beautiful red colour. Although we are using buttermilk and cocoa powder here the addition of vinegar provides a little extra acid that helps the baking soda to work better. The cupcakes will rise better and will have a light, fluffy and velvety texture.
• Red food colour: I used here red food gel colour. Don’t use liquid colour because gel colour works better here. Liquid colour will make this cake batter, more liquidy and the colour won’t be as vibrant.

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FOR THE BEST CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

• Cream cheese: It should be COLD. Always use full-fat cream cheese as it gives the frosting a creamy consistency. I used the Philadelphia original here.
• Unsalted butter: Softened to room temperature.
• Icing sugar/powdered sugar (sifted): This sugar is great for frosting. It is light and fine, blends into the cream cheese easily and makes the frosting fluffy.
• Vanilla extract: For flavour
• Lemon juice: It is used to balance the sweetness.  

EQUIPMENT REQUIRED 

• Electric hand mixer
• 12 cup muffin tin
• 12 cupcake liner

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HOW TO MAKE RED VELVET CUPCAKES STEP BY STEP!

Step 1: Preheat the Fan oven to 150C/302F (For a conventional oven, 170C/338F). Take a 12 cup muffin tin and line it with cupcake liners. Set aside.

Step 2: In a medium bowl, sift together cocoa powder, plain flour/all-purpose flour, salt and baking soda. Whisk them to mix well and set aside.

Step 3: In a large mixing bowl, add unsalted softened butter and white granulated sugar, beat them until light and fluffy by using an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer (for about two minutes). 

Step 4: Now add the eggs one at a time and beat after each addition until well combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Add oil and vanilla extract, and beat until well combined. Then add vinegar, and mix again until combined.

Step 5: Add in dry ingredients and buttermilk. Alternate these 2 ingredients, starting with dry ingredients and ending with dry ingredients. Beat on low after each addition until it is combined (avoid over-mixing).

Step 6: Add red gel food colour according to your colour preference. First, add 1/2 tsp of gel colour or add more to reach the desired colour and mix to combine. I added 3/4 tsp of food colour here.

Step 7: Take a 12 cup muffin tin and line it with cupcake liners. Divide the batter into 12 cupcake liners, using an ice cream scoop. Each liner should be 2/3 full with the filling. Bake in the preheated fan oven at 150C/302F (For a conventional oven, 170C/338F) for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Leave on a wire rack to cool completely.

THE BEST CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Here's how you can make the cream cheese frosting,

Step 1: Cream the softened butter on medium speed (with a hand mixer or stand mixer) until smooth and light in colour (about 2-3 minutes).

Step 2: Add in the vanilla extract and 1 cup of icing sugar/powdered sugar (sifted). Mix with a spatula then beat on low speed until well combined, scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed.

Step 3: Take out the COLD cream cheese straight from the fridge, shift to a small bowl, add in the lemon juice, then give it a good mix using a spoon or a hand mixer then add in the above butter mixture. Beat it until combined and fluffy. 

Step 4: Then add the remaining icing sugar/powdered sugar, and beat until fluffy and well combined. Be careful, not to overbeat the frosting as it becomes runny. Use it right away.

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ASSEMBLY

Fill the piping bag with cream cheese frosting. You can use any nozzle of your choice. I used here 1 M piping nozzle. Make swirls of frosting onto the cupcakes. Enjoy them right away or pop them in the fridge to chill.

TIPS FOR PERFECT RED VELVET CUPCAKES!

• Always use room temperature ingredients to keep an even consistency of the batter like eggs, butter, and buttermilk.
• Measure your flour correctly to get the best results. The best way to measure the flour is by using a digital scale but if you don’t have one, use proper measuring cups and spoons. Spoon and level your flour carefully. Spoon the flour into the measuring cup and then scrape a knife across the top of the measuring cup to level the flour. 
• Cream the butter and sugar together for about 2 minutes or until light and fluffy. Creaming the butter and sugar together incorporates more air into your cupcake batter creating softer and lighter cupcakes.
• Don’t forget to add a little bit of vinegar into the batter because a little extra acid helps the baking soda to work better. The cupcakes will have a light, fluffy and velvety texture.
• To make the batter mixture well-mixed, add flour and buttermilk alternatively.
• To get the proper top, fill the cupcake liners only 2/3 full otherwise they will overflow.
• Cakes are usually baked at 175C for a conventional oven and 155C for a fan oven, but when you bake cupcakes, you have to reduce the oven temperature slightly, so that you can achieve flat tops, get perfectly baked cupcakes and avoid over-browning. But again every oven is different! You will have to experiment a little bit with your oven.
• For the best cream cheese frosting, use softened butter (which means it should be softened enough, so when you press it with light pressure, your finger leaves a dent) and COLD cream cheese, straight out of the fridge. Just change the mixing order of the ingredients to get a stable cream cheese frosting. You don’t need to add tons of icing sugar to make it stable.

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FAQ

WHAT DOES RED VELVET CAKE OR CUPCAKE TASTE LIKE?

Red velvet cake tastes like very mild chocolate flavour with a slight tartness. A more important thing in a red velvet cake is the velvety texture that is achieved when baking soda reacts with vinegar, buttermilk and cocoa powder.

CAN I MAKE THE RED VELVET CUPCAKES IN ADVANCE?

Yes! You can make them a day ahead of frosting. But tightly cover them in plastic wrap and keep them in the fridge. It’s better to make a day ahead of serving because it is easy to assemble when they are cold.

CAN I MAKE THIS CREAM CHEESE FROSTING IN ADVANCE?

To get the best results, use it right away after whipping. It will stay stable in the fridge for 2 days but keep it in an airtight container. If the frosting looks grainy or separated before you frost the cupcakes, then give it a short whip and it will be good. 

HOW TO STORE THESE CUPCAKES?

These cupcakes remain moist and fresh for up to 2-3 days in the fridge if you keep them in an airtight container. You can also freeze them without frosting for up to 1-2 months. Separately wrap them in cling wrap then keep them in a zip lock bag and freeze. Take them out to thaw for 1 hour to bring them to room temperature before decorating them.

I hope that you'll try this recipe and you'll love them as much as my family and I do! If you make this recipe then be sure to tag @kaotickrunch on Instagram. We'd love to see your creations!

Happy baking and eating! 😊