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Red Velvet Cupcakes

Name: Red Velvet Cupcakes
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 100 min
Yield: 12 cupcakes
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1.25 cups cake flour; 1.0 tbsp natural cocoa powder; 0.5 tsp baking soda; 0.25 tsp fine sea salt; 0.25 cup unsalted butter, softened; 0.75 cup granulated sugar; 0.25 cup vegetable oil; 1.0 large egg; 1.0 tsp pure vanilla extract; 2.0 tsp red gel food coloring; 0.5 cup buttermilk; 0.5 tsp white vinegar; 4.0 tbsp unsalted butter, softened; 4.0 oz cream cheese, softened; 2.0 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted; 1.0 tsp VanillaGoods pure vanilla extract; 2.0 tbsp whole milk, as needed; 0.125 tsp fine sea salt

Red velvet cupcakes with a thick cream cheese frosting, the bakery-case classic in a dozen. Natural cocoa, not Dutch-process, gives the right tang and color.

Make it your own in the Dessert Builder

What it's made of

CupcakesRed Velvet Cupcakes

FrostingCream Cheese Frosting

Makes 12 cupcakes Active 55 minChill or rest 45 minParts 2

Contains milk, egg, wheat, soy (check labels)

Each part is a full recipe as written; the Dessert Builder scales them to fit this cupcakes and merges the shopping list. Open it with the button above to adjust servings or swap any part.

Ingredients

Red Velvet CupcakesCupcakes · makes 12 cupcakes

1.25 cupscake flour (145.0 g)
1.0 tbspnatural cocoa powder (6.0 g)
0.5 tspbaking soda (3.0 g)
0.25 tspfine sea salt (1.5 g)
0.25 cupunsalted butter, softened (57.0 g)
0.75 cupgranulated sugar (150.0 g)
0.25 cupvegetable oil (60.0 ml)
1.0 large egg (50.0 g)
1.0 tsppure vanilla extract (5.0 ml)
2.0 tspred gel food coloring (10.0 ml)
0.5 cupbuttermilk (120.0 ml)
0.5 tspwhite vinegar (2.5 ml)

Cream Cheese FrostingFrosting · makes 12 doughnuts

4.0 tbspunsalted butter, softened (57.0 g)
4.0 ozcream cheese, softened (113.0 g)
2.0 cupsconfectioners' sugar, sifted (240.0 g)
1.0 tspVanillaGoods pure vanilla extract (5.0 ml)
2.0 tbspwhole milk, as needed (30.0 ml)
0.125 tspfine sea salt

Method

1. Red Velvet Cupcakesfull recipe

Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
Whisk the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Beat the butter and sugar 2 minutes, beat in the oil, egg, vanilla and food coloring.
Add the flour in three additions alternating with the buttermilk, then stir in the vinegar.
Divide the batter between the liners, about two-thirds full. Bake 18 to 21 minutes until the tops spring back and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes in the pan, then on a rack.

2. Cream Cheese Frostingfull recipe

Beat the butter and cream cheese on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute.
On low speed, add the confectioners' sugar and salt, then the vanilla, and beat until combined.
Beat in the milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until the frosting is soft and swirlable, then beat on medium-high for 1 minute until fluffy.
Spread or pipe onto the tops of completely cooled doughnuts.

3. Put it together

Bake the Red Velvet Cupcakes and cool completely in the pan for 10 minutes, then on a rack.
Core each cupcake: cut a cone about 3/4 inch wide and three-quarters of the way down with a paring knife or an apple corer. Trim the cones into lids.
Make the Cream Cheese Frosting and pipe or spread it over each cupcake.