Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
These incredibly moist red velvet cupcakes have the perfect hint of chocolate and gorgeous color, topped with rich cream cheese frosting that's not too sweet. They're surprisingly easy to make and always get rave reviews from everyone who tries them!
Ingredients
Cupcakes:
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2½ tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons red food coloring
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1½ teaspoons white vinegar
Frosting:
- ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 8 ounces cream cheese, cold and cut into pieces
Additional Decorations:
- Red sprinkles or heart decorations
- Cupcake crumbs for garnish
- Extra powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat and Prep: Set oven to 350°F and line muffin tin with paper liners for easy removal and beautiful presentation.
- Cream Base: Beat butter and sugar on medium-high speed for 3 minutes until light, fluffy, and pale in color throughout.
- Add Egg: Mix in egg on high speed, scraping bowl sides to ensure everything combines smoothly and evenly distributes.
- Make Paste: Combine cocoa powder, food coloring, and vanilla in a small bowl to form a thick paste before mixing into the batter.
- Alternate Ingredients: Add buttermilk and flour alternately on low speed, beginning and ending with flour for perfect texture development.
- Final Mix: Incorporate salt, baking soda, and vinegar on low speed, then beat on high for two minutes until completely smooth.
- Bake Perfect: Divide batter evenly between liners and bake 18-20 minutes until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool Completely: Let cupcakes cool in pan 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack until completely cool before frosting.
- Make Frosting: Beat butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt until smooth, then add cream cheese pieces one at a time.
- Frost and Serve: Pipe or spread frosting generously on cooled cupcakes and add decorations if desired for a stunning presentation.
Notes
- Use natural unsweetened cocoa powder, not Dutch-processed, for proper rise and authentic red velvet color and flavor.
- Full-fat Philadelphia cream cheese works best for frosting consistency; low-fat versions contain too much water and create runny frosting.
- Cupcakes can be doubled to make two 8-inch cake layers; increase baking time to 25-30 minutes for layers.
- Make your own buttermilk by adding 1 tablespoon lemon juice to ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons regular milk.
- Store frosted cupcakes covered in the refrigerator for up to one week; bring to room temperature before serving for the best taste.