Red Velvet Cupcakes are a classic dessert with a striking color and rich flavor. Their vibrant red hue makes them perfect for any special occasion. They’re my go-to when I want something quick, classic, and crowd-pleasing.
Contents
Red Velvet Cupcakes Recipe
Red Velvet Cupcakes are known for their moist, tender crumb, subtle chocolate flavor, and characteristic red color. These distinctive cupcakes have a unique taste profile that combines mild chocolate notes with a slight tang.
The treats pair beautifully with wines such as Pinot Noir, Ruby Port, California Zinfandel, Banyuls, and Brachetto D’Acqui. Fruity red wines or a whisky sour are also great choices.
Non-alcoholic options include milk, milkshakes, white mocha, vanilla latte, and coffee drinks like flat whites or iced dirty chai.
These cupcakes are traditionally topped with a rich, tangy cream cheese frosting. I’ll add berries on top to make them more festive. Here’s how to make the red velvet cupcakes with berries:
Red Velvet Cupcakes
Nutrition
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp cocoa powder unsweetened
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup vegetable oil or melted coconut oil
- ½ cup buttermilk or ½ cup milk + ½ tbsp vinegar, sit 5 mins
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp white vinegar
- 1 tbsp red food coloring
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
For the Toppings
- Fresh blueberries
- Sliced strawberries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a muffin tin with 12 cupcake liners.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.
- In another bowl, whisk together egg, oil, buttermilk, vanilla, vinegar, and red food coloring.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients gently—just until no dry streaks remain.
- Fill liners ⅔ full with batter.
- Bake 18–20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely.
- For frosting, beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Mix in powdered sugar and vanilla.
- Frost cupcakes and top with berries or sprinkles for a patriotic look.
Notes
- Try beet puree for a natural red tint. Beet puree gives a soft reddish hue—not bright red, but beautiful and earthy.
Variations
There are many creative variations and twists on this iconic red velvet cupcake:
- Healthier Version
- Replace all-purpose flour with whole wheat pastry flour or 1:1 gluten-free flour blend
- Reduce sugar to 2/3 cup and use coconut sugar instead
- Use Greek yogurt instead of buttermilk
- Replace vegetable oil with unsweetened applesauce
- Use Neufchâtel cheese (1/3 less fat cream cheese) and reduce powdered sugar to 3/4 cup
- Vegan Version
- Replace egg with 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce or flax egg (1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water)
- Use plant-based milk + vinegar instead of buttermilk
- Use vegan cream cheese and vegan butter
- Use natural plant-based food coloring or 1/2 cup beet puree instead of red food coloring
- Extra Rich Version
- Add 1/4 cup melted dark chocolate to the batter
- Increase cocoa powder to 2 tbsp for a deeper chocolate flavor
- Add 1/2 tsp espresso powder to enhance the chocolate flavor
- Add 4 oz melted white chocolate to the cream cheese mixture
- Less Sweet Version
- Reduce sugar to 2/3 cup
- Double the cocoa powder for more chocolate intensity and less sweetness
- Reduce powdered sugar to 3/4 cup and add 1 tbsp lemon juice for tanginess
- Mini Cupcakes Version uses the same ingredients, but is baked in mini muffin tins for 10-12 minutes. It reduces food coloring to 1/2 tbsp.