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Two cupcake recipes this week? Y’all are lucky!
Or I’m just secretly plotting to make y’all fat :)
Red velvet is my favorite flavor. I know some people don’t “get it” as to why some people are obsessed with red velvet or what the hype about red velvet is and I wish I could explain it, but I’ve loved red velvet since I was young so I guess that’s my explanation.
At a young age, I knew I wanted red velvet cheesecake for my wedding cake and I still do, but after revisiting my childhood favorite earlier this week, the chocolate cheesecake cupcakes, red velvet now has a contending flavor. GASP!
I have to be honest with you guys: these cupcakes were actually supposed to be my birthday cupcakes but since I royally effed them up, I decided to not post them on my bday. Now, you ask, how did I royally eff them up? Well, if you follow me on Instagram, you’ll have seen the most pathetic excuse for frosting these cupcakes. In all fairness though, it was my first time ever doing it and it was one of my kitchen goals this year so it was worth a shot. The ones pictured above are the ones that turned out decent. The other ones were pretty laughable. However, Lindsay, Krissy, & Nicole have graciously given me tips on frosting cupcakes so the next time I make cupcakes, I will follow their advice :)
Regardless of how these looked, they were delicious. The cake was moist and flavorful and the cream cheese frosting was literally the icing on the cake. It was really delicious and tastes just like a cupcake out of a cupcake shop sans the look of it, haha
red velvet cupcakes
Equipment
Ingredients
For the cupcakes:
- 2 ½ cups (313 g) cake flour
- 1 ½ cups (300 g) sugar
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 ¼ cups (296 ml) vegetable oil
- 1 cup (236 ml) buttermilk
- 2 tablespoon red food coloring
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
For the frosting:
- 8 ounce (227 g) cream cheese, room temperature
- ½ cup (114 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3 cups (360 g) confectioners sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 °F (177 °C). Prepare muffin pan by lining with muffin liners or by spraying with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, sift together, flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a bowl of a stand mixer, beat together eggs, vegetable oil, buttermilk, food coloring, vanilla extract, and white vinegar.
- Slowly add in the dry ingredients and mix until well combined.
- Fill muffin cups with 2/3 full of batter. Repeat until all batter have been used up.
- Bake 18-22 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Let cupcakes cool in pan for 5 minutes before removing and transferring to wire rack to cool completely.
- While the cupcakes are cooling, wash out your stand mixer bowl and beat together cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Then add the sugar and vanilla and beat until well combined.
- When cupcakes are cooled, put frosting in piping bag and whatever pastry tip you like to use and frost your cupcakes!
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge (because of the cream cheese).
Notes
Nutrition
Hey there, name twin! I was wondering if you knew if you can omit the red food coloring in the recipe and the red velvet reaction will still occur? I know it wouldn’t be as vibrant, but I have a weird thing with red food dye lol. Thanks!
the reaction won’t occur because the food coloring is what gives it the color. you could try to use beet juice, but i know that it can turn brown and not yield the color that red food dye gives.
Is the cocoa powder sweetened or not? These really look good and i’d really love to try them.
Unsweetened cocoa powder
Do u use granulated sugar or powdered sugar!?
If I don’t specify like I did in the frosting section, it’s always granulated sugar. Hope you enjoy!
What brand of food colouring do u use?
McCormick
I was so excited to make because I’m a big fan of red velvet but the batter turned out a little oily which I didn’t pay attention too and then when they came out they were dry and didn’t really have a taste. I don’t know where I went wrong, but the frosting was great :)