Description
Delight in these classic Red Velvet Cupcakes topped with rich and creamy cream cheese frosting. Perfectly moist and tender cupcakes feature a subtle cocoa flavor and vibrant red color, enhanced by a smooth and luscious homemade cream cheese frosting, making them an irresistible treat for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Red Velvet Cupcakes
- 200 g all-purpose flour
- 200 g granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 110 g buttermilk
- 120 g sour cream (14-18% fat), room temperature
- 75 g vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons white vinegar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¾ teaspoon red gel food coloring or vegan food coloring
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 200 g butter, softened
- 100 g full-fat cream cheese
- 360 g powdered sugar, sifted
- ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your conventional oven to 160ºC (320ºF) and line a cupcake tray with 12 cupcake liners to ensure even baking and easy removal.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, Dutch cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir gently to combine all the dry ingredients evenly.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a separate mixing bowl, combine the buttermilk, sour cream, vegetable oil, white vinegar, eggs, vanilla extract, and red gel food coloring. Whisk gently by hand until just combined, careful not to overmix to prevent tough cupcakes.
- Combine Batter: Gradually pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, stirring gently until the batter is smooth with no lumps, taking care not to overmix.
- Fill Cupcake Liners: Divide the batter evenly among the 12 cupcake liners, filling each about two-thirds full to allow room for rising.
- Bake: Bake the cupcakes in the preheated oven for 20-23 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool in the tray for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare Frosting: Remove butter from the fridge 10 minutes prior and cut into cubes. In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or using an electric hand mixer, cream the butter on high speed for 5 minutes. Scrape sides and mix for an additional 2 minutes.
- Add Cream Cheese and Vanilla: Add the vanilla bean paste and cream cheese to the creamed butter. Beat together for 1 minute until smooth and well combined.
- Add Powdered Sugar: On low speed, gradually add the sifted powdered sugar in two parts, mixing each part in thoroughly before adding the next. Scrape the sides and finish with a final 2-minute mix on low speed.
- Finish Frosting: Remove the bowl from the mixer and beat by hand with a spatula or wooden spoon to eliminate any air bubbles and achieve a smooth consistency.
- Decorate: Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a star tip (e.g., Wilton 1M). Pipe the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes. Optionally, decorate with sprinkles for a festive touch.
Notes
- Using red food color paste is preferred over red liquid food color as it provides a richer, more vibrant red hue with less quantity needed.
- Adjust the amount of red food coloring as needed depending on the brand and desired depth of color.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake with frosting
- Calories: 380 kcal
- Sugar: 32 g
- Sodium: 210 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 42 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
