Description
This classic Red Velvet Cupcake recipe yields moist, tender cupcakes with a vibrant red hue and a subtle cocoa flavor, topped with a rich and creamy cream cheese frosting. Perfect for celebrations or everyday indulgence, these cupcakes offer the ideal balance of sweetness and tanginess with a smooth, luscious finish.
Ingredients
Cupcakes:
- 1 cup canola oil
- 1-1/2 cups sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon red food coloring
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup baking cocoa
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
Frosting:
- 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 to 2-1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
Instructions
- Make the batter: Preheat your oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl, whisk canola oil, buttermilk, eggs, red food coloring, vanilla extract, and white vinegar until well combined. Gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix just until moistened to avoid overmixing.
- Portion and bake: Line 24 muffin cups with foil or paper cupcake liners. Using a cookie scoop or spoon, fill each liner about two-thirds full with the batter for even cupcakes. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow cupcakes to cool in the pan for 10 minutes to set their crumb structure, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely to room temperature.
- Mix the frosting: In a large bowl, beat softened cream cheese, butter, vanilla extract, and salt using a hand or stand mixer until the mixture is fluffy and smooth. Gradually add confectioners’ sugar, starting with 2 cups and increasing up to 2-1/2 cups, beating until you reach your desired frosting consistency. More sugar will yield a stiffer frosting.
- Decorate: Frost the completely cooled cupcakes using a piping bag with a decorative tip for a professional look or use a mini offset spatula for a casual finish. If you don’t have a piping bag, a resealable plastic bag with a corner snipped off works well. Serve and enjoy your delicious red velvet cupcakes!
Notes
- Use room temperature eggs for better batter consistency and cupcake texture.
- A cookie scoop helps to evenly portion batter, resulting in consistent cupcake sizes.
- Allow cupcakes to cool completely before frosting to prevent the frosting from melting.
- Adjust the amount of confectioners’ sugar in the frosting to get your preferred sweetness and texture.
- If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make a substitute by adding 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to 1 cup of milk and letting it sit for 5 minutes.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 22 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
