Red Velvet Cupcakes
Yield: 20-24 cupcakes
Cook Time: 17-22 minutes
Tips: Store in refrigerator in an air-tight container. After removing from refrigerator, for optimum flavor and texture, allow cupcakes to sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes before eating. Cupcakes and any leftover frosting may be frozen until ready to serve.
Suggestion: To make these cupcakes as a cake, simply pour in equal portions into 2 9-inch cake pans and bake for about 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of cake layers comes out clean.
This Red Velvet Cupcake recipe features a moist cake with a mild cocoa-flavor and a rich, dark reddish-brown color. These cupcakes are topped with a delicious buttery cream cheese frosting, and are decorated with red cake decorations (to honor the 'red velvet' theme), though the frosting can be left plain or topped with cake crumbs as well.
The original Red Velvet Cake recipe was introduced by New York City's famous Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, though it is often referred to as a Southern cake. In the 1940's and 1950's, red velvet cake was also often served in restaurants in Canada, but the popularity of this red-colored and mildly chocolate-flavored cake has seemed to explode in these last few years, perhaps all over the world. Not only do specialty bakeries carry red
velvet cakes and cupcakes, it seems every grocery store now sells either red velvet cakes or red velvet cupcakes - or both. It is common for red velvet cakes and cupcakes to be topped with a cream cheese frosting (as with this Red Velvet Cupcake recipe), though they can also be occasionally found topped with a buttercream or French-style butter roux frosting. As with most other red velvet cake and cupcake recipes, these cupcakes (which can also be made into a double-layer cake, if you prefer) are made with buttermilk and distilled white vinegar, which are together said to help bring out the red pigment in the cocoa. Red Velvet cake gets most of its red color from a generous helping of red food coloring, which is only for eye appeal, as the food coloring has no flavor.
This Red Velvet Cupcake recipe makes about 20-24 cupcakes, with enough delicious buttery cream cheese frosting to give each cupcake a generous helping. As mentioned earlier, you can also use this recipe to make a double-layer cake, simply by pouring equal portions of the cupcake batter into 2 9-inch cake pans (buttered or sprayed with nonstick spray) and baking for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Whether you use this recipe to make cupcakes or a double-layer cake, the finished product will be a huge hit!
The original Red Velvet Cake recipe was introduced by New York City's famous Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, though it is often referred to as a Southern cake. In the 1940's and 1950's, red velvet cake was also often served in restaurants in Canada, but the popularity of this red-colored and mildly chocolate-flavored cake has seemed to explode in these last few years, perhaps all over the world. Not only do specialty bakeries carry red
This Red Velvet Cupcake recipe makes about 20-24 cupcakes, with enough delicious buttery cream cheese frosting to give each cupcake a generous helping. As mentioned earlier, you can also use this recipe to make a double-layer cake, simply by pouring equal portions of the cupcake batter into 2 9-inch cake pans (buttered or sprayed with nonstick spray) and baking for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Whether you use this recipe to make cupcakes or a double-layer cake, the finished product will be a huge hit!
Recipe▼
Ingredients
- Cupcakes
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose or cake flour, sifted
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon red food coloring
- 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, (preferably unsalted) at room temperature
- 2 large eggs
- Frosting
- 2 8-oz. packages cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter (preferably unsalted), at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Directions
Cupcakes
Preheat oven to 350°F. If you are not using paper or aluminum foil cupcake holders, spray 2 12-cupcake cupcake tins with nonstick spray (butter may also be used). If using cupcake holders, no need to grease cupcake tins - simply arrange holders in cupcake tins. Set cupcake tins aside.
In a medium mixing bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. In a separate small mixing bowl, whisk together buttermilk, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla extract until well-blended. Set aside.
In an electric mixer bowl, combine sugar and butter and beat on medium speed until well blended. Add eggs and beat until smooth and well-blended. Add dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk mixture, beginning and ending with dry ingredients, stopping mixer once or twice to scrape sides and bottom of mixer bowl to incorporate all ingredients.
Spoon cupcake batter into cupcake tins, filling to about 2/3 full. Bake cupcakes for 17 to 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into center of a cupcake comes out clean. Remove cupcakes and allow to cool in the tins for about 5 minutes, then carefully transfer to a wire cooling rack to completely cool. (Tip: If cupcakes seem slightly stuck to sides, gently rock back and forth to loosen before removing. For those difficult to remove cupcakes, a smooth smooth table knife may be inserted down the sides of cupcakes to loosen. Tilting the cupcake tin at a slight angle makes removing cupcakes a little easier.)
Frosting
In an electric mixer bowl, beat cream cheese and butter at medium speed until smooth and no lumps remain. Add vanilla extract and briefly beat again. Add powdered sugar and beat again until smooth. Apply to cupcakes using a baker's frosting tool or a table knife.(Note: Frosting can also be applied by placing frosting in a plastic bag, cutting a small hole in one of the bottom corners of the bag, then squeezing though the corner hole onto cupcakes.)
Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. For optimum flavor and texture, allow to sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes after removing from the refrigerator before eating. May also be frozen in an air-tight container and thawed out when ready to serve.
Preheat oven to 350°F. If you are not using paper or aluminum foil cupcake holders, spray 2 12-cupcake cupcake tins with nonstick spray (butter may also be used). If using cupcake holders, no need to grease cupcake tins - simply arrange holders in cupcake tins. Set cupcake tins aside.
In a medium mixing bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. In a separate small mixing bowl, whisk together buttermilk, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla extract until well-blended. Set aside.
In an electric mixer bowl, combine sugar and butter and beat on medium speed until well blended. Add eggs and beat until smooth and well-blended. Add dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk mixture, beginning and ending with dry ingredients, stopping mixer once or twice to scrape sides and bottom of mixer bowl to incorporate all ingredients.
Spoon cupcake batter into cupcake tins, filling to about 2/3 full. Bake cupcakes for 17 to 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into center of a cupcake comes out clean. Remove cupcakes and allow to cool in the tins for about 5 minutes, then carefully transfer to a wire cooling rack to completely cool. (Tip: If cupcakes seem slightly stuck to sides, gently rock back and forth to loosen before removing. For those difficult to remove cupcakes, a smooth smooth table knife may be inserted down the sides of cupcakes to loosen. Tilting the cupcake tin at a slight angle makes removing cupcakes a little easier.)
Frosting
In an electric mixer bowl, beat cream cheese and butter at medium speed until smooth and no lumps remain. Add vanilla extract and briefly beat again. Add powdered sugar and beat again until smooth. Apply to cupcakes using a baker's frosting tool or a table knife.(Note: Frosting can also be applied by placing frosting in a plastic bag, cutting a small hole in one of the bottom corners of the bag, then squeezing though the corner hole onto cupcakes.)
Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. For optimum flavor and texture, allow to sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes after removing from the refrigerator before eating. May also be frozen in an air-tight container and thawed out when ready to serve.
