My Favorite Red Velvet Cupcakes
God sure does have a clever sense of humor, wouldn’t you say!?
Yes.
Here’s how I know: I’m dating a faaaaantastic man who… doesn’t know the difference between a pie and a cake… a muffin and a cupcake.
Funny, right? This has to be a joke… right?
Nope.
Ok. To be fair. It’s not that he doesn’t know the difference… it’s just that he mixes them all up all the time. Maybe it makes me a little crazy. Maybe it goes a little something like this:
Me: Simon, what do you want for your birthday?
Simon: A giant pie!
Me: A pie? You mean you don’t want a big ol’ chocolate cake?
Simon: Oh! Wait! No…. I want a cake. Wait… cakes are the big, multi-layered things with all the frosting. Yes. I want that.
Me: Cake. Not pie. Cake. Ok.
OR!
Me: Hey Simon! What do you want for breakfast?
Simon: Cupcakes!
Me: You mean muffins, right?
Simon: Ooh yea. Muffins. Yeaaaaah. They have the same shape! It’s confusing.
Me: I know.
Ok… maybe these two conversations are a bit of an exaggeration. But seriously friends… they’re not that much of an exaggeration. This happens to me, and I don’t see an end in sight. Very funny God. Luckily I have a very keen sense of humor too. Ha.
Perhaps making up for his mix-ups, Simon is one hell of a cupcake decorator. Seriously.
Now, I’d like to introduce you to my absolute favorite Red Velvet Cupcake recipe with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting. Wait… muffins. No, cupcakes. No… definitely cupcakes. I know this.
Believe it or not, I haven’t always been the biggest fan of Red Velvet Cupcakes. I thought they always tasted, well… red.
This Red Velvet Cupcake recipe comes from The Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook. All of the cupcakes I’ve tried from this book so far have been a tremendous success. What makes this recipe so lovely, is the hearty but not overpowering amount of cocoa powder. It’s just enough to tint the cupcake a sultry brownish-red and to tone down the red flavor that always turns me off. Buttermilk works to make the cupcakes just the right softness and combined with Cinnamon Cream Cheese frosting… shut up… so good!
This recipe makes one dozen cupcakes. Double the recipe and you’ll have either two dozen cupcakes, or enough batter to make 2 9-inch layer cakes. Brilliant!
My Favorite Red Velvet Cupcakes
recipe from Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook
makes one dozen cupcakes, double recipe to make 2 9-inch layer cakes
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
3 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 Tablespoons red food coloring
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar
Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fit with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about three minutes. Turn mixer to high and add the egg. Scrape down the bowl and beat until well incorporated.
In a separate bowl mix together cocoa, vanilla and red food coloring to make a thick paste. Add to the batter, mixing thoroughly until completely combined. You may need to stop the mixer to scrape the bottom of the bowl, making sure that all the batter gets color.
Turn mixer to low and slowly add half of the buttermilk. Add half of the flour and salt and mix until combined. Scrape the bowl and repeat the process with the remaining milk and flour. Beat on high until smooth.
Turn mixer to low and add baking soda and white vinegar. Turn to high and beat a few more minutes.
Spoon batter into a paper lined cupcake baking pan and bake at 325 F for 20-25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center cupcake comes out clean.
Let rest in the pan for 10 minutes, then place them of a cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.
Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
adapted from Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook
double recipe to frost a 2 layer 9-inch cake
2 1/3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
3 Tablespoons butter, room temperature
4 ounces cream cheese, cold (I used room temperature)
scant 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Beat the powdered sugar, cinnamon, and butter together in the bowl of a stand mixer fit with a paddle attachment. Mix on medium-slow speed until it comes together and is well mixed.
Add the cream cheese all at once and beat on medium to medium-high until incorporated.
Turn the mixer to medium-high and beat for 5 minutes, or until the frosting becomes light and fluffy.
Do not over-beat as the frosting can quickly become runny.
211 Comments Add A Comment
Joy, these cupcakes look more than delicious. I MUST make these ASAP! Buuuuut, what is the difference between distilled white vinegar and regular white vinegar?
Thanks a lot!
I think my guy and I are going to try our hand at these for Valentine’s day – we’re going to try using beet juice instead of red food coloring though…Think it’ll work? Also, can cider vinegar be used instead of white vinegar?
I made these for a V-day party and they were a big hit! I love that the frosting isn’t overly sweet.
Do I have to change the baking temp or the time if I want to make red velvet cakes?
Firstly, would just like to say that I’m a newbie to your blog!
I haven’t tried any recipes yet, and I’ve decided that these red velvet cupcakes will be my first!!!
Just one quick question, is 325F for a fan-forced oven??
I’m just super paranoid about overbaking cakes. The worst thing is a dry cake!!!!
THanks so much!!
Hi Joy,
First I have to say ‘U are so tallented!’ I wish Ive a sister like you. I am a Sri Lankan living in Singapore. I’m so in love with your blog there arent a single day that I want go through the yummy stuff you make. It makes me hungry!!! Oh yes soooooo hungry but ate the same time so happy.
Well now I Get down to business. I made your red velvet cupcakesaccording to your recipe. Bur there was somthing wrong in it!! It was so dry and it had big holes in it. But the colour was amazing.It wast sweet much but Im ok with that. Please advise me what went wrong????? coz I really want to make a yummy red velvet cake. Coz my son 21/2 years loves spiderman. I want to make web cup cakes.Pls help me!!
I just made these – they look and smell amazing. I haven’t tried one yet but I have sampled the frosting and I can vouch that that’s delicious. Joy – I have to tell you that you have become my go-to baking site! Everything I have made from here has been a huge success. Keep at it!
please help me!
i need you guys tell me what exactly is needed to make the perfect red velvet cupcake.
please also tell me what the perfect red velvet cupcake is suppose to taste like,feel like, smell like and look like. please be more detailed in your descriptions.
thanx…
I just popped these into the oven to bake, and I realized that I never added the salt. Your directions don’t say when to add it, so as I was following along, I never even realized the omission! I hope they’re still good minus the 1/2 tsp of salt!
hey joy…
i tried the first batch of red velvet and it came out soggy because of my mistakes and doughy texture…when i did the second batch they came out delicious and could not resist them and so my husband…
i must say your baking has inspired me and the wonderful ideas and recipes you provide..
Thank you very much
Que divinooossss!!!!Es muy rico este bizcocho,lo hice hace poco y nos encantó,la próxima será así.geniaalllllll.Me ha encantadooo.
saludos
Hey Joy,
Do you like this recipe better than the bright red velvet recipe? I want to make this for a bake sale, so I want them to be super tasty.
Thanks!
Hello,
The red velvet cupcakes look delicious and I am planning to make them for a party this weekend.
How should I adjust the baking time (and temperature) if I want to make mini cupcakes instead of regular sized cupcakes?
Thanks!
Samantha
350 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes… depending on how mini your mini cupcakes are. happy baking!!
Hello!
I love your blog for so many reasons :)
I just made these last night and I’m SO gld I did. Many things make this a great recipe! They came out delicious and they were so easy to make!
Many many thanks!!
Okay, seriously, best homade frosting ever.
Hi Joy! I just discovered your wonderful website and want to thank you for such lovely photos and great recipes.I’m going to take a stab at making your red velvet cupcakes. Can you tell me if I can substitute red coloring gel for the liquid? If so, how much should I use? Because there would be less liquid in using the gel, I wasn’t sure if that would have an effect on the consistency of the cupcakes. Your help is appreciated! Thanks!
oh man. i’m not sure how to substitute the gel. it’s stronger in color and has less liquid. just make sure that you keep the liquid the same by adding more buttermilk along with the red gel, if need be.
Hi Joy! I don’t see in the directions when to the add the salt.
Thanks so much, love your site!
Juuuuust made these as a birthday present to myself. These cupcakes are IN IT TO WIN IT!
what are you sprinkling on top? whatever it is, it’s magical.
So has anyone doubled the recipe? Do you just double all the ingredients? I am nervous about changing the amounts, so wanted to know if anyone doubled it before.
I have doubled this recipe, but never tripled. I just go a little easier on the flour and I stick with the single ounce of food coloring rather than three. If you want a deeper color, buy a second one ounce bottle and add it drop by drop to determine the color you want. Otherwise it works just fine when you double it.
I have to say… I have searched high and low for a good red velvet recipe, but this one by far defeats the rest. I only use one ounce of red food coloring and the batter still comes out a luxurious shade of red. I absolutely love all your recipes and am so glad I found you! So please, forgive your husband for not knowing the difference between muffins and cupcakes…. we do and that’s all that matters!!! <3
Hello..I am making this cupcakes today..I want to try them before Christmas. I want to make them for my family and friends as little presents in a cute boxes. Love the cinamon frosting for christmas..so I hope they turn out GREAT! Crossing fingers!
I DID IT!!! They came out great!!!!!Thanks a lot!!
Can I use Dutch-processed cocoa powder instead?
i made these for new year’s, doubled the recipe, and they were incredible. moist and fluffy, but dense in texture, with cream cheese frosting…amazing. my food coloring-cocoa-vanilla didn’t quite turn pasty (more powdery, i think) but the color ended up being perfect. thanks joy!
Why do my cupcakes sink in the middle, they don’t remain puffed up like your batch? :/
maybe your baking powder or baking soda is expired?
made a QUADRUPLE batch today for a zombie party! iced some brains on top and flicked jam mixed with more red food colouring on top. never have i ever used so much food dye. looks amazing though, and i ate one to test it – cake is dense and delicious, colour is wild! four thumbs up :)
I also use the Hummingbird bakery recipe for these cakes, they come out super moist and tasty.
I have noticed that they are quite ‘puffy’ when they come out of the oven but do tend to level out a little while cooling but this doesnt seem to affect the texture or taste in any negative way!
In answer to a couple of posts the salt gets mixed in with the flour before adding to the batter mix. Also i use the paste colours instead of liquid. i just add the same amount of water that is stated for the liquid colour to the cocoa and then use a toothpick or chopstick to add about 3 blobs (very techincal measurement) of paste colour to the mix. Just stop when it is red enough for you!
Also if i am making these cakes for children i substitute some of the cream cheese for butter and then if the icing is a bit thick just add a little milk to thin it.
:)
I just made these…. YUM! They were amazing! Thanks so much for giving me the inspiration to start baking! I’m trying your Chocolate Chocolate Chip Banana Bread and your Cinnamon Pull Apart Bread later this week! :)
I made Smitten Kitchen’s carrot cake today and it has quite a bit of leftover cream cheese icing. I made these to go with the leftover icing and they are very delicious. Moist, tender and beautiful! I plan to make them again next weekend for a birthday party as the birthday girl requested red velvet. Thanks!
The cupcakes look awesome! And to your story I just want to note that I live with a man (23 years old – should be a man by now) who doesn’t know the difference between limes and avocados!
WOW!! these are perfect!!! love the cinnamon taste in the frosting because I usually just have my red velvet cupcakes w/ just regular cream cheese frosting but the cinnamon definitely add to the deliciousness of these cupcakes. I love them!!! the cake is just so rich and moist! it’s perfect!!!! Thank you for sharing!
I have wanted to test out recipes on your site for a long time. I finally made these red velvet cupcakes!!! It was a lot of work ( I haven’t baked in so long!) but they turned out amazing! I used fat free cream cheese and skipped the cinnamon, but it turned out yummy and decadent. Definitely couldn’t achieve the icing height, but my deadline to get the cupcakes done was tonight :). Thank you for posting this!
-Felicia
Thankyou so much for sharing this recipe!
Your cupcakes look so red and velvety and delicious!
Thank you for sharing this recipe! I’ve been hankering (hah, does anyone use this word anymore?) for Red Velvet for such a long time. My cupcakes turned out edible yay! I hit a few bumps along the way, but I got there. Bumps namely being that I ran out of food dye on my 4th teaspoon, so the cupcakes aren’t as red as I’d like them to be, but the taste is all that matters. Also, I ran out of cinnamon.
Just made a batch of these… turned out GRAND! So impressed. Great recipe!
Fourth of July cupcakes here we come-izzle! Thanks, Joy, for helping me celebrate :)
So I realize that this is an older post, but I had to tell you that I just tried this recipe and it is FABULOUS. I’ve never made red velvet anything before but I decided to give it a whirl for my birthday and opted for your recipe. The texture of the cupcakes was to die for and taste was heavenly. One of my biggest pet peeves is cupcakes that are so sweet they give you the shivers and these are most decidedly not shiver-inducing. They have depth of flavor, a hint of sweetness, and a cozy cocoa taste. The cinnamon in the frosting is the kicker. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for this recipe!
JOY-
These are flavorful, and tasty. Definately fluffy but in my opinion not moist. I was wondering what your opinion is on me doubling the butter amout to one full stick or maybe even possibly adding a couple of tablespoons of veggie oil. I want them to be a bit more moist. Thanks, I appreciate your opinion.
Hi! My cake is in the oven, but I realized I never added the salt because it’s not listed in the steps! Whoops! Hope they’ll be ok.
Whoa. This frosting is out of control good. Can’t say much about the cake because I accidently mistook my 1/3 cup for a 1/4 cup and added way to much sugar. But the frosting totally makes up for the added sweetness. And this is coming from someone who has never once liked a cream cheese frosting until now.
I made these cupcakes for a group event about a year ago. Today, the girl hosting our Christmas party asked me what I was bringing for the potluck. She then shot down my baked brie and told me I HAD to bring these cupcakes or else! I guess they were a hit =) Thanks Joy!
amazing!!! me and my friend just made these cupcakes and they are super delicious!! and really easy to make! im totally going to make them again, thanks so much :)