Description
Deliciously moist and festive red velvet cupcakes topped with smooth and creamy cream cheese frosting. Perfect for celebrations or a special treat, these cupcakes combine a subtle cocoa flavor with a vibrant red hue and rich frosting for a classic dessert everyone will love.
Ingredients
Scale
Cupcakes
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tbsp red food coloring (gel)
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) to ensure it reaches the correct temperature for baking the cupcakes evenly.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt to combine and aerate the mixture.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In another bowl, whisk together vegetable oil, granulated sugar, eggs, buttermilk, vanilla extract, and red food coloring until the mixture is smooth and homogenous.
- Combine Wet and Dry: Gradually incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, stirring gently until just combined. Avoid overmixing to keep cupcakes tender.
- Fill Cupcake Liners: Line a cupcake pan with liners and fill each about two-thirds full with the batter, ensuring even portions for uniform baking.
- Bake: Place the cupcake pan in the preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, indicating they are done.
- Prepare Frosting: While cupcakes bake and cool, beat together softened cream cheese and butter until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar and continue mixing until smooth and fluffy.
- Cool and Frost: Allow cupcakes to cool completely on a wire rack, then generously frost each one with the cream cheese frosting using a knife or piping bag.
Notes
- Ensure the cream cheese and butter are at room temperature for a smooth frosting consistency.
- Do not overmix the batter to keep cupcakes light and tender.
- Gel food coloring is preferred for vibrant color without affecting batter consistency.
- Store cupcakes covered in the refrigerator to keep the cream cheese frosting fresh for up to 3 days.
- Let cupcakes cool completely before frosting to prevent melting the frosting.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
