Description
Delight in these moist and tender Red Velvet Cupcakes featuring a classic combination of cocoa and buttermilk, enhanced with vibrant red gel food coloring. Perfectly balanced in flavor and texture, these cupcakes are a timeless treat topped with luscious cream cheese frosting, ideal for celebrations or everyday indulgence.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups cake flour, sifted
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder
Wet Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp red gel food coloring (add more for deeper red color)
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 tsp vinegar
Leavening
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Muffin Tin: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a standard muffin tin with 24 paper liners to ensure the cupcakes don’t stick and bake evenly.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the sifted cake flour, cocoa powder, and salt until evenly combined. This mixture forms the base of your cupcake batter.
- Mix Sugar and Oil: In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to combine the sugar and vegetable oil until smoothly blended, creating a moist base for the batter.
- Add Eggs: Add the eggs one at a time, mixing gently after each addition until just combined to incorporate air and structure into the batter.
- Add Flavor and Color: Add the vanilla extract and red gel food coloring to the wet mixture, mixing slowly until the color is evenly distributed. Add more coloring if a deeper red shade is desired.
- Incorporate Dry and Wet Mixtures: Alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk to the wet ingredients in three batches, starting and ending with the flour. Mix well between each addition, but avoid overmixing to keep the cupcakes tender and light.
- Add Vinegar and Baking Soda: In a small bowl, stir together the vinegar and baking soda (it will fizz) and immediately add this to the cupcake batter. Mix until just combined to activate the leavening for a light texture.
- Fill Muffin Cups: Use an ice cream scoop or spoon to evenly divide the batter among the 24 muffin cups, filling each about 2/3 full to allow room for rising.
- Bake Cupcakes: Bake for 18 minutes, rotating the muffin tin halfway through to ensure even baking. Check doneness by inserting a toothpick in the center; it should come out clean.
- Cool Cupcakes: Let cupcakes cool in the pan for a few minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely before frosting to prevent melting the frosting.
- Frost and Decorate: Once fully cooled, frost generously with cream cheese frosting. Decorate with fondant flowers, hearts, red velvet cake crumbs, or enjoy plain as desired.
Notes
- Do not overmix the batter after adding the dry ingredients to ensure cupcakes remain tender and light.
- Use high-quality red gel food coloring for vibrant color without altering the batter’s consistency.
- Ensure cupcakes are completely cool before frosting to prevent the frosting from melting.
- If you do not have buttermilk, you can substitute by adding 1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice per cup of milk and letting it sit for 5 minutes.
- Rotate the muffin tin halfway through baking for even heat distribution and consistent cupcake rise.
- Store frosted cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.
