Red Velvet Cupcakes

Key Ingredient Notes

Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.

• Cake Flour: If you don’t have cake flour on hand, you can make your own by sifting together 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour and 4 tablespoons cornstarch.
• Baking Soda: This will give your cupcakes a little bit of lift. Double check the expiration date to make sure it’s still potent.
• Cocoa Powder: Unsweetened cocoa powder adds a touch of chocolate flavor without being an overwhelming presence.
• Salt: Kosher salt, table salt, and sea salt are all good options.
• Eggs: Make sure your eggs are at room temperature so that the batter incorporates smoothly.
• Buttermilk: This will give the cupcakes the best tender texture while also subtly balancing the sweetness with some tang.
• Red Food Coloring: This is what gives the cupcakes their signature red hue. You can omit it, but they won’t look red. Feel free to use something like beetroot instead if you’d like!
• White Distilled Vinegar: The vinegar reacts with the baking soda and buttermilk to create a fluffy texture. It also enhances the classic red velvet flavor.
• Cream Cheese: Let the cream cheese soften and come to room temperature before mixing.
• Butter: Also let this soften so it combines with the cream cheese. You can use salted or unsalted butter.
• Powdered Sugar: Sift out any clumps ahead of time so that the frosting is as smooth as possible.

How to Make Red Velvet Cupcakes

Visit the recipe card below for the full directions.

Don’t over-mix the batter. This will make the cupcakes turn out dense and tough, so make sure you only mix the batter until it is just combined.

Fill liners three-quarters full. This gives the cupcakes room to rise without overflowing.

Let cupcakes cool completely before frosting. Even slightly warm cupcakes will melt cream cheese frosting.

Beat frosting long enough. Whipping the frosting for 5 to 7 minutes makes it light, fluffy, and easy to pipe.

Chill after frosting. Refrigerating the cupcakes for about 2 hours helps the cream cheese frosting set beautifully.

Variations to Try

Frosting. I used a large closed star tip for frosting the cupcakes with cream cheese frosting. You could also try vanilla buttercream frosting, or even chocolate buttercream!

Sprinkles and add-ons. I like to crumble up one unfrosted cupcake into crumbs and sprinkle them on top of the other cupcakes. I also add a few heart sprinkles, but feel free to use your favorite kind!

Nuts. You could also try topping your cupcakes with crushed pecans (or your favorite nut).

Mini Red Velvet Cupcakes. Use a mini muffin tin and reduce bake time to about 10 to 12 minutes.

White Chocolate Chips. Fold white chocolate chips into the batter for extra sweetness and texture.

Filled Cupcakes. Core the center and fill with cream cheese filling or chocolate ganache.

Oreo Topping. Top with crushed Oreos for sweet crunch.

Heart Shaped Cupcakes. Place a marble between liner and pan to create a heart shape for special occasions.

Make Ahead and Storing

You can store these red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. If they’re unfrosted, you could try leaving them in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days, but with the cream cheese frosting, you’ll want to make sure they’re refrigerated.

You can freeze red velvet cupcakes without frosting for 2-3 months in an airtight container. Let them thaw overnight in the fridge before you frost them!

More Red Velvet Recipes You’ll Love

• Red Velvet Whoopie Pies – Cakey cookies sandwiched with cream cheese frosting.
• Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies – Cheesecake swirled into dense red velvet brownies.
• Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies – Soft, chewy, and easy to make with cake mix.
• Red Velvet Mug Cake – Ready in just 5 minutes.