Red Velvet Cupcakes (Printable Version)

Moist, vibrant cupcakes with cream cheese frosting—perfect for Valentine's Day or any special celebration.

# What You Need:

→ For the Cupcakes

01 - 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
04 - ½ tsp baking soda
05 - ½ tsp salt
06 - ½ cup vegetable oil
07 - 2 large eggs, at room temperature
08 - ½ cup buttermilk, at room temperature
09 - 2 tsp vanilla extract
10 - 1 tsp white vinegar
11 - 1½ tbsp red food coloring

→ For the Cream Cheese Frosting

12 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened
13 - 4 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
14 - 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
15 - 1 tsp vanilla extract
16 - Pinch of salt

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
03 - In another bowl, whisk oil, eggs, buttermilk, vanilla extract, vinegar, and red food coloring until smooth.
04 - Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Do not overmix.
05 - Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake liners, filling each about ⅔ full.
06 - Bake for 18–20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
07 - Remove from oven and let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
08 - Beat cream cheese and butter together until smooth.
09 - Gradually add powdered sugar and beat until fluffy. Mix in vanilla extract and a pinch of salt.
10 - Once cupcakes are completely cool, frost generously with cream cheese frosting. Decorate with festive sprinkles or edible hearts if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The balance between cocoa and vanilla creates this mysterious flavor that store-bought red velvet never quite captures right.
  • These cupcakes stay impossibly moist for days, which means you can make them ahead and still impress everyone when you serve them.
02 -
  • Overmixing the batter will activate too much gluten and create tough cupcakes, so put down the electric mixer once you combine wet and dry ingredients.
  • The frosting might seem too soft at first, but refrigerating it for 15 minutes firms it up perfectly for piping without changing the flavor.
03 -
  • The vinegar might seem strange, but dont skip it - this acidic ingredient is what gives red velvet its distinctive tang and helps create that tender, velvety texture.
  • For the creamiest frosting imaginable, beat the cream cheese alone until completely smooth before adding the butter, then beat again before introducing any sugar.

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