Regular or Mini Red Velvet Cupcakes

True to their name, these red velvet cupcakes have a velvety soft, and tender crumb. Ulta moist and deliciously decadent, these cupcakes are made with a combination of cocoa powder, vinegar, and buttermilk that give them their classic red velvet flavor.

This recipe makes 84 red velvet mini cupcakes or 28 regular-sized cupcakes.

Traditional red velvet is not supposed to be a chocolate cake but rather a buttermilk cake with a subtle hint of chocolate. The cocoa is primarily added to enhance the rich red color when it reacts chemically to the buttermilk and vinegar. If you prefer a decidedly chocolate flavor, you can add additional cocoa (see the notes).

Top the cupcakes with a sweet and tangy cream cheese frosting (recipe included), or make a traditional Ermine frosting.

4.81 from 21 votes

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Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 22

Total Time: 37

Servings: regular cupcakes or 84 mini cupcakes

Calories: 313kcal

Author: Dahn Boquist

Ingredients

Cupcakes

2-½ cups 300 grams all-purpose flour or cake flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1-½ cups 300 grams sugar
1-½ cups canola oil
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1-¼ teaspoons vanilla extract
2 eggs
3 to 5 teaspoons red food color

Cream Cheese Frosting

16 ounces cream cheese softened
8 tablespoons butter softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch of salt
3-½ cups 450g powdered sugar, sifted

Instructions

Cupcake Batter

Preheat the oven to 350°. Line 30 regular muffin cups or 72 mini muffin cups with paper cupcake liners.
In a mixing bowl, add the flour, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. Use a whisk to sift and combine the dry ingredients.
In a separate bowl, combine the sugar, oil, buttermilk, vinegar, vanilla, eggs, and red food coloring. Mix well to combine.
Add the flour mixture and stir until well combined. You can use an electric mixer or stir the batter by hand but don't overmix the batter, or the cupcakes will not be as tender. It is ok if the batter looks slightly lumpy.
Fill the cupcake liners about half full and bake for 18-22 minutes for regular-sized cupcakes or 12 to 15 minutes for mini cupcakes. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean.
If you bake more than one muffin pan at a time, rotate the pans halfway through cooking. Note: mini cupcakes take 1 tablespoon of batter, and regular-sized cupcakes will need 3 tablespoons of batter. Don't over-fill the cupcake tins.

Cream Cheese Frosting

To make the cream cheese frosting, combine the cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and salt in a large mixing bowl and beat on high speed until smooth, about 3 minutes.
With the mixer on low, slowly add the powdered sugar until it is well incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat on high speed for 1 more minute
Once the cupcakes have cooled completely, frost them with a butter knife or pipe with a decorating tip. If you don’t have a tip, you can place the frosting in a ziplock bag and cut a small hole in the corner of the bag, then pipe it onto the cupcakes.

Notes

This recipe works with all-purpose flour, but cake flour will make them slightly more tender and soft.
For a more chocolate-forward flavor, you can increase the cocoa to 1/3 cup. Extra cocoa will make the red color a deep brownish red instead of the brighter red shown in the photos.
To make a buttermilk substitute: Pour a cup of milk into a 1-cup measuring cup. Remove a tablespoon of milk and replace it with a tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar. Whisk it into the milk and let the mixture sit for 10 minutes. Real buttermilk is better, but this is a decent substitute.
Vinegar helps to tenderize the cupcakes, deepens their red hue as a result of a chemical reaction with cocoa powder, and preserves the red color for much longer.
You can make the cupcakes in advance and freeze them for up to 3 months. You can freeze frosted cupcakes for up to 1 month. Thaw them overnight in the fridge.
We used 4 teaspoons of red food coloring to get the vibrant red color shown in the photos. You can adjust the food coloring to get your desired color. A 1-ounce container of red food coloring only contains three teaspoons. Try to find a larger bottle of food coloring, especially if you plan to make this recipe on repeat.
For a natural red color, you can add 4 to 6 teaspoons of Suncore red beet powder. It will give the cupcakes a slightly brownish-red color but works very well as a natural food coloring. We have not tested the recipe with beet juice or pureed beets, only beet powder.

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