This is a recipe for Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting. A perfect dessert for Valentines Day, or any day as far as that goes.
It’s time for our February Bloggers Clue event…oh..and look…I baked.
How much fun is this…each month we’re assigned to a blog and we’re given a clue. With that clue, we’re to sneak around, find a recipe, cook the recipe and blog about it. Since February is a very red month, our assignment was to find something “Simply Red.” I’m just as surprised as you that I didn’t choose a beautiful red meat steak to feature, but alas, there’s a red velvet cupcake. Heading over to Liz’s place, That Skinny Chick Can Bake, I started my red search.
- Since I know I can make biscotti, I bookmarked her Cherry Pistachio Biscotti recipe.
- Red with apples and cherries, the Apple Cherry Walnut Salad with Maple Dressing looked tempting.
- I thought about her Red Velvet White Chocolate Chunk Cookies as they just screamed February.
- But her Red Velvet Cupcakes with that Cream Cheese frosting, won out.
Liz is one of those top shelf bloggers that I’ve been following for a long time. She has a passion for baking rich, irresistible desserts and garnishing them to perfection.
Her Chocolate Desserts will make anyone swoon, and she has a thing for Cookies! She also offers up Skinny Tips so we can keep those figures in check. You really owe it to yourself to head over to her Recipe Index, you’re in for a treat. Oh, and did I mention … she’s in Chief Investigator around here? The Bloggers Clue group is her idea, thanks to Liz for putting this all together.
I love red velvet, but have never attempted to make it. I had no idea you need three bottles of red food coloring to get that rich red chocolate.
I’m not a regular frosting fan, but I love a cream cheese version. This combination is divine and for step by step how-to, please head over to her post on these cupcakes. You’ll be glad you did. What a great treat for Valentine’s Day.
Recipe for Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
I hope you give this recipe for Red Velvet Cupcakes a try. And if you do, please come back and let me know how you liked it and give the recipe a star rating.
Your feedback is valuable to me for developing future recipes. And if you have a favorite cupcake recipe, let me know, I’d love to give it a try.
And if you’re looking for more cupcake recipes you won’t want to miss:
Cheesecake Black Bottom Chocolate Cupcakes
or this one for Chocolate Chile Cupcakes
Red Velvet Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 cups cake flour
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa not Dutch processed
- 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups canola oil
- 2 1/4 cups sugar
- 3 eggs
- 3 ounces red food coloring
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 1/2 teaspoons white vinegar
- Frosting
- 16 ounces cream cheese cold
- 12 tablespoons butter at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 6 cups powdered sugar sifted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º. Put paper liners in three 12 count muffin tins.
- Whisk flour, cocoa and salt together in bowl.
- Beat oil and sugar in an electric mixer on medium till well blended. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Lower mixer speed to low (you don’t want any splashing!), and carefully add the red food coloring. Add vanilla, then alternate flour with buttermilk, starting with half the flour, then half the buttermilk, the rest of the flour, then ending with buttermilk. Scrape down the bowl, then mix just briefly till combined.
- Place baking soda and vinegar in a dish and stir to combine. Add to batter with mixer running. Beat for just 10 seconds.
- Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full and bake 25-30 minutes or till cake tester comes out clean. Let cool slightly, then remove from pans. Cool completely before icing.
- For frosting, beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla just till blended. Add powdered sugar slowly (2 cups at a time) and beat till frosting is smooth and at the correct consistency. You may find you prefer more or less powdered sugar than called for. Makes 4 cups.
Nutrition
Red Velvet Cupcakes …They’re what’s for Red Dessert.
My mother used to make us a red velvet cake for Valentine’s Day. Thanks for reminding me, When it comes to all those sweets, I’d be happy to have one of each! Happy Valentine’s Day, Lea Ann.
I’m a red velvet cake fan! So fun.
Thanks – great to know the recipe works as-is in Denver!
It did for me.
Did you make any altitude adjustments for these cupcakes? Thanks.
I did not Anita, because I simply don’t know how. :/
Red Velvet are such a great classic, and how perfect for this month’s theme!! These look lovely!
Thank you Anna
Liz and her red velvet cupcakes are definitely top shelf but so are you. Everything on your blog is delicious and these cupcakes are right up there. Yum!
Thank you THANK you Maureen. Coming from you that’s such a lovely compliment.
I always loved it when Mom would make Red Velvet Cake… I like the cupcake idea better! Liz has wonderful recipes… Great choice to share!
Thank you Kate.
It’s the amount of the red food colouring that I’ve kinda stopped making red velvet. I love it though, and it’s one of the chocolate desserts I do like. Thankfully, you can get fairly decent natural food colouring so these cakes are back on my repertoire.
I love your cupcake, and like you my favourite frosting is the cream cheee one,
I think this was a great pick for the red clue!
Want to do lunch next week? M, T and Th is good for me …let me know if one of those works for you.
Nazneen
I’d love to do lunch. Let me check my calendar. I need to sign in to my work server, or I’d let you know right now.
Red Velvet Cupcakes….a perfect choice!!!
Thank you Wendy.
Your so right, Liz is a top-shelf baker and your cupcakes are looking equally as delicious!! 😉
Thank you Alice.
Lea Ann, the cake minus the food coloring sounds delicious. Call me an Old Hippie Chick, but I couldn’t use red dye if you held a gun on me! 😀 But I don’t give a rip about cholesterol, so I’d eat that frosting with a spoon!
I don’t even know whats in it! I probably wouldn’t if I’d read the label.
My d-i-l’s favorite is red velvet – yours looks yummy. Wanted to tell you I made your chicken barbecue in crock pot last weekend. Everyone raved, and it was easy. Coming to the city tomorrow – I hope the weather doesn’t turn nasty.
Thank you so much for letting me know that the chicken was a hit. And yes, pretty darn easy. Enjoy Denver, I just heard we’re supposed to get a foot this weekend.
I think that Red Velvet should be it’s own food group! Yum!
I know you had no problem finding a great recipe there. So many sweet treats to choose from.
Thanks Debra. Fun group – huh? 🙂
I am not allowed to participate in that group because I have been told repeatedly that I don’t have a clue.
Ha!
I’ve head the immense pleasure of meeting Liz and her family and having a delightful meal with her at her house. She’s as wonderful and kind in person as she is on her blog. I love that you chose these cupcakes, because like you, I’m all over cream cheese frosting. That being said, I’ve never made red velvet cake either. 3 bottles of coloring???? Wow! From how gorgeous your cupcakes are, though, it’s worth it.
Lucky you to spend time at Liz’s table. And thanks so much for stopping in and the comment.