Most Amazing Red Velvet Cupcakes (2024)

Published: Feb 12, 2017 · Modified: Jul 9, 2023 by Shiran · This post may contain affiliate links · 39 Comments

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This is a classic recipe that you’ll fall for instantly. It’s incredibly moist, tender, and flavorful. The two unique ingredients in red velvet cupcakes are distilled vinegar and red food coloring. I highly recommend using apple cider vinegar, which gives it the best flavor.

Ok, you asked for it, a lot, so here it is—my favorite recipe for red velvet cupcakes. Just in time for Valentine’s Day. I’ve tried quite a few recipes over the years that were ok, but not perfect, and you know how much I need everything to be perfect. But then a few weeks ago I met with my friend Avihu who makes these over-the-top desserts that kind of make you hate him a little bit. If you just met him you’d think he’s a pastry chef, but he’s actually a software engineer. Although I keep telling him that I was once, too. He always brings something sweet with him, and this time he brought the MOST AMAZING red velvet cupcakes. So naturally I begged him to meet with me for a bakingday to make these red velvet lovelies, just for you. And they came out perfect!

How to make the best red velvet cupcakes

Preheat oven to 350F/180C. Line muffin tin with liner papers. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt. Set aside.
In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3-5 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as necessary. Add egg and mix to combine. Add vanilla, food coloring, and vinegar, and beat until combined. On low speed, beat in flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the buttermilk in 2 additions, starting and ending with the flour. Do not over mix.
Divide batter evenly between liners, filling them about ⅔ full. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow cupcakes to cool for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.

How to make the cream cheese frosting

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and cream cheese on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy, 2-3 minutes. Add sugar in 2 additions, beating well after each addition until smooth. Add vanilla and keep beating until smooth and fluffy. You can add more sugar as necessary until desired consistency (thick enough to pipe). You can also add a pinch of salt to cut sweetness. Pipe frosting onto cupcakes. Frosting can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. It doesn’t freeze well. Before using, bring to room temperature and whisk by hand for a few seconds until smooth.

Helpful tips

Use apple cider vinegar for the absolute best flavor.
The food coloring has no taste so you can leave it out if you prefer, but if you do use it, the amount is up to you. I used 1 tablespoon and got a dark red color which I find to be enough, but if you prefer a stronger red color, use 2 tablespoons.
The cupcakes rise quite a lot, so fill your liners less than usual (as specified in the directions), that way you get 11-12 cupcakes.
Frosted cupcakes can be kept for up to 3 days at room temperature or in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Unfrosted cupcakes can be kept in the freezer for up to 2 months, then thawed overnight in the fridge.

4.7 from 10 votes

Red Velvet Cupcakes

The perfect red velvet cupcakes. They are moist and flavorful, topped with the most delicious cream cheese frosting!!

YIELD 12 cupcakes

Ingredients

1cup(130g) all-purpose flour
1 and ½tablespoons(10g) cocoa powder
½teaspoonbaking soda
½teaspoonsalt
½cup(1 stick/115g) unsalted butter, softened room temperature
¾ cupplus 2 tablespoons (170g) granulated sugar
1largeegg
¾teaspoonvanilla extract
1-2tablespoonsred food coloring(liquid or gel)
½teaspoonapple cider vinegar(or distilled white vinegar)
½cup(120 ml) buttermilk

Cream Cheese Frosting:

⅔cup(150g) full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
½cup(1 stick/115g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
2cups(240g) powdered sugar, plus more as needed
½tablespoonvanilla extract
Pinchof salt, optional

Instructions

Cupcakes

Preheat oven to 350F/180C. Line muffin tin with liner papers. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt. Set aside.
In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3-5 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as necessary. Add egg and mix to combine. Add vanilla, food coloring, and vinegar, and beat until combined. On low speed, beat in flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the buttermilk in 2 additions, starting and ending with the flour. Do not over mix.
Divide batter evenly between liners, filling them about ⅔ full. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow cupcakes to cool for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.

Frosting

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and cream cheese on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy, 2-3 minutes. Add sugar in 2 additions, beating well after each addition until smooth. Add vanilla and keep beating until smooth and fluffy. You can add more sugar as necessary until desired consistency (thick enough to pipe). You can also add a pinch of salt to cut sweetness. Pipe frosting onto cupcakes.
Frosted cupcakes can be kept for up to 3 days at room temperature or in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Unfrosted cupcakes can be kept in the freezer for up to 2 months, then thawed overnight in the fridge. Frosting can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. It doesn’t freeze well. Before using, bring to room temperature and whisk by hand for a few seconds until smooth.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

rona says
February 12, 2017 at 10:18 am
Thanks for this shiran! So does this mean you’re going to post red velvet cake recipe soon, too?
Reply
- Shiran says
  February 15, 2017 at 5:16 am
  Yes 🙂 Not sure how soon, but someday for sure!
  Reply
rona says
February 12, 2017 at 10:18 am
Thanks for this shiran! So does this mean you’re going to post red velvet cake recipe soon, too?
Reply
- Shiran says
  February 15, 2017 at 5:16 am
  Yes 🙂 Not sure how soon, but someday for sure!
  Reply
  See Also
  Red velvet cupcakes - Recept | Rutger bakt Red Velvet Cupcakes - Sally's Baking Addiction Red Velvet Cupcakes | Backen macht glücklich
Erika says
February 13, 2017 at 2:27 am
Can i use milk instead of buttermilk and does cream cheese means mascarpone? Sorry, i am trying to compair products in my country 🙂
Reply
- Shiran says
  February 15, 2017 at 5:13 am
  Hi Erika, for a classic red velvet cake you need to use buttermilk. Milk won’t give the same result. You can try making a buttermilk substitute: take a measuring cup and pour in 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or fresh lemon juice. Add milk until it reaches one cup. Stir and let sit for 5 minutes (it will look curdled and that’s fine), then use in the recipe. A well-known brand for cream cheese is Philadelphia. It’s not mascarpone (mascarpone is delicious too, but may be too sweet for this recipe).
  Reply
Erika says
February 13, 2017 at 2:27 am
Can i use milk instead of buttermilk and does cream cheese means mascarpone? Sorry, i am trying to compair products in my country 🙂
Reply
- Shiran says
  February 15, 2017 at 5:13 am
  Hi Erika, for a classic red velvet cake you need to use buttermilk. Milk won’t give the same result. You can try making a buttermilk substitute: take a measuring cup and pour in 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or fresh lemon juice. Add milk until it reaches one cup. Stir and let sit for 5 minutes (it will look curdled and that’s fine), then use in the recipe. A well-known brand for cream cheese is Philadelphia. It’s not mascarpone (mascarpone is delicious too, but may be too sweet for this recipe).
  Reply
Sherri says
November 26, 2017 at 5:30 am
Hi Shiran,
Thank you sooooo much for sharing this recipe. I made a batch today, those little cupcakes are the best red velvet cupcakes that I have ever had! Will definitely make them again! 🙂
Reply
- Shiran says
  November 27, 2017 at 7:30 am
  I’m so glad! Thank you so much Sherri!
  Reply
Carly says
January 31, 2018 at 6:46 pm
Can I use gel food colouring instead?
Reply
- Shiran says
  February 01, 2018 at 7:59 am
  Yes you can!
  Reply
diane says
February 13, 2018 at 2:16 am
hi! can I use this recipe for 8 inch cake pan? thank you! ?
Reply
- Shiran says
  February 13, 2018 at 7:08 am
  Hi Diane, the recipe should work for a cake although my cake recipe is slightly different than this one, and I hope to share it soon. I’m not sure about the quantity though or what would be the best pan size.
  Reply
Jennifer Vernia says
April 09, 2018 at 5:41 pm
Hello,
Do you use natural cocoa powder or dutch process? Which brand do you use?
Reply
- Shiran says
  April 11, 2018 at 7:12 am
  I use different brands, but just what whatever you have. It’s a small amount of cocoa powder, so both options are good for this recipe.
  Reply
Nikki says
July 17, 2018 at 4:24 pm
Hi Shiran, I absolutely dislike using a lot of powdered sugar . Can you please recommend how to substitute it? ?
Reply
- Shiran says
  July 20, 2018 at 10:10 am
  Hi Nikki, I know exactly what you mean, but the only way to prepare many kinds of frosting is with powdered sugar, otherwise the frosting will be soft. Sometimes I use whipped cream instead, but it can be too soft for some layer cakes and it won’t hold its shape.
  Reply
Keri Gunter says
January 16, 2019 at 10:24 am
Hi Shiran,
Making cupcakes for our son’s wedding. I made my 1st red velvet cake last year and remembered putting coffee in it. Thought it was weird but OMG turned out amazing. Can that be done here? If so, how much? Thanks. Keri
Reply
Monei says
January 22, 2019 at 4:12 pm
Hie can I use black vinegar
Reply
- Trinette Cordeiro says
  May 02, 2020 at 8:24 pm
  Turned out so delicious! Thanks
  Reply
Alice says
March 09, 2019 at 3:59 am
The base cupcake was great! Perfectly soft and fluffy and just the right flavour balance.
However, the cream cheese frosting was extremely runny, nowhere near pipable and in danger of sliding off the cupcakes if I had tried. I added around an extra 10 heaped tablespoons of icing sugar and even then it only ever got to soft peak stage – I gave up at that because adding any more would have made it too sweet. Spooned it on top of the cupcakes and put them straight in the fridge to try and keep it manageable. Not sure why this would have happened, followed the recipe exactly and it wasn’t even a hot day or anything like that.
I think I will definitely keep the cupcake base, but might look elsewhere for the frosting.
Reply
- Patricia says
  July 10, 2020 at 5:06 pm
  I think the problem is the type of cheese. Most probably you need Philadelphia block cheese and not the one you can spread. It has happened twice when I make American recipes. But I can’t find the block type in Spain and if I use spreadable Philadelphia I think you need to change the amount of it
  Reply
Helen says
March 17, 2019 at 4:01 pm
I’ve made this recipe twice, and both the cupcakes and the frosting turned out fantastic… I always start with a full 16 oz box of confectioner’s sugar and use as much as I need to get the consistency I require. For this recipe, I may have used 3 cups but I was not watching closely. For St. Patrick’s Day, I used green color in the cake and flavored the frosting with Bailey’s instead of vanilla extract. So good! Your blog is amazing, and is one of my go-to sources for reliably delicious and beautiful cakes and cupcakes. It all started with your vanilla cupcakes… the best!
Reply
- Shiran says
  March 20, 2019 at 6:44 am
  Thank you so much, Helen! It makes me super happy 🙂
  Reply
Kel says
September 18, 2019 at 7:56 pm
Hi Shiran! Do you think this recipe would work ok with gluten free flour? Thanks!
Reply
- Shiran says
  September 24, 2019 at 4:18 am
  I’m sorry but I have no experience baking with gluten free flour.
  Reply
Iris says
October 26, 2019 at 3:03 am
Omg… Just tried these cupcakes… Delicious.. They look sooo perfect! Can’t wait to taste them.. Still warm…
Thank you for the recipe!
Reply
THERESA GABRIEL says
May 23, 2020 at 8:30 pm
Why is the cupcake recipe so different than the cake recipe? I made the cake recipe but made cupcakes and they didn’t rise at all. Turned out flat on top.
Reply
- Shiran says
  June 03, 2020 at 6:26 am
  Hi Theresa. They shouldn’t rise a lot, and it’s easier to frost the cupcakes this way.
  Reply
Patricia says
July 10, 2020 at 5:11 pm
Hi,
Do you use block cheese for the frosting or spreadable one?
Thank you
Reply
- Shiran says
  July 12, 2020 at 5:07 am
  The block one is the best, that way the frosting would be more stable.
  Reply
Musanjama says
July 22, 2020 at 6:53 am
Everyone loved them….thank you for sharing the recipe….I made your swiss meringue buttercream instead because I didn’t have the block cheese cream.
Reply
Daniella says
March 31, 2022 at 1:27 pm
Hi Shiran, I want to make the cupcakes tomorrow and was wondering, this recipe actually yields 12 full-sized (not mini) cupcakes? From just 130 gr flour? Thank you! ❤️
Reply
- Talia @ Pretty. Simple. Sweet. says
  April 07, 2022 at 5:07 am
  Hi Daniella, yes, this recipe yields 12 full sized cupcakes, but if you like your cupcakes a bit on the bigger size and want to fill the cupcake pans a bit higher with batter multiple this recipe by 1.5 🙂
  Reply
Nat says
June 11, 2022 at 6:16 pm
I have been looking for a perfect red velvet cupcake recipe for a while. Yours is the absolute best!
Reply
- Talia @ Pretty. Simple. Sweet. says
  June 12, 2022 at 2:10 pm
  Thank you Nat!
  Reply
Shu-Chun says
August 14, 2022 at 2:49 am
I love red velvet cupcake, I gonna replace buttermilk with vegan butter milk.
Personally, I don’t like artificial colouring.
Do you suggest to leave it out or there are alternatives to make natural food coloring?
Thanks
Reply
- Talia @ Pretty. Simple. Sweet. says
  August 14, 2022 at 4:27 am
  Hi Shu-Chun, originally, red velvet cake was actually colored red with beet juice! There are definitely natural food colorings on the market if you want to search for them. You could also try adding a bit of beet juice to the recipe and see what it does – however, you don’t want to add more than a teaspoon because the added liquid will alter the recipe. That’s why I think a natural food coloring is the best option:)
  Reply