Move aside bakeries – this is the perfect Red Velvet Cupcake. They are easy to make at home and topped with the most delicious Marshmallow Cream Cheese Frosting.
Red Velvet is definitely a favorite around here! Have it for breakfast with these Red Velvet Pancakes, or turn it into brownies with these Oreo Cream Cheese Stuffed Red Velvet Brownies.
Back in 2008, I made my first red velvet recipe, and from there, my love of red velvet exploded.
In fact, I love it so much that I ended up writing a whole cookbook about it – Red Velvet Lover’s Cookbook (affiliate link).
The very first red velvet recipe I made was actually a red velvet cupcake. I loved that recipe, but through the past years and through all the testing of the cookbook, I perfected that recipe. So it was time to update this post with that perfect red velvet cupcake recipe.
What is Red Velvet?
One of the most common misconceptions I ran across when researching for the book was that people thought that red velvet was simply a chocolate cupcake with red food coloring.
Real red velvet, though, will have just a touch of cocoa flavor to it. And while it is a hard flavor to explain, I always say that it is a butter cake flavor with a hint of cocoa. Both buttermilk and vinegar are important to give it a bit of a tang, which I think is an important characteristic of red velvet.
Purists will say that red velvet is never served with cream cheese frosting, while most of us know of red velvet cupcakes piled high with cream cheese frosting. I do like my red velvet cake with a more traditional boiled frosting, but I am team cream cheese frosting for cupcakes. (This recipe takes that and puts a spin on it with a marshmallow cream cheese frosting!)
Substitutions and Changes
- I haven’t shared my red velvet cake recipe here (it is in my cookbook, though), but the biggest difference between my cake recipe and this cupcake recipe is the cake uses butter and the cupcakes use oil. I like using oil to make the cupcakes super moist, which is a very important characteristic of red velvet cupcakes. But you can sub in softened butter for the oil, if you prefer.
- In the cookbook version of this recipe, I use 3 tablespoons of red food coloring. But I really think that 2 tablespoons (or one ounce) is plenty to give you a bright red color. You can always cut this back, as well, but you’ll lose some of that vibrant red color.
- I love this version of cream cheese frosting, but you can frost these with any frosting you want. A traditional cream cheese frosting (like this one from my Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting is great), or this Cookies and Cream Frosting pairs really well with red velvet. A buttercream would taste great, as well, or a traditional boiled frosting.
Tips and Tricks
- If your cupcakes are sinking, there are a few things that could be going wrong. The batter could be over-beaten, the cupcakes could be underbaked, or most likely, the cupcakes were filled with too much batter. Make sure to not fill the liners more than 2/3 full.
- Any leftover cupcakes should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. If they are not frosted, you can store them at room temperature, but the frosting needs to be refrigerated. Remove from the fridge about 15 minutes before serving to let them come to room temperature.
- It gets a little tricky to double baked goods like these cupcakes, so if you do need twice as many, I would suggest making 2 separate batches.
- Leave the sprinkles off, or change them up depending on the holiday or occasion. Red velvet is great year round!
More Red Velvet Recipes
Red Velvet Ice Cream Cake
Red Velvet Waffles
Red Velvet Ice Cream with Marshmallow Swirl
Red Velvet Gooey Butter Cookies
XL Red Velvet Cookie Recipe
Red Velvet Whoopie Pies
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Red Velvet Cupcakes with Marshmallow Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
Cupcakes:
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons red liquid food coloring
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
Marshmallow Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 1 (8 oz) package cream cheese
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 2 cups miniature marshmallows melted
- 3-4 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
Cupcakes:
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line 2 12-cavity baking tins with 24 paper liners.
- Whisk the flour, salt, and cocoa in a bowl to combine.2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
- Beat the sugar and oil in a large bowl with an electric mixer. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating for 30 seconds and scraping down the sides fo the bowl after each addition. Mix in the red food coloring.1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, 1 cup vegetable oil, 2 large eggs, 2 tablespoons red liquid food coloring
- Add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the sugar mixture in two or three alternating additions, mixing until combined. Stir in the vanilla. Combine the vinegar and baking soda in a small bowl (it will bubble up). Fold into the batter.1 cup buttermilk, 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon white vinegar, 1 teaspoon baking soda
- Fill each paper liner about 2/3 full with batter.
- Bake until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 18 minutes.
- Cool completely on a rack.
Frosting:
- Mix the cream cheese and butter together well in a mixing bowl, beating until smooth.1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, 1/2 cup butter
- Add in the melted marshmallows and 2 cups of the powdered sugar. Beat until combined. Continue adding powdered sugar until you reach your desired consistency.2 cups miniature marshmallows, 3-4 cups powdered sugar
- Frost the cooled cupcakes with the frosting.
Zakiya says
Hi there.. Definitely going to try this out!! What butter do you suggest using?
Deborah says
Hi Zakiya – I’m assuming you mean for the frosting? I use unsalted butter. You can use salted butter, but you might be able to taste a little saltiness (which I actually do like!)
Angie says
Do you think it would be possible to swap the vegetable oil out for butter in the recipe for the cupcake batter? What would you recommend?
Deborah says
Yes, you can totally use butter instead of oil!
Julia says
Can I use gel food coloring or Does the recipe just needs to have liquid ??
Deborah says
You can use gel, but you’ll need less than you would use with the liquid.
Anonymous says
NO, NO, NO!!!! Red Velvet originated at a hotel in Baltimore, MD. One does NOT put cream cheese frosting on red velvet.
Get the original recipe for the cake and the frosting and see what you’re missing.
Katie says
Wow they certainly are red! They look lovely and fluffy
linda says
They look so pretty! I’m intrigued by the frosting.
Never had red velvet (cup)cake. Will have to make them myself because you don’t have them over here.
Suzana says
I’m smitten with those red velvet cupcakes! What a wonderful colour!
Cakespy says
Yes, yes, yes, yes (x10). Welcome to the world of red velvet–it’s a seductive world indeed!
Elle says
Great idea to make this as cupcakes. They are so pretty that way. The icing does sound unusual, but yum!
Grace says
i’m usually pretty serious about my cream cheese + butter + powdered sugar + vanilla icing, but this actually sounds like it could lure me away from that. way to mix it up!
Judy says
I’ve been making red velvet cake for more than 30 years (family favorite) and early on I figured out that you only need to add about 2 tablespoons red food coloring. Any additional didn’t affect the color at all, so I realized it was a waste of coloring. I make sure to balance the liquid amount with a bit of water or other liquid. You might want to experiment with amount to see what works for you.
chou says
I’ll have to try that frosting recipe. Very intriguing.
Sophie says
Red velvet is my favorite cake ever! When my husband and I were dating, on our first Valentine’s Day together, he baked me a red velvet cake completely from scratch, he even made the frosting himself (I was impressed, that was pretty good for a pre-law student!) :)! It was really sweet…but it seems now that we’re married, I’m the cooker AND baker :P! Hehe!
Thanks for stopping by my blog!
Yummy food you’ve got here 🙂
Sophie
Flour Arrangements
Rosie says
WOW your Red Velvet cupcakes are sheer divineness!! What beautiful pics 🙂
Rosie x