Red velvet cupcakes are my favorite. The name doesn´t lie as they literally crumble in your mouth. The flavor is something I can´t explain, you just have to try them.
The first cupcake recipe published in the book “American Cookery” in 1796 in the USA with the name of cake baked in small cups. Little by little the term “cupcake” and its recipe was popularized until it got to what we know today.
Cupackes are small cakes baked in individual pans similar to muffins, however, they are different. Muffins have no frosting while cupcakes do, plus the texture and consistency is different, among other things.
We don´t really like the idea of adding artificial ingredients to our recipes, such as red colorant in this case, however when it comes to these cupcakes, it is what gives them meaning and their name. Plus, if you don´t use these things regularly then there´s no problem on using them everyonce in a while right? But of course, you have to use just a little since it can actually make the cupcakes bitter and turn this recipe into a bad experience.
Red velvet cupcakes are just too good. The best thing is to use some crea, cheese forsting in them or some dulce de leche, either way they are really good.
Like me, when I first started baking, you may wonder how to get really delicious cupcakes. As you´ll see, we are not that into decorating, but we are all about the flavor, so we give you here some tips and tricks on how to get some good cupcakes:
- All ingredients have to be at room temperature
- The butter has to be softened, not too cold nor too soft
- Add in the eggs one by one
- Beat everything well, but once you mix in the flour, beat just until the ingredients are integrated
- Do not overfill your cupcake liners
- Preheat the oven for at least 15 minutes before baking
- Bake just for the needed amount of time and at the right temperature
These are just some of the steps that can improve your cupcakes, but the most important thing is to make them with love and not be afraid of messing up. Remember that if you like this recipe, you will also enjoy our banana caramel cupcakes!
Red velvet cupcakes
Ingredients
For the batter:
- 2 1/4 C (10 oz) (292 gr) all purpouse flour
- 1/4 C (1,30 oz) (37 gr) corn starch
- 1 tsp (0,25 oz) (7 gr) salt
- 3 tbsp (0,75 oz) (21 gr) cocoa powder sugarfree
- 3/4 C (6 oz) (170 gr) unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1/2 C (4 oz) (120 ml) vegetable oil soft flavored (not olive)
- 1 1/2 C (10,50 oz) (300 gr) white sugar
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 2 tsp (0,33 fl oz) (10 ml) vanilla extract
- Red coloring, gel (needed amount) without exceeding, because it makes the cupcakes bitter
- 1 C (8,10 fl oz) (240 ml) buttermilk at room temperature
- 1/2 C (4 fl oz) (120 ml) instant coffee sugarfree
- 2 tsp (0,33 fl oz) (10 ml) white vinegar
- 2 tsp (0,50 oz) (14 gr) baking soda
For the cream cheese frosting:
- 13 oz (380 gr) cream cheese at room temperature
- 1/3 C (2,65 oz) (75 gr) unsalted butter at room temperature
- 2 1/2 C (10,90 oz) (308 gr) confectioners sugar sifted
- 1 tbsp (0,50 fl oz) (15 ml) vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp (0,10 oz) (3 gr) salt
- 2 tbsp (1 fl oz) (30 ml) milk whole
Instructions
For the cupcakes batter:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and fill the cupcake pan with 24 cupcake liners. Sift together in a bowl the flour, corn starch, salt and cocoa powder.
- In a different big bowl, cream together the butter, oil and sugar using a mixer. Beat for about 3 minutesuntil the mixture lightens in color and turns fluffy.
- Add in the eggs one by one, then the vanilla and the red coloring as needed.
- Add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk and the coffee, begining and finishing with the flour. Mix for one minute until integrated.
- Apart, in a small bowl, mix the vinegar and the baking soda and add it to the main batter fast.
- Perfectly beat until the batter is soft, and then pour it in the cupcake liners 3/4 full each.
- Bake at 350°F (180°C) for 25 min. or until a wooden stick comes out clean when inserted (it is important however not to open the oven in the first 18 min, of baking).
- Once ready take out of the oven and let the cupcakes cool down completely before decorating.
For the cream cheese frosting:
- In a big bowl, beat together the butter and cream cheese for 3 minutes until you get a soft consistency.
- Beat in, little by little the confectioners sugar, previously sifted, and beat for 4 more minutes until the mixture turns fluffy.
- Beat in the vanilla, salt and milk and mix until it is all well incorporated.
- Decorate the cupcakes with the frosting. Place the frosting in a pastry pipping bag with a star tip and decorate the cupcakes the way you prefer, or you can simply do this using a spoon.
