Red Velvet Cupcakes (Soft, Sturdy, Domed Cupcakes!)

Red velvet cupcake with one bite missing.

Red Velvet Cupcakes (Soft, Sturdy, Domed Cupcakes!)

My red velvet cupcakes are carefully crafted to be moist and fluffy, yet sturdy. Pair them with ermine frosting or use your favorite frosting. Recipe includes a how-to video!

Please note that if you are looking to make a cake, I recommend you use my red velvet cake recipe rather than make these cupcakes into a cake.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 17

Total Time 47

Servings cupcakes

Calories 206kcal

Author Sam Merritt

Equipment

Ingredients

¾ cup (177 ml) whole milk
2 teaspoons white vinegar
¾ teaspoon red gel food coloring (I use Americolor "red red" or "super red"
1 ¼ cups (155 g) all-purpose flour I don't recommend substituting cake flour or any other flour
¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
¼ cup (50 g) light brown sugar firmly packed
2 Tablespoons (12 g) natural cocoa powder
¾ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter melted
¼ cup (60 ml) neutral cooking oil I use avocado oil, but canola or vegetable oil would also work
1 large egg room temperature preferred
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 batch Ermine frosting (click the link for the recipe, or scroll down to the notes section for some other frosting recommendations)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350F (175C) and line a 12 count cupcake tin with paper liners. Set aside.
Combine milk, vinegar, and food coloring in a large measuring cup, stir together and set aside.
¾ cup whole milk, 2 teaspoons white vinegar, ¾ teaspoon red gel food coloring (I use Americolor "red red" or "super red"
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugars, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt until well-combined.
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, ¾ cup granulated sugar, ¼ cup light brown sugar, 2 Tablespoons natural cocoa powder, ¾ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt
Add melted butter and oil and stir well, until ingredients are well-combined (the mixture will be thick).
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, ¼ cup neutral cooking oil
Add egg and vanilla extract and stir until combined.
1 large egg, 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
Gradually add the milk mixture and stir until all ingredients are combined and batter is smooth.
Fill each cupcake liner ⅔ of the way full with batter, (do not overfill or cupcakes will collapse, if you have leftover batter discard it or bake separately). Transfer to 350F (175C) preheated oven and bake for 17 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with moist crumbs (not wet batter). Allow to cool for 10 minutes in cupcake pan then transfer to cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.
1 batch Ermine frosting

Video

Notes

Other Frosting Recommendations:

Ermine frosting is the traditional, old-fashioned frosting used with red velvet cake/cupcakes, but here are a few other favorites:

Cream cheese frosting (this has recently become a popular choice to pair with red velvet cake)
Chocolate cream cheese frosting
Swiss meringue buttercream
American buttercream
See my full frosting library

Nutrition