Red Velvet Cupcakes are classic treat featuring moist, tender cake with a subtle cocoa flavor and signature red color, topped with tangy cream cheese frosting. The finishing touch of cake crumbs sprinkled on top gives them that signature bakery-style look that makes them extra special.
These cupcakes are perfect for Valentine's Day, Christmas parties, birthdays, or any celebration where you want to serve something elegant and delicious. While they're made from scratch, they're surprisingly easy and come together in just 10 minutes of prep time. The recipe yields a generous batch of 36-40 cupcakes, making it ideal for large gatherings, bake sales, or when you want leftovers to enjoy throughout the week.
If you like red velvet, you may also like these red velvet cookies, red velvet cinnamon rolls or red velvet brownies.
The combination of rich cream cheese frosting and moist red velvet cake is a timeless favorite that appeals to all ages. The subtle chocolate flavor paired with the tangy frosting creates the perfect balance of sweet and creamy in every bite.
Ingredients
For the cupcakes
- Unsalted butter, softened
- Sugar
- Eggs
- Sour cream
- Milk
- Red food coloring
- Vanilla
- Flour
- Cocoa powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
For the frosting
- Cream cheese, softened
- Unsalted butter, softened
- Vanilla
- Powdered sugar
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Follow these steps to make homemade red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting.
Preparation: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a couple standard muffin tins with cupcake liners and set aside.
Step one: In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the softened butter and sugar. Cream for about 2-3 minutes, scraping the sides often.
Step two: Add in the eggs and mix to combine.
Step three: Add in the sour cream, milk, red food coloring and vanilla. Mix well, scraping down the sides often.
Step four: Add in the remaining dry ingredients: flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Mix well, scraping down the sides as needed.
Step five: Use an ice cream scoop or similar to divide the batter between the prepared lined cups, filling about ½ - ¾ full. Bake in the preheated oven for about 14-16 minutes or until the centers are set.
Step six: For the frosting - in the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the softened cream cheese and softened butter. Mix until smooth.
Step seven: Add in the powdered sugar and vanilla. Mix on low until combined. Bump up the speed to medium and whip until smooth and fluffy.
Step eight: Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip. Set aside. Use one or two cupcakes to crumble up and sprinkle the crumbs on top of the frosting. Pipe a dollop of frosting onto each cupcake. Sprinkle with the cake crumbs.
Hint: Make sure both your butter and cream cheese are fully softened to room temperature before making the frosting - they should be soft enough to leave an indent when pressed. This ensures a silky smooth frosting that pipes beautifully without any lumps.
Recipe Tips for Success
- Don't overbake these cupcakes! Start checking them at 14 minutes - they're done when the centers are just set and spring back lightly when touched. Overbaking will result in dry cupcakes, and these should be moist and tender. The cupcakes will continue to cook slightly as they cool in the pan, so it's better to err on the side of slightly underdone.
- Allow to cool completely before decorating otherwise the frosting will melt.
Storage
Cupcakes should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days due to the cream cheese frosting. Remove them from the refrigerator about 20-30 minutes before serving to allow them to come to room temperature for the best flavor and texture. The frosting will firm up in the fridge but will soften nicely once they've warmed up slightly.
Red Velvet Cupcakes
Ingredients
For cupcakes
- 1 cup butter softened + unsalted
- 2 cup sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup sour cream
- ½ cup milk
- red food coloring
- 2 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 ¾ cup flour
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
for frosting:
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- ½ cup butter softened + unsalted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 4 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a couple standard muffin tins with cupcake liners, set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the softened butter and sugar. Cream for about 2-3 minutes, scraping the sides often.
- Add in the eggs and mix to combine.
- Add in the sour cream, milk, red food coloring and vanilla. Mix well, scraping down the sides often.
- Add in the remaining dry ingredients: flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Mix well, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Use an ice cream scoop or similar to divide the batter between the prepared lined cups, filling about ½ - ¾ full.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 14-16 minutes or until the centers are set. Allow to cool completely before decorating.
- For the frosting - in the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the softened cream cheese and softened butter. Mix until smooth.
- Add in the powdered sugar and vanilla. Mix on low until combined.
- Bump up the speed to medium and whip until smooth and fluffy.
- Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip. Set aside.
- Use one or two cupcakes to crumble up and sprinkle the crumbs on top of the frosting, set aside.
- Once the cupcakes are cool, pipe a dollop of frosting onto each cupcake. Sprinkle with the cake crumbs.
Notes
- Don't overbake these cupcakes! Start checking them at 14 minutes - they're done when the centers are just set and spring back lightly when touched. Overbaking will result in dry cupcakes, and these should be moist and tender. The cupcakes will continue to cook slightly as they cool in the pan, so it's better to err on the side of slightly underdone.
- Allow to cool completely before decorating otherwise the frosting will melt.
- Make sure both your butter and cream cheese are fully softened to room temperature before making the frosting - they should be soft enough to leave an indent when pressed. This ensures a silky smooth frosting that pipes beautifully without any lumps.
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is just an estimate and may vary based on specific ingredients used.
