Red Velvet Cupcakes With Cream Cheese Frosting

by Diana Rattray

Red velvet cupcakes are my favorite way to enjoy red velvet cake. For these cupcakes, I’ve included my favorite cream cheese frosting, which should be enough if you spread it with a spatula. If you like to pipe a generous amount of frosting on your cupcakes, you might have to double the recipe. You can always freeze leftover frosting.

Red Velvet Cake Origins

The original recipe came from New York City’s Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, and was called “Waldorf-Astoria cake.” Adams Extract, a company that sold red food coloring, brought the cake to home kitchens in the Great Depression era.

Home cooks have always loved “secret ingredient” recipes, like the tomato soup cake, mayonnaise cake, and wacky cake, so it’s no wonder Southern cooks embraced the colorful red velvet cake.

How To Prepare Red Velvet Cupcakes

1. This recipe makes 18 cupcakes, so you’ll need 2 12-cup muffin tins, 3 6-cup tins, or a 12-cup and a 6-cup. Line the tins with cupcake papers.
2. Sift the dry ingredients together in a small bowl.
3. Beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. This takes about 3 minutes.
4. Beat in the eggs and vanilla.
5. Alternating ingredients, slowly beat in the dry mixture and buttermilk: 1/3 dry, 1/2 buttermilk, 1/3 dry, 1/2 buttermilk, and 1/3 dry.

1. Fill the prepared pans and bake as directed in a preheated 350 F oven.

1. Cool, frost, and enjoy!

What Frosting Is Best for Red Velvet Cupcakes?

Ermine frosting, a cooked frosting made with milk, flour, and sugar, is a traditional icing for red velvet cake. Because it is thickened with flour, it needs far less sugar. However, ermine frosting is more time-consuming, so cooks frequently choose cream cheese or buttercream frostings for their red velvet cakes, cupcakes, and desserts. I used cream cheese frosting for these cupcakes, but feel free to make your favorite buttercream or try an ermine frosting.

Red velvet cupcakes are an excellent dessert for a holiday or special event. Because of their deep red color, they make a fantastic Christmas or Valentine’s Day treat. Finish them with holiday-themed sprinkles or sugars for an extra-special look. You might also like these red velvet whoopie pies, a layered red velvet cake, or this easy red velvet cake made with a cake mix.

How To Store Red Velvet Cupcakes

• Refrigerate the frosted cupcakes in an airtight container and enjoy them within 5 to 7 days. Take them out of the fridge about an hour ahead to bring them to room temperature. Unfrosted cupcakes can be stored at room temperature for 4 to 5 days.
• To freeze frosted cupcakes, place them on a baking sheet and freeze. Once the cupcakes are frozen solid, wrap them in plastic wrap and foil, place them in a freezer bag or airtight container, and return them to the freezer. Label the container and enjoy the cupcakes within 3 months. Defrost them on the counter for an hour or so or in the fridge for a few hours or overnight.
• To freeze unfrosted cupcakes, wrap them in plastic wrap and foil and transfer them to a freezer bag or container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost unfrosted red velvet cupcakes at room temperature or in the fridge.

Recipe Variations

• Omit the cream cheese frosting and top them with basic buttercream frosting or ermine frosting.
• Replace the gel food coloring with about 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons of liquid red food coloring.

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