Description
This recipe for Red Velvet Cupcakes yields soft, sturdy, and beautifully domed cupcakes that are perfect for any occasion. Made with a blend of cocoa powder and red gel food coloring, these cupcakes boast a vibrant color and balanced flavor. Topped traditionally with Ermine frosting, they offer a classic Southern treat that’s moist, tender, and visually stunning.
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- ¾ cup whole milk
- 2 teaspoons white vinegar
- ¾ teaspoon red gel food coloring (Americolor “red red” or “super red”)
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- ¼ cup neutral cooking oil (avocado, canola, or vegetable oil)
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
- 2 tablespoons natural cocoa powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
Frosting
- 1 batch Ermine frosting (see notes for alternatives)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 350F (175C) and line a 12-count cupcake pan with paper liners. Set aside.
- Make Buttermilk Mixture: Combine the whole milk, white vinegar, and red gel food coloring in a large measuring cup. Stir to blend and set aside to allow the vinegar to slightly curdle the milk, creating a buttermilk substitute.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt until fully combined.
- Add Fats: Pour the melted unsalted butter and neutral cooking oil into the dry ingredients. Stir well until the mixture is thick and evenly combined.
- Incorporate Egg and Vanilla: Add the large egg and vanilla extract to the batter, stirring continuously until fully incorporated.
- Combine with Milk Mixture: Gradually add the prepared milk mixture into the bowl, stirring until the batter is smooth and fully combined without any lumps.
- Fill Cupcake Liners: Spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling each about two-thirds full. Take care not to overfill to prevent collapse during baking. If there is remaining batter, bake separately or discard.
- Bake: Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 17 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean or with moist crumbs.
- Cool: Allow the cupcakes to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
- Frost: Once cooled, frost cupcakes with Ermine frosting or your choice of recommended alternative frosting.
Notes
- Ermine frosting is the traditional accompaniment to red velvet cupcakes and provides a light, creamy texture.
- Alternative frostings include cream cheese frosting, chocolate cream cheese frosting, Swiss meringue buttercream, and American buttercream.
- Do not substitute all-purpose flour with cake flour or other flours, as it may affect the cupcake texture and structure.
- Use gel food coloring for the best vibrant red color without affecting the batter consistency.
- Ensure your egg is at room temperature to help achieve a smooth batter.
- Filling cupcake liners only two-thirds full prevents cupcake collapse and uneven rising.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: 250 kcal
- Sugar: 25 g
- Sodium: 180 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg
