Red Cupcakes

Classic red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting are always a hit!  These are moist and flavorful, with a hint of cocoa and a slight buttermilk tang.

Hey there! I’m posting on a Monday this week, instead of Tuesday like I usually do. I just wanted to make sure you saw these awesome red velvet cupcakes before you got too busy with the holiday! As you can probably tell, this is an older post, re-done. It originally published on January 26, 2016, but I’ve never been happy with the original pics, so I’ve re-shot the recipe and added a nifty video too. Hopefully now, this post will get the attention it deserves! These cupcakes are so moist and the cocoa-buttermilk flavor will make you swoon. They’re perfect any time of year, but especially at Christmas, Valentine’s Day, and (when garnished with a few fresh blueberries) the Fourth of July!

Are ya keeping warm?

It’s January, people!  If it didn’t seem that way before, it sure does now.  We got buried in over 2 feet of snow over the weekend, and things are feeling pretty frosty.  I’m not letting it get me down though.  Everything’s looking light and bright, and I’ve got my oven to keep me toasty.

With Valentine’s Day coming up in just a few weeks, I realized that although I have a few red velvet-ish recipes, I am somehow missing the most important one of all:  simple, classic red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting.  I make this recipe pretty much every year for my kids’ class parties, and they’re always a big hit.  They’re super moist, with a little cocoa backnote and a slight buttermilk tang.  It all started with this recipe from Saveur a few years ago, and over time, I’ve tweaked it here and there to make it more to our taste.

I like that these are a little less oily, and a little more buttermilk-y.  Also, the cocoa flavor is a bit more pronounced.  And, I really don’t find it necessary to add quite so much red food coloring.  Just one tablespoon makes it plenty vibrant enough, in my opinion.  Do you agree?

And it wouldn’t be red velvet if not for a big, luscious swirl of tangy cream cheese frosting.

Red Velvet Cupcake

To get this look, just pipe a puffy dome of frosting onto the cupcakes, using a piping bag with a jumbo round tip.  If it’s for Valentine’s Day, you can garnish with candy hearts! And around July 4th they look great with a few fresh blueberries. But honestly, there isn’t any time of year I wouldn’t want red velvet, and red nonpareil sprinkles are always the perfect finishing touch!

More great cupcake recipes on my “Cupcake Recipes” Pinterest board!

Some tools/ingredients you may need:

Ghirardelli Chocolate Unsweetened Cocoa Pouc…

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McCormick Red Food Color, 1 fl oz

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WILTON EX LRG ROUND TIP #1A 402-1001

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CK Products 3.8 Ounce Non Pareils Bottle, Red

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Ingredients

FOR THE CUPCAKES

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk*
• 1 cup oil
• 2 egg whites
• 1 tablespoon red food coloring
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

FOR THE FROSTING

• 8 ounces cream cheese
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• red nonpareil sprinkles for garnish

Instructions

TO MAKE THE CUPCAKES:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a cupcake pan with papers.
2. Place the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl and whisk to combine.
3. Place the buttermilk, oil, egg whites, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla in a large measuring cup, and stir together.
4. Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry, and mix on low speed until smooth (about 90 seconds to 2 minutes).
5. Fill the cupcake papers about 2/3 full with batter.
6. Bake for 16-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the thickest part of a cupcake comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
7. Cool completely, then top with cream cheese frosting and garnish with red nonpareil sprinkles.

TO MAKE THE FROSTING:

1. Place the cream cheese and butter in a large mixing bowl, and mix on medium speed until smooth.
2. Add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, mixing until smooth.
3. When all the powdered sugar has been added, turn the speed up to medium-high and beat for one or two minutes, or until fluffy.

Nutrition Facts

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Amount Per Serving

Calories 237Calories from Fat 54

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 6g9%

Saturated Fat 3g15%

Cholesterol 17mg6%

Sodium 193mg8%

Potassium 57mg2%

Total Carbohydrates 42g14%

Sugars 31g

Protein 2g4%

Vitamin A4.2%

Calcium3%

Iron3.9%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Best Chocolate Cupcakes Recipe

The Best Chocolate Cupcakes Recipe

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 Prep time: 10 minutes

 Cook time: 20 minutes

 Serves: 12 Cupcakes

If you’ve been looking for the best chocolate cupcake recipe, you’ve found it! This method is based on the classic Hershey’s chocolate cake recipe that’s been around for almost a century – the texture of the cupcakes are moist from the unique technique of mixing in boiling hot coffee. The cacao or cocoa powder you use makes a huge difference, use a very high quality cacao powder if you want to make the most amazing chocolate cupcakes. I tested several different cacao and cocoa powders and Terrasoul Superfoods Organic Cacao Powder had the best flavor (link here). The flavor is rich, complex and very chocolatey!

The version I made has Vanilla Buttercream Frosting (recipe here) and decorated for Valentine’s Day. I used a Russian Ball Piping Tip (link here) for the frosting, I love the beautiful ruffles it makes.

Chocolate Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

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The Best Chocolate Cupcakes Recipe

March 10, 2018 Van

• Prep time: 10 minutes
• Cook time: 20 minutes

• Serves: 12 Cupcakes

www.foodisafourletterword.com

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Cup All Purpose Flour, `
• 1 Cup Granulated Sugar
• ½ Cup Cacao Powder
• 1 Large Egg
• ½ Cup Milk
• 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Paste or Extract
• ¼ Cup Vegetable Oil
• 1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
• ½ Teaspoon Baking Soda
• ½ Teaspoon Kosher Salt
• ½ Cup Boiling hot Black Coffee, use decaf if serving to kids

METHOD

• 1)
  Preheat your oven to 325ºF
• 2)
  Fit your stand mix with the paddle attachment and add 1 Cup of Flour, 1 Cup of Sugar, ½ Cup of Cacao Powder, 1 Teaspoon of Baking Powder, ½ Baking Soda and ½ Teaspoon Salt to your mixing bowl and mix on low until it’s well combined.
• 3)
  Add ¼ Cup Vegetable Oil, 1 Large Egg, ½ Cup Milk, 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract, and mix on medium speed just until everything is combined.
• 4)
  Reduce the speed to low and slowly pour in the boiling ½ Cup of Coffee. Once you’ve added all the coffee, increase the speed to high for about 30 seconds.
• 5)
  Fill each cupcake liner about ¾ full – it’s enough for 12 cupcakes.
• 6)
  Bake for about 20 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean
• 7)
  Let the cupcakes cool completely on a rack before frosting.