Red Velvet Cupcakes

I have been looking around for some fun recipes to try for Christmas time & I LOVE red velvet things.  Since the colors resemble Christmas, I have played with a couple red velvet recipes.  Here is a basic red velvet cupcake recipe.  It is nice & moist & makes exactly 20 cupcakes like it said.  I didn't have buttermilk, so I made my own (milk+lemon juice).  


Also a fun tidbit of information: the vinegar & cocoa have a chemical reaction when they mix together which gives a red hue to this cake, but to get it the gorgeous bright red you want it, you still need to add red food coloring.  So that chemical reaction is why it is called red velvet; you really need the cocoa in it for it to be a red velvet cake & not just a white cake colored red.  Some people don't understand red velvet cake has a hint of chocolate in it.  Anyway, happy baking!
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Red Velvet Cupcakes   

Recipe adapted from allrecipes by: Amber (Dessert Now, Dinner Later!)

1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp red food coloring
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 Tbsp white distilled vinegar
2 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp salt

1. Add lemon juice to milk.  Set aside & let stand for 10 min.
2. Beat butter & sugar until fluffy.
3. Add eggs, milk mixture, red food coloring, & vanilla.  Combine.
4. Add soda & vinegar stir lightly.
5. Sift flour, cocoa, & salt together in a separate bowl.
6. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients in mixer.  Mix until just blended.  DO NOT OVERMIX!
7. Spray or line cupcake pan & fill 1/2-3/4 full with cake batter.  Will make 20 cupcakes.  
8. Bake at 350*F for 20-25 min or until cake springs back when touched.

Cream Cheese Icing

Recipe by: Amber (Dessert Now, Dinner Later!)

8oz Neufchatel Cream Cheese
4 Tbsp unsalted butter
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 8-oz tub light cool whip

1. Cream butter with cream cheese until light & whipped (no lumps).  
2. Add sugar & vanilla until incorporated.  
3. Add cool whip & blend just until mixed.  Should be stiff enough to leave ripples in the icing from the beaters, but if you do it too long it might get soft & soupy; you want a light whipped icing.
4. Frost cupcakes & sprinkle with red sugar crystals if desired.  

Leave these out for Santa to munch on this year! 

I have been looking around for some fun recipes to try for Christmas time & I LOVE red velvet things.  Since the colors resemble Christmas, I have played with a couple red velvet recipes.  Here is a basic red velvet cupcake recipe.  It is nice & moist & makes exactly 20 cupcakes like it said.  I didn't have buttermilk, so I made my own (milk+lemon juice).  


Also a fun tidbit of information: the vinegar & cocoa have a chemical reaction when they mix together which gives a red hue to this cake, but to get it the gorgeous bright red you want it, you still need to add red food coloring.  So that chemical reaction is why it is called red velvet; you really need the cocoa in it for it to be a red velvet cake & not just a white cake colored red.  Some people don't understand red velvet cake has a hint of chocolate in it.  Anyway, happy baking!
Pin It

Red Velvet Cupcakes   

Recipe adapted from allrecipes by: Amber (Dessert Now, Dinner Later!)

1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp red food coloring
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 Tbsp white distilled vinegar
2 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp salt

1. Add lemon juice to milk.  Set aside & let stand for 10 min.
2. Beat butter & sugar until fluffy.
3. Add eggs, milk mixture, red food coloring, & vanilla.  Combine.
4. Add soda & vinegar stir lightly.
5. Sift flour, cocoa, & salt together in a separate bowl.
6. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients in mixer.  Mix until just blended.  DO NOT OVERMIX!
7. Spray or line cupcake pan & fill 1/2-3/4 full with cake batter.  Will make 20 cupcakes.  
8. Bake at 350*F for 20-25 min or until cake springs back when touched.

Cream Cheese Icing

Recipe by: Amber (Dessert Now, Dinner Later!)

8oz Neufchatel Cream Cheese
4 Tbsp unsalted butter
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 8-oz tub light cool whip

1. Cream butter with cream cheese until light & whipped (no lumps).  
2. Add sugar & vanilla until incorporated.  
3. Add cool whip & blend just until mixed.  Should be stiff enough to leave ripples in the icing from the beaters, but if you do it too long it might get soft & soupy; you want a light whipped icing.
4. Frost cupcakes & sprinkle with red sugar crystals if desired.  

Leave these out for Santa to munch on this year!