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Nothing says celebration quite like a red velvet cupcake with a swirl of tangy cream cheese frosting on top. These are soft, tender, and packed with that classic red velvet flavor; no dry, crumbly cupcakes here. Whether it’s a holiday, a birthday, or just because you’re craving something special, this recipe delivers. Nothing complicated, no fancy ingredients, just a recipe that works every time.
My red velvet cake is pretty famous among my family and friends. It’s the first thing requested on the holiday menu every single year. When I wanted a cupcake version, I did some testing. The cake recipe uses 2 cups of oil, but that was too much for cupcakes, so I decreased it slightly to keep them moist without being greasy.
This is that recipe. A little extra cocoa powder and a little extra food coloring, because red velvet should look and taste the part. Give these a try and you will see why my family asks for this one every year.
Why You’ll Love These Red Velvet Cupcakes
These red velvet cupcakes hit every mark: moist, flavorful, and easy enough for a weeknight but pretty enough for a party. Here’s what makes them a favorite in my house.
❥ Truly moist, every time. I slightly reduced the oil in my classic red velvet cake recipe to keep these cupcakes soft and tender rather than dry or overly greasy.
❥ That classic Southern flavor. A splash of buttermilk and vinegar gives these easy red velvet cupcakes the tang and texture red velvet is known for
❥ Deeper color and flavor. A little extra cocoa powder and food coloring means these look and taste like the real deal, not a pale imitation.
❥No fancy equipment needed. Just a couple of bowls and a mixer, no special pans or tools required.
❥Perfect for any occasion. These go from Christmas dinner to a birthday party to a random Tuesday without missing a beat.
NikkiNikki’s Top Tips Before You Start
- Check your pan before you preheat. If you’re using a dark or nonstick cupcake pan, drop the oven to 325°F instead of 350°F. Dark pans absorb more heat and can dry out your cupcakes if you don’t adjust.
- Set out your butter and cream cheese early. Both need to be fully room temperature for the frosting to blend smooth. Cold cream cheese will leave you with lumps no matter how long you beat it.
Ingredient Notes
- All-purpose flour: No need for anything fancy here, regular all-purpose flour is all this recipe needs.
- Cocoa powder: This recipe uses a little more cocoa powder than you’ll find in most red velvet recipes, which gives these cupcakes a deeper chocolate note and richer color.
- Salt: Just a small amount to balance the sweetness.
- Baking soda: This is what helps your cupcakes rise and stay light.
- Oil: Oil is the key to keeping these cupcakes moist.
- Buttermilk: Buttermilk is what gives red velvet its signature tang and soft texture. If you buy a carton and don’t use it all, buttermilk freezes well for up to 3 months, so pour the extra into an ice cube tray or freezer bag for next time.
- Vanilla: Adds warmth and rounds out the flavor.
- Eggs: Room temperature eggs mix in more evenly than cold ones.
- Sugar: Just regular granulated sugar for sweetness.
- Red food coloring: This is what gives red velvet its signature color. This recipe uses a little more than most for a deeper, richer red.
- White vinegar: A small amount of vinegar reacts with the baking soda to help these cupcakes rise, and it enhances that classic red velvet tang.
- Cream cheese: Use block-style cream cheese, not the spreadable kind in a tub, for the best texture in your frosting.
- Butter: Salted butter for the frosting. Make sure it’s fully room temperature so it blends smoothly with the cream cheese.
- Powdered sugar: Sift it first; this keeps your frosting smooth instead of lumpy.
How to Make Red Velvet Cupcakes
Step 1 | Preheat and prep
Preheat your oven to 350°F, or 325°F if you’re using a dark or nonstick pan. Line two cupcake pans with liners.
Step 2 | Mix the dry ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda until well combined.
Step 3 | Mix the wet ingredients
In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl, combine the oil, buttermilk, vanilla, and eggs. Mix until smooth.
Step 4 | Bring it together
Add the sugar to the wet ingredients and mix until combined. Slowly add the flour mixture and mix just until no streaks of flour remain.
Step 5 | Add the color and tang
Slowly mix in the red food coloring, then the vinegar, until fully combined and the batter is an even red throughout.
Step 6 | Fill and bake
Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cupcake pans. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean.
Step 7 | Cool completely
Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes, then move them to a wire rack to finish cooling completely before frosting.
Step 8 | Make the frosting
Using a hand or stand mixer, beat the room temperature cream cheese and butter together on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes. It will lighten from yellowish to nearly white.
Step 9 | Finish the frosting
Add the powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds to combine, then switch to high speed and beat for 2 minutes until light and fluffy.
Step 10 | Frost and serve
Frost the cooled cupcakes with a piping bag or an offset spatula. Serve right away, or store as directed below
Variations & Substitutions
- Buttermilk substitute: Buttermilk is a key ingredient and flavor in this recipe, so if you don’t have any on hand, add 1 ½ teaspoons of fresh lemon juice or white vinegar to a liquid measuring cup, then add enough whole milk to make 1 cup. Stir together and let sit for 5 minutes before using. You’ll still need the vinegar called for elsewhere in the recipe as well.
- Stiffer frosting: If you like your frosting a little thicker for piping, add extra powdered sugar a little at a time until it reaches the consistency you want.
Shortcuts & Time Savers
- Quick room temperature trick: Short on time? Cut your cream cheese and butter into small cubes and let them sit out for about 15 minutes instead of a full hour, they’ll soften faster in smaller pieces
Expert Tips
- Don’t overmix once the food coloring goes in. Mix just until the color is even throughout the batter. Overmixing at this stage can develop too much gluten and leave you with dense, tough cupcakes instead of a light, tender crumb.
- Don’t wait for a clean toothpick. These cupcakes bake fast, so start checking at the 15-minute mark. A toothpick with a few moist crumbs on it means they’re done. If you wait for it to come out completely clean, you’ve likely overbaked them, and they’ll dry out.
- More cocoa means less red. Since this recipe uses a little extra cocoa powder for flavor, the cupcakes also need a bit more food coloring to reach that deep, classic red velvet color. Add it gradually until you’re happy with the shade.
- How to make red velvet cupcakes moist starts with the oil. Oil is what keeps these cupcakes soft days later, not just fresh out of the oven. Resist the urge to cut back on it even if the batter looks like a lot; it’s doing exactly what it should.
What to Serve With Southern Red Velvet Cupcakes
A cup of hot coffee is the classic pairing for red velvet cupcakes, the rich cream cheese frosting and warm coffee just work together. If you want to dress it up a little, my Biscoff Cookie Butter Latte makes for a fun coffee shop treat right at home.
For a cold drink instead, my Southern Strawberry Sweet Iced Tea is a natural match, especially if you’re serving these cupcakes at a spring or summer gathering. A simple glass of cold milk works just as well if you want to keep things classic. However you serve them, these cupcakes are the star of the table either way.
Storage, Make Ahead, Freezing
- Storage: Keep frosted cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, since the cream cheese frosting needs to stay cold.
- Make Ahead: You can bake the cupcakes up to a day in advance and store them unfrosted at room temperature in an airtight container. The frosting can also be made a day ahead and kept in the fridge, just let it sit out for a bit and give it a quick mix before frosting.
- Freezing: Unfrosted cupcakes freeze well for up to 3 months. Wrap them tightly and thaw at room temperature before frosting and serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
A combination of cocoa powder and red food coloring gives red velvet its signature color. Some of that classic reddish tint also comes from a natural reaction between cocoa and acidic ingredients like buttermilk and vinegar
Yes, you can make your own substitute at home with milk, lemon juice or vinegar, and a few minutes of rest time. Check the Variations & Substitutions section above for exact measurements.
Yes, unfrosted cupcakes freeze well for up to 3 months when wrapped tightly. Thaw at room temperature before frosting.
This almost always comes down to temperature. Cold cream cheese or butter won’t blend smoothly, so make sure both are fully at room temperature before you start
This recipe is written and tested specifically for cupcakes. If you want the cake version, try my Southern Red Velvet Cake, the very recipe these cupcakes were adapted from.
I love the crumb and moisture achieved with oil, but you can replace it with equal parts of melted butter or use half of each.
Southern Red Velvet Cupcakes
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Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour - sifted
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ cups oil
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- 2 oz red food coloring
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- 8 ounces block cream cheese - room temperature
- 1 stick salted butter - or unsalted butter with 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 3.5 – 4 cups powdered sugar - sifted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 cupcake pans with liners.
- In a large bowl sift together all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer (or large bowl), mix together oil, buttermilk, vanilla, and eggs until combined.
- Add in sugar and mix until combined. Then slowly add in flour mixture and mix until combined.
- Slowly add the food coloring and then vinegar, and then mix until combined.
- Divide evenly into 2 prepared cupcake or muffin pans.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted comes out mostly clean.
- Once done, cool for 10-15 minutes. Once able to handle them, remove the cupcakes to a wire rack to finish cooling.
- In a large bowl, using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter together on high speed until smooth and creamy (about 3 minutes; it will change from yellowish to almost white).
- Add 3.5 cups powdered sugar, the vanilla, and salt (if using unsalted butter). Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then switch to high speed and beat for 2 minutes. If you want the frosting a little thicker, add the remaining powdered sugar ¼ cup at a time (I add it).
- Frost cooled cupcakes or spread frosting on cupcakes with an offset spatula immediately before serving. I like a Wilton #12 tip.
I love, love red velvet cupcakes! I have a major craving now!
Me too! They truly are delicious! Give them a try. You won’t regret it!