Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

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These Red Velvet Cupcakes are soft, moist, and tender with a subtle cocoa flavor and a thick swirl of tangy-sweet cream cheese frosting. Buttermilk, butter, and vegetable oil keep the crumb plush, while a touch of vinegar and red food coloring give them that unmistakable red velvet look.

Soft, Creamy, and Just Chocolatey Enough

Red velvet has always occupied that perfect little space between vanilla cake and chocolate cake. There is cocoa in there, definitely, but not enough to turn the cupcake into a full chocolate situation.

Instead, you get a soft, buttery crumb, just enough cocoa flavor, a little tang from buttermilk, and a generous swirl of cream cheese frosting on top.

Basically: the frosting-to-cake ratio is excellent. Very important cupcake business.

If you want the full layer-cake version, make my Red Velvet Cake Recipe From Scratch. For something easier to decorate for parties, this Red Velvet Bundt Cake stays in the same red velvet family. Both are already part of your current red velvet dessert cluster.

And if cupcakes are what you came for, try these Chocolate Cream Filled Cupcakes next. You can also browse all my Easy Dessert Recipes when you need more cakes, cookies, cheesecakes, and simple party desserts.

Red velvet cupcake topped with a swirl of cream cheese frosting on a plate — Soft red velvet cupcake with cream cheese frosting.

Ingredients

How to Make Red Velvet Cupcakes

Prep the oven and pan
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) (assumption). Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners.
Mix the dry ingredients
Sift cake flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and a pinch of salt into a bowl. Stir to combine.

Sifting flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt into a mixing bowl for cupcake batter — Sift the dry ingredients to prevent lumps.

Cream butter and sugar, then add eggs
Beat the butter and sugar until blended and slightly fluffy. Add eggs and mix until smooth.

Mixing butter and sugar with a hand mixer, then adding eggs to the bowl — Cream butter and sugar, then mix in the eggs.

Add liquids and color, then add dry
Mix in buttermilk, oil, vanilla, red food coloring, and vinegar until evenly colored. Add the dry ingredients and mix just until you don’t see dry flour.

Red food coloring added to wet ingredients, then dry ingredients mixed into red velvet batter — Add color and wet ingredients, then mix in the flour.

Finish the batter
Scrape the bowl and mix briefly until the batter is smooth and uniform (don’t overmix).

Bowl of red velvet batter ready to be covered and chilled before baking — Cover and refrigerate the batter briefly.

Fill and bake
Divide batter evenly between liners (about 2/3 full). Bake 18–22 minutes, until the tops spring back and a toothpick comes out clean .

Scooping red velvet batter into cupcake liners and baking in the oven — Fill liners about two-thirds full, then bake.

Make the cream cheese frosting
Beat butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add vanilla and salt. Gradually add powdered sugar and beat until thick, smooth, and pipeable.

Beating butter and cream cheese and adding powdered sugar to make frosting — Beat until smooth and fluffy.

Cool
Let cupcakes cool in the pan 5–10 minutes, then move to a rack to cool completely.

Freshly baked red velvet cupcakes cooling on a tray before frosting — Cool completely before frosting.

Frost Pipe or spread frosting on cooled cupcakes.

Piping cream cheese frosting onto red velvet cupcakes on a plate — Pipe a swirl of frosting on each cupcake.

Serve Enjoy right away, or chill briefly for firmer frosting swirls.

Hands breaking open a red velvet cupcake showing the moist red crumb and frosting — The soft red velvet crumb up close.

Can I Make Red Velvet Cupcakes Without Buttermilk

Yes.For the ½ cup required here, combine ½ cup milk with approximately 1½ teaspoons white vinegar or lemon juice.

Let it stand for around 10 minutes before using. This is consistent with King Arthur’s tested buttermilk-substitution ratio. King Arthur Baking Buttermilk Substitute Guide.

What to Serve With Red Velvet Cupcakes

These cupcakes work especially well for:

Birthdays
Valentine’s Day
Christmas
Baby showers
Bridal showers
Dessert tables
Afternoon coffee
Holiday parties

For a complete red velvet dessert table, add slices of Red Velvet Cake From Scratch or Red Velvet Bundt Cake.

If you want something chocolatey beside them, these Chocolate Cream Filled Cupcakes make a nice second cupcake option.

And for a cozy drink pairing, serve them with Best Homemade Hot Chocolate. That recipe is also live on The Foodie Blog.

FAQs

Can I make these without cake flour ?

Yes. Use all-purpose flour, but the crumb will be slightly less tender.

Why is there vinegar in red velvet ?

A small amount of vinegar helps with lift and texture, especially alongside buttermilk.

How do I know when cupcakes are done ?

They should spring back when lightly pressed, and a toothpick should come out clean.

Can I make the frosting ahead ?

Yes. Refrigerate it up to 3 days, then re-whip to restore a smooth, pipeable texture.

Do I need to refrigerate red velvet cupcakes ?

Yes, because of the cream cheese frosting.

Why did my frosting turn runny ?

Cream cheese or butter may have been too warm, or you used spreadable tub cream cheese. Chill and re-whip, or add a bit more powdered sugar.

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