Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
While Red Velvet may seem like it’s just chocolate of another colour, it has a distinct flavour and texture thanks to the buttermilk and vinegar. These gorgeous cupcakes are rich, moist, and smooth like – well, like velvet! Topped with classic cream cheese frosting, they redefine “indulgence.”
45 minutes cooling time
Redpath® Dark Brown Sugar
With a deeper caramel taste, it adds body to rich, decadent sweets like ganache, brownies, and gingerbread, or mocha anything. It’s also the classic choice for BBQ sauces and marinades, syrups, and more.
Redpath® Icing Sugar
Use it to make the smoothest frostings, icings, and glazes you’ve ever seen for the finishing touch on your cakes, cupcakes, and more.
For the cupcakes:
- 2½ cups (280 g) cake flour 2½ cups (280 g) cake flour
- ¾ cup (150 g) Redpath® Granulated Sugar ¾ cup (150 g) Redpath® Granulated Sugar
- ⅓ cup (72 g) Redpath® Dark Brown Sugar, packed ⅓ cup (72 g) Redpath® Dark Brown Sugar, packed
- 8 tsp (16 g) cocoa powder, unsweetened 8 tsp (16 g) cocoa powder, unsweetened
- 1 tsp (5 g) baking soda 1 tsp (5 g) baking soda
- ½ tsp (3 g) salt ½ tsp (3 g) salt
- ½ cup (113 g) butter, cubed ½ cup (113 g) butter, cubed
- ¾ cup (188 ml) buttermilk ¾ cup (188 ml) buttermilk
- ¼ cup (63 ml) canola oil ¼ cup (63 ml) canola oil
- 2 eggs 2 eggs
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) pure vanilla extract 1 tbsp (15 ml) pure vanilla extract
- 2 tsp (10 ml) white vinegar 2 tsp (10 ml) white vinegar
- Red gel food colouring Red gel food colouring
For the cream cheese frosting:
- 4 cups (480 g) Redpath® Icing Sugar 4 cups (480 g) Redpath® Icing Sugar
- 2 tbsp (16 g) cornstarch 2 tbsp (16 g) cornstarch
- ½ cup (113 g) butter, cubed ½ cup (113 g) butter, cubed
- 1 cup / 1 pkg (227 g) cream cheese, brick-style, cubed 1 cup / 1 pkg (227 g) cream cheese, brick-style, cubed
- 2 tsp (10 ml) pure vanilla extract 2 tsp (10 ml) pure vanilla extract
- 1½ tsp (7 ml) lemon juice, preferably freshly squeezed 1½ tsp (7 ml) lemon juice, preferably freshly squeezed
- ¼ tsp (2 g) salt ¼ tsp (2 g) salt
Equipment
- Muffin tins x 2 Muffin tins x 2
- Paper or silicone cupcake liners Paper or silicone cupcake liners
- Large bowls Large bowls
- Rubber spatula Rubber spatula
- Stand mixer with paddle and whisk attachments, OR hand mixer Stand mixer with paddle and whisk attachments, OR hand mixer
- Measuring cups & spoons Measuring cups & spoons
- Liquid measuring cup Liquid measuring cup
- Small ice cream scoop (trigger style) or small ladle Small ice cream scoop (trigger style) or small ladle
- Piping bag Piping bag
- Star or plain piping tip Star or plain piping tip
Instructions
For the cupcakes:
Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line muffin tins with paper or silicone liners.
In the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a large bowl, if using a hand mixer), combine the cake flour, the Redpath® Granulated Sugar, the Redpath® Dark Brown Sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk together until well blended.
Using the paddle attachment, starting on low speed, beat the cubed butter into the dry ingredients until mixture looks like coarse sand and no bits of visible butter remain; 3 to 5 minutes. Speed can be increased to medium once most of the dry ingredients are coated with the butter.
In a bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together buttermilk, canola oil, eggs, vanilla extract, vinegar, and drops of red gel food colouring until mixture is homogeneous and smooth.
Make a well in the dry ingredients. Pour half of the wet ingredients into the well. Starting on low speed, and increasing to medium speed, incorporate the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until the dry ingredients are completely hydrated. Add the remaining buttermilk mixture into the bowl. At this point, if the mixture is not a bright red, add a few more drops of red gel food colouring to the batter.
Cream the mixture on low speed until most of the liquid is combined into the batter, then increase the speed to medium-high and beat until the batter is smooth, creamy, and thick; about 1 minute.
Using a small trigger-style ice cream scoop or ladle, fill the prepared muffin tins about ⅔ to ¾ full with the batter. Place the cupcakes into the preheated oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Cupcakes are done when the tops bounce back when gently pressed, or a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean with a few moist crumbs attached.
Remove from oven and allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before removing and transferring to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
For the cream cheese frosting:
In a large bowl, whisk together the Redpath® Icing Sugar and cornstarch until thoroughly combined and no lumps remain.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter until smooth, light, and fluffy; 3 minutes. Add in the cubed cream cheese. Cream together until no lumps remain.
When the cheese mixture is smooth, scrape down the bowl and switch to the whisk attachment. Add in the vanilla extract, lemon juice, and salt. Whip on medium-low speed to combine.
Sift about ⅓ of the icing sugar into the cream cheese mixture. Mix on low speed until just combined. Repeat process with the remaining icing sugar. When all of the icing sugar has been added, increase speed to medium and beat for 10 seconds to fully incorporate (see Chef’s Tips for more notes).
Transfer frosting into a piping bag fitted with a plain or star tip. Decorate completely cooled cupcakes with the cream cheese frosting.
Store frosted cupcakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Remove from the fridge at least 30 minutes before serving to allow cupcakes to come to room temperature.
Chef's Tip
*Ensure all ingredients are at room temperature before proceeding with the cupcake and cream cheese frosting recipes.
*If buttermilk is not available, add 1 tablespoon of white vinegar to a measuring cup and fill with milk until the liquids measure 1 cup (250 ml). Whisk or stir to combine and let stand 5 minutes, or until thickened. Use the amount needed in the recipe. Alternatively, use a 1 to 1 ratio of plain kefir in place of the buttermilk.
*If cake flour is not available, measure out 1 cup of all-purpose flour. Remove 2 tablespoons of the flour and replace with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. Sift or whisk mixture thoroughly to ensure flour mixture is well combined and flour is aerated.
*If frosting is too thick, add 1 to 3 teaspoons (5 to 15 ml) of heavy cream to loosen the frosting. If frosting is too thin, add about 1 tablespoon (8 g) of Redpath® Icing Sugar to help thicken the frosting. Also, placing the frosting into the fridge for at least 15 minutes will help it stiffen.
*Completely cooled and unfrosted cupcakes can be frozen for up to 3 months. Wrap well in plastic wrap and place into an airtight container. Let cupcakes thaw overnight in the fridge before decorating and serving.
*Any leftover cream cheese frosting can be stored for up to 4 days in the fridge, or in the freezer for a month. Place cream cheese into an airtight container or freezer safe bag. Remove as many air pockets as possible and seal. If using an airtight container, place a layer of plastic wrap, wax, or parchment paper, directly onto the surface of the frosting before sealing with the lid. Defrost in the fridge overnight, and re-whip before using.
