Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
Total Time
50 minutes
Prep Time
30 minutes
Cook Time
20 minutes
Rating
4.87 out of 5 stars
(50)
Ingredients
12 servings
- 1 1/3 cups cake flour (sub plain / all purpose flour, Note 1)
- 1 tbsp cocoa powder (, unsweetened (Note 2)
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder (not baking soda, Note 3)
- Pinch of salt
- 60g / 4 tbsp unsalted butter (, softened (Note 4)
- 2/3 cup caster sugar (superfine sugar)
- 2 large eggs (, at room temperature (Note 5)
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil (or canola)
- 1/2 cup buttermilk (, at room temperature (Note 6)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp white vinegar (Note 7)
- 1 tbsp red food colouring (yes, 1 whole tablespoon!)
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter (, softened (Note 4)
- 170g / 6oz Philadelphia block cream cheese (, softened (Note 8)
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 2 1/2 cups soft icing sugar mixture (powdered sugar) (, sifted (Note 9)
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Preparation
Step 1
Cupcakes:
Step 2
Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F (160°C fan). Line a standard 12 hole muffin tin with cupcake liners.
Step 3
Sift Dry ingredients together into a bowl.
Step 4
Cream butter: Put the butter in a separate bowl and beat on speed 2 for 1 minute with an electric mixer or stand mixer (paddle attachment).
Step 5
Cream sugar: Add sugar then beat for a further 2 minutes, same speed, until the butter is very pale yellow, almost white.
Step 6
Beat in eggs: Add the eggs one at a time beating for 30 seconds on speed 1 after each addition.
Step 7
Add remaining Wet ingredients: Add oil, buttermilk, vanilla and red food colouring then beat on Speed 1 until incorporated and the batter is smooth.
Step 8
Beat in flour: Sprinkle the Dry ingredients across the surface and mix on Speed 1 for just 20 seconds. Scrape down sides of the bowl, then mix again for 10 seconds. The batter should now be smooth - few small lumps is ok. Do not keep beating - overworks batter = cupcakes not as soft!
Step 9
Fill pan: Divide the batter between the 12 cupcake liners - it should fill 3/4 of the way, but it depends on the size of the cupcake liners you use.
Step 10
Bake for 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the middle cupcake comes out clean.
Step 11
Cool: Immediately remove cupcakes onto a wire rack. Cool completely before frosting with cream cheese frosting.
Step 12
Frosting:
Step 13
Cream butter: Place butter in a bowl and beat for 1 minute until it's smooth and starts to become paler in colour - speed 6 on stand mixer, speed 9 for electric beater.
Step 14
Cream cream cheese: Add cream cheese then beat for a further 1 minute on the same speed until smooth.
Step 15
Add icing sugar: Add icing sugar in 4 batches, beating in between until incorporated, starting on speed 1 so you don't get a dust storm in your face!
Step 16
Beat until fluffy: Add vanilla and salt, then beat for 2 minutes until fluffy - speed 6 with stand mixer, speed 9 with electric beater. It should be creamy but still hold its shape in a peak (see video). If it's too sloppy, place in fridge for 30 minutes, then beat again.
Step 17
Pipe: Transfer into piping bag with desired piping tip. Pipe onto cupcakes - makes enough to generously frost 12 cupcakes as pictured in post.
Step 18
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