It’s been a while since I posted a recipe for Red Velvet Cupcakes, so here’s one of our new holiday favorites. The recipe is a combination of a few from famous bakeries, and it gives you cupcakes that are a little bit stiffer and sturdier, yet still moist and tender on the inside, thanks to the combination of both buttermilk and sour cream.
More Than Just Red Chocolate Cake
The recipe doesn’t contain much cocoa, so no one will confuse it with chocolate cake. Personally, I love chocolate cake, but I don’t want too much cocoa in my red velvet. I like the distinct flavor of red velvet. Southerners call it “twang”. Twang is a weird word, but it feels like a more accurate description than sour or tart when describing cake. So I feel like red velvet should have “twang”, which these do in both the crumb and the cream cheese frosting. If you like a sweeter (less twangy!) frosting you can always swap this one out for the usual 8 oz cream cheese, 4 oz butter and 3-4 cups of sugar type.
And finally, for the vibrant red color I used Super Red which I bought a few years ago and managed to carry from Austin to Chicago. It comes in a large bottle and since it’s concentrated, you only need about half as much. I got tired of spending $3 on red food coloring every time I wanted to something red velvet, so the Super Red was a good investment.
Recipe
Red Velvet Cupcakes Again
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups well-stirred and fluffed all-purpose flour 200 grams
- 2 cups cake flour 224 grams
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 sticks 230 grams unsalted butter, softened
- 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar 340 grams
- 2 large eggs
- 3 1/2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 4 tablespoons red food coloring or 2 T. Super Red
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup sour cream room temperature (no subs – yogurt doesn’t work as well)
- 1 tablespoon vinegar
- 1 cup buttermilk room temperature
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 16 ounces cream cheese softened
- 4 oz unsalted butter softened
- 1 teaspoon pure extract
- 2 cups confectioners’ sugar plus more to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line 24 standard muffin cups with paper liners.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, salt and baking soda. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, beat the butter and sugar until creamy.
- Reduce to a lower speed and add eggs one at a time, beating well after each egg is added.
- In a small bowl, stir together cocoa powder, red food coloring, and vanilla, then add to the creamed mixture, scraping bowl often.
- Stir in the sour cream until it is fully blended, then add the vinegar.
- Add flour mixture and buttermilk to the batter alternately, using lowest speed of mixer and scraping bowl. Batter will be fairly thick.
- Spoon batter into cupcake cups and bake on center rack for about 22 minutes or until cakes spring back when touched.
- Frosting: In the bowl of an stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment; beat cream cheese and butter on medium to high speed until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla extract. On a low speed, slowly mix in confectioners’ sugar until well combined. Beat until light and creamy.
Maria @ kitchenathoskins
Love that red!
Sonya
Looks yummy!