These red velvet cupcakes are from an episode of Throwdown with Bobby Flay, and they are my favorite so far. They are moist, bright red, and don't have too much cocoa powder to muck up the true flavor of "red velvet" which is not chocolate and in my opinion, kind of falls into a category of its own. In addition, the frosting on the Throwdown red velvet cupcakes is awesome. However, you're going to have some left over if you don't scale it down.
Throwdown Red Velvet Cupcakes
Here's a link to the original Throwdown Red Velvet Cupcakes recipe from the show, and below is my adapted version. I added the volume measurements since the original is given in weights. Speaking of which, I'm pretty sure the negative reviews on the original recipe are from people who thought 15 ½ ounces of flour was a little less than 2 cups, which it would be if the measures were in volume. The recipe is measured in weight, for the most part, so 15 ½ ounces of flour equals around 434 grams or approximately 3 ¼ cups flour depending on how a person measures their cups. Weighing is the accurate way to measure.
Recipe Yield
Anyhow, the Throwdown Red Velvet Cupcakes recipe says it makes sixteen. At one point I halved it and got 14, but at the time muffin papers were smaller. These days the taller paper liners are more common (you can read more about cupcake wrappers here) and I get about 20 cupcakes for the full batch. Also, considering that these cupcakes are slightly larger, the bake time might be a little longer. Check at 20 minutes, but the cupcakes might take up to 30 minutes.
Recipe
Red Velvet Cupcakes From Throwdown Episode
Ingredients
- 3 ¼ cups all -purpose flour (weigh, volume is just an estimate) 434 grams
- 1 ¼ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 ¼ teaspoon teaspoons salt
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder (I increased it a bit)
- 1 ½ cups vegetable oil
- 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar plus a teaspoon (364 grams)
- 1 ¼ cups buttermilk
- 3 large eggs
- 2 ½ tablespoons red food coloring or less if using Super Red (Just a few drops of Super Red)
- 1 ¼ teaspoons teaspoons vinegar
- 1 ¼ teaspoons vanilla
- 2 tablespoons water
For the cream cheese frosting:
- 24 oz cream cheese softend
- 16 oz butter softened
- 2 pound powdered sugar, sifted
- 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven 350 degrees F. Line cupcake cups with paper liners. These yield will vary slightly. I make these in regular size muffin cups with liners that are slightly tall and get about 20 cupcakes.
- Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder and set aside.
- With an electric mixer, beat oil, sugar, and buttermilk until combined. Add eggs, food coloring, vinegar, vanilla and water and mix well. Add the dry ingredients a little bit at a time and mix by hand until well mixed.
- Scoop the batter into the liners dividing evenly (a little over halfway full) and bake at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes (may take up to 30) or until the toothpick comes out clean. Let cool.
- For the cream cheese frosting: Whip the butter and cream cheese together in a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until creamed. Gradually add powdered sugar to the mixture and scrape down the bowl as needed. Add the vanilla and mix until combined.
Adam says
Hi Anna,
I finally got a chance to bake these and write about it (after surviving a hard drive melt down on Monday ). Thanks again for the suggestion on the frosting, it was awesome 🙂
http://www.thebakersnuts.ca/2011/03/less-than-red-velvet-cupcakes.html
Tracy from RahChaChow says
I love those liners! I made some red velvet cupcakes last night (from a recipe that starts with a boxed mix). I used heart papers -- was so bummed that the hearts disappeared when the cupcakes baked.
Melanie Schoenhut says
This is so perfect! I just tried it yesterday and my friends really love these. I am just shame of how I decorated my cupcakes. LOL. I am really not a great cupcake decorator but they really love how it tasted. Thanks for the recipe.
Rose Forever says
I love the color. I think I should make some booth for our J's prom with these cupcakes. I am sure that my booth will be great with these. Thanks for the idea.
vanillasugarblog says
omgosh i made these for hubbys b-day last year? or the year before? oh well i'm too old to remember. they were a hit though.
i love throwdown. you & i should go on there with our super-duper cookies. LOL We'd totally win.
Anna says
Tina, I'm sure the McCormick ones will be a hit. They do taste like chocolate, but people will recognize them as red velvet and probably won't think too much of it.
About those liners, those are the new Reynold's Stay Brite liners. I bought a pack at the grocery store and may never go back to regular paper lines.
Tina says
I was debating whether or not to bake these today for our Family Fun Night at church tonight. I made the McCormick ones yesterday and they tasted like a chocolate cupcake to me. But since Todd said he like the McCormick ones better as far as tastes goes, I'll take his word on it and stick to what I have. You can't go wrong with chocolate cake and cream cheese frosting anyways and the kids will eat them. Have a wonderful weekend!
Sherry says
I am making cupcakes with those exact liners! Haha. I love the color even if the taste isn't better!
Kenni says
These look so good! I love the traditional flavored red velvet since it reminds of the bakery where I used to work. I may have to give these a try.
Louise says
Last night I came to the conclusion that Red Velvet is a personal preference and perhaps even a regional thing. Katy's pointer for the Yahoo article rather confirms the regional taste. 🙂 Perhaps Matt Lewis of BAKED,who went to the Univ. of Alabama,is catering to our Northern tastes.
Gloria says
Ok. I'm going back to oil and will try Bobby Flay's since yours look delicious and I've never tried a Bobby recipe and I love watching throw down (though I never want Bobby to win :()
Rachel says
i am a huge red velvet fan. i've never had the cupcake form so i look forward to all your reviews. keep up the great work!
Patty H. says
Your cupcakes look awesome! I've been wanted to make either red velvet cupcakes or a cake....just not sure which, but these are really cute!
I love Bobby Flay's Throwdown!
Katy says
Thought you'd be interested in this - it was on the Yahoo front page today, how appropriate!
http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/food/8-essentials-for-authentic-red-velvet-cake-2451699/
And those cupcakes you made are too cute!!
Mackenzie @ The Caramel Cookie says
I agree with Sue, those liners are too cute!
Gloria says
I'll bet if you take the McCormick's recipe and only add 1/4 cup cocoa powder they would be more red. (Not sure how this will affect texture or anything) I like using butter rather than oil, but canola oil is definitely healthier. I will try this change and let you know what happens!
Laura says
Anna, I have a red velvet cupcake recipe that I've made a couple times now and got a big thumbs up from a huge red velvet fan. If you want another recipe for your tests (or for comparison) let me know.
Sue says
Your cupcakes are so cute! I love the liners you used and the way you frosted them.
Lisa Ernst says
Throwdown is my favorite Food Network show, and I remember this episode! The cupcakes look great. I've never really tried the higher chocolate content red velvets, but always enjoy the traditional kind so I'm sure I'd enjoy these.
Debbi Does Dinner Healthy says
You know, I've never had red velvet cake. It looks so pretty though!
Leslie says
Oh YEAH!!! I am glad they turned out the best. I am going to have to keep my eye out for that cookbook!
Louise says
Your cupcakes look awesome and nicely decorated. Some reviewers on the Foodnetwork site thought these were oily. I guess you didn't find that.