This silky red velvet cupcake recipe is tender, moist, and chocolatey. You're going to love it. Plus, it pairs great with your favorite cream cheese frosting or this vanilla mousse frosting like we used.
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Back when Joe and I were dating, he was over the house during one of my baking days. On that particular day, I was making these cupcakes and he confessed he didn't like red velvet. But why? He said "I don't know. I just don't get why anyone would want a red cake when there are better flavors." I showed him red velvet is like a "mild" chocolate cake. It's the perfect balance of vanilla and chocolate, with a healthy dose of red food coloring, that creates the velvety soft cake as its end result.
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Can I use this recipe to make cakes?
YES! This recipe can either make around 28 cupcakes or you can use the batter to make a cake.
If using a 9x13-inch sheet cake pan: bake the cake for about 35 minutes. You will know when it is done when it passes the toothpick test - a toothpick is inserted into the center and it comes out mostly clean.
If you are using two 8-inch round cake pans, two 9-inch round cake pans, or 3 6-inch round cake pans: divide the batter evenly between the sized pans you are using and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or when the cake passes the toothpick test.
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Red Velvet Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the Cake:
2½ cups all-purpose flour or all-purpose gluten-free flour
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature or palm shortening
½ cup olive oil
1½ cups granulated sugar
2½ teaspoons red food coloring
4 eggs, room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1⅓ cup buttermilk (link to homemade vegan buttermilk)
For the Vanilla Mousse Frosting:
1½ cup heavy cream
½ cup and 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two cupcake pans with cupcake paper. Set aside
In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In a stand mixer fit with the paddle attachments, beat together the butter, oil, and sugar until combined, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs in one at a time, beating until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract and food coloring and mix well.
In a separate bowl, stir together the buttermilk and vinegar. Alternate adding the dry ingredients and the buttermilk-vinegar mixture to the wet ingredients in 4 different additions, mixing between each addition and making sure you end with the flour.
Use a large cookie scoop or a 1/3 cup measurement to divide the batter into the prepared cupcake pans and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out mostly clean. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely.
In a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, add all the frosting ingredients and whip until light and fluffy - about 5 minutes at medium-high speed.
Fill your piping bag, pipe from the center, and swirl around the cupcake until covered. For a video tutorial, watch here!
