Red Velvet Cupcakes

I have tried so many different recipes over the years for red velvet cupcakes, but this one is hands down, my favorite. I used to have a business making cakes and cupcakes, but due to it being so time consuming, I decided to retire from it. While I was perfecting my recipes for my business, I experimented with so many recipes until I got it just right! These cupcakes do not have the pretty dome on top when they bake up, but these are so amazingly moist, that I think you can overlook that.  I'm not sure where the recipe came from and how much I changed it because it's been a few years since I found it.  Unfortunately, I can't give credit to the original baker or recipe book who created it. I can tell you however, that the cream cheese icing is my original recipe 😉.

 So without further ado... let's get to it!!

Here is what you will need:

Red Velvet Cupcakes

2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons of cocoa powder

2 cups sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoons of good vanilla (Nielsen Massey)

1 cup buttermilk (see tip#1 below)

2 eggs (room temp, tip#2 below)

2 ounces red food coloring (McCormick)

1/2 cup of hot coffee

2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons of cocoa powder

Combine these first 5 ingredients in a large bowl and sift or wisk together to mix . Set aside.

In a large mixer, combine the following :

2 cups sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoons of good vanilla (Nielsen Massey)

Mix on low to medium speed to combine.

In a bowl or glass measuring cup wisk together:

1 cup buttermilk (see tip#1 below)

2 eggs (room temp, tip#2 below)

2 ounces red food coloring (McCormick)

TIp#1: I usually do not have buttermilk on hand, so I make my own by adding 1 cup of room temp milk to one tablespoon of vinegar.

Tip#2: To get eggs to room temp, add eggs in shell to bowl and pour hot water to cover them completely. Allow eggs to sit in water for about 2-3 minutes.

Pour buttermilk mixture slowly into mixer with other ingredients. Mix on low speed and then add:

1/2 cup of hot coffee

Slowly add dry ingredients to wet ingredients one cup at a time while scraping down sides of bowl. Mix at low to medium speed. 

Line cupcake pans with 24 cupcake tins. This recipe makes about 28 regular size cupcakes total.

I use the Reynolds foil cupcake tins because it locks in the moisture of the cupcake and doesn't bleed through the bottom. You can also use grease proof cupcake tins as well. 

Using a large ice cream scoop, (I use the larger size from Publix) spoon out enough batter to almost fill the ice cream scoop and use your finger to wipe the bottom off as you place it into the tins. With the help of my son the videographer, I have a little video to show you how I do it. NOTE: I filled my scoop too full which caused my cupcakes to bake over the sides a bit. So make sure you fill it almost to the top of coop but not the full scoop. Sorry.. I hadn't made these in so long I forgot that they would do that. 

Place cupcake tins side by side on top shelf of 325 degree preheated oven. Bake for 15 minutes or until cupcake is done in the middle. Use a toothpick to test.

Allow to cool completely on rack. Again, notice mine cooked over the top a bit causing it to stick to the pan. Make sure to not fill them as much as I did to avoid this. It had been a while since I made these, so I had forgotten how high to fill the tins. 

Now for some ceamy smooth cream cheese icing. The vanilla needs to be very high quality to get a rich vanilla flavor. I usually buy mine from Home Goods or William Sonoma, but you can also buy it online here.

Cream Cheese Icing

Printable Version HERE

1- 8 oz block cream cheese (softened)

2 sticks of salted sweet cream butter 

1 teaspoon of good vanilla (Nielsen Massey)

3-4 cups powdered sugar

Add cream cheese and butter to mixer and mix on med to high speed til combined. Add vanilla.

Add 1 cup of powdered sugar at a time while mixer is on low speed. After all powdered sugar is added, whip icing on high about a minute or so. 

To get larger swirls with your icing, use the Ateco tip #807.

Cut the pointed end of a pastry bag and insert tip. Using spatula, spoon icing into bag leaving room at top to twist bag.   

Apply pressure to pastry bag and start piping from the outside of cupcake while pulling up slightly and turning as you go so that it builds. This is very hard to explain, so I thought I would make a video for you. There's Christmas music and decorations in the background because I had planned on sharing this before the Holidays. Unfortunately, life got a little crazy and I wasn't able to post it in time.

These would be great for Valentines Day though. All you need to do is add a heart on top.