Red Velvet Cupcakes Recipe: Moist, Fluffy, and Easy to Pipe!

Indulge in these incredibly moist red velvet cupcakes, crowned with a tangy cream cheese frosting that’s a dream to pipe. This recipe offers the perfect harmony of rich cocoa flavor and a velvety smooth frosting, making these cupcakes an irresistible treat for any occasion. These cupcakes are not only delicious but also visually stunning, perfect for impressing your friends and family.

Table of Contents

• Why You’ll Love This Recipe
• Ingredients
• How to Make Red Velvet Cupcakes
• How to Make Cream Cheese Frosting for Piping
• Kelly’s Recipe Tips
• Recommended Tools for This Recipe
• Storage Tips
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Valentine’s Day Treats
• Red Velvet Cupcakes with Piped Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

Who can resist the allure of red velvet cake? Its striking color, tender crumb, and subtly chocolatey flavor make it a universally beloved dessert for people of all ages. But truly, the cake is just a canvas for its quintessential partner: cream cheese frosting. The frosting’s inherent tanginess provides a perfect counterbalance to the sweetness of the cake, creating a delightful experience.

I wanted to develop a red velvet cupcake recipe that allowed for beautifully piped frosting. I dedicated time to testing various cream cheese frosting recipes to find one that was sufficiently light to be piped into intricate swirls, elegant flowers, and other decorative designs. This was an important consideration, as some cream cheese frostings can be too thick or heavy for detailed piping. I needed the perfect consistency that would hold its shape while still being smooth and creamy.

During my search, I encountered Joy of Cooking’s red velvet cupcakes tutorial, and I knew instantly that I had discovered the secret to achieving a fluffy cream cheese frosting: heavy cream. After meticulously testing the recipe and making a few adjustments to suit my preferences, I was successful in achieving the ideal balance between structure and fluffiness, which also resulted in easy piping. I am confident that this cream cheese frosting is without question the best accompaniment to red velvet cupcakes!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Bakery-worthy presentation. Elevate your homemade cupcakes to a professional level. Piping the frosting, instead of spreading it with a spatula, is a simple technique that instantly creates a polished look, making these cupcakes perfect for celebrations or bake sales.
• Unparalleled moisture and tenderness. Enjoy a cupcake with a perfect crumb that stays moist for days. The careful balance of ingredients guarantees a delightful texture.
• Ideal for Valentine’s Day. If you are searching for a special treat to celebrate love, these red velvet cupcakes offer a festive and delicious way to express your affection.
• The ultimate fluffy frosting. My recipe provides detailed instructions for creating a tangy cream cheese frosting that boasts an irresistibly light and creamy texture. The addition of whipped cream makes all the difference!

Ingredients

Similar to my recipes for red velvet pancakes and red velvet cinnamon rolls, this red velvet cupcake recipe relies on cocoa powder and red food coloring to achieve its signature, captivating hue.

For the red velvet cupcakes:

• Vegetable oil: Using oil, instead of butter, in cake recipes results in a moister final product. Oil contains a higher fat content which helps to maintain the cupcakes soft texture. Canola oil, vegetable oil, or any neutral-flavored oil can be used interchangeably.
• Buttermilk: The lactic acid in buttermilk activates the leavening power of baking soda, lending a subtle tang and contributes to a tender, moist crumb. If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, you can easily create your own using a number of buttermilk substitutes.
• Eggs: They play a crucial role in emulsifying the batter, providing structure during baking, and imparting moisture and richness to the cake.
• White vinegar: Baking soda needs an acidic catalyst to help the cake batter rise, and a teaspoon of white vinegar helps to increase the acidity and ensure the leavener performs its role effectively.
• Vanilla extract: While imitation vanilla extract is a perfectly acceptable choice for most baked goods, I would recommend using pure vanilla extract in the frosting to ensure the most complex flavor.
• Red food coloring: Red velvet cake gets its iconic, recognizable red hue from red food coloring. For recipes where I want vibrant colors, such as my Unicorn Banana Bread, I always opt for gel food coloring. It is much more concentrated and requires only a small amount to yield bright results.
• All-purpose flour: Precise measurements are critical in baking to ensure consistent results. I suggest using my scoop-and-sweep method for the best way to accurately measure flour without relying on a scale.
• Sugar: In addition to sweetening baked goods, granulated sugar binds with liquid ingredients, keeping baked goods moist for an extended period. It also slows down gluten production for a softer, more tender crumb.
• Baking soda: Baking soda, also known as sodium bicarbonate, interacts with the acid in a recipe to create carbon dioxide, which helps the batter to expand, resulting in a fluffy and tender baked product. In this red velvet cake, the buttermilk, cocoa powder, and vinegar provide the acidity necessary for the baking soda to properly react.
• Salt: Table salt or kosher salt is essential in nearly every cake recipe to enhance the flavor and balance the sweetness. It also functions as a preservative, helping baked goods stay fresher for a longer duration.
• Cocoa powder: For this recipe, use unsweetened natural cocoa powder rather than Dutch-process cocoa powder. Natural cocoa powder is lighter in color and more acidic than Dutch-process cocoa powder. The acid content is important for interacting with the baking soda so that the cake rises appropriately.

For the cream cheese frosting:

• Cream cheese: Be sure to use full-fat cream cheese to achieve the proper silky texture and rich flavor that the frosting requires. It is also vital to let the cream cheese come to room temperature, which will minimize lumps in the final frosting.
• Powdered sugar: Similar to my recipe for buttercream frosting, I always sift powdered sugar for frosting. Powdered sugar tends to clump when stored. Sifting breaks up the lumps, resulting in a smoother frosting consistency.
• Vanilla extract: Use pure vanilla extract, which offers a more complex and robust flavor compared to imitation vanilla extract. This is an ideal recipe to showcase homemade vanilla extract.
• Whipping cream: When beaten, the cream aerates the frosting, creating a fluffy texture. Make sure you keep the whipping cream cold until use. It is very important to use heavy whipping cream that has a minimum of 35 percent milk fat content, and avoid using light whipping cream.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

How to Make Red Velvet Cupcakes

1. Preheat the oven. Position the oven rack in the center and preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a cupcake pan with paper liners.
2. Mix the wet ingredients. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the oil, buttermilk, eggs, white vinegar, and vanilla extract. Mix until well combined. Add red food coloring gradually until your desired color is achieved.

3. Sift the dry ingredients. In a medium-sized bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. Sifting ensures that the dry ingredients are well combined and any lumps are removed.
4. Combine the wet and dry ingredients. Gradually add the flour mixture to the stand mixer bowl, adding ½ cup at a time and mixing between each addition to prevent lumps from forming. Continue mixing until all the ingredients are fully incorporated.
5. Bake the cupcakes. Fill each cupcake liner approximately ¾ full with batter. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
6. Cool the cupcakes. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely on a wire rack before frosting. Cooling them completely ensures that the frosting doesn’t melt and creates a more visually appealing cupcake.

How to Make Cream Cheese Frosting for Piping

Although most cream cheese frostings contain butter, this fluffy version utilizes whipped cream to achieve its airy texture. Strictly adhere to my instructions and suggestions to ensure the best results.

1. Beat the cream cheese. Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the softened cream cheese until it is completely smooth. This is an essential step to eliminate any lumps.
2. Add the sugar. Sift the powdered sugar into the bowl and mix to combine. Once combined, add the vanilla extract and mix.
3. Add the heavy cream. Detach the paddle attachment, scraping off any excess cream cheese mixture using a spatula. Affix the whisk attachment to the mixer. Scrape cream cheese from the bowl’s sides. Beat chilled heavy cream in a consistent stream until the frosting thickens sufficiently for piping, taking approximately 2 to 3 minutes. Avoid overmixing the mixture. It may deflate and result in runny frosting.

4. Pipe the frosting. Transfer the frosting to a piping bag outfitted with your desired pastry tip. Frost the cooled cupcakes by piping the frosting on top, and serve promptly.

Pro Tip: When filling a pastry bag, place the bag inside a pint glass and fold the top over the rim of the glass to keep it open. This will make it much easier to fill the bag without making a mess.

Recommended Tools for This Recipe

Below is a list of recommended cooking equipment for making these cupcakes:

• Stand mixer: A stand mixer is ideal to mix the batter and whip the cream into the frosting to get the fluffiest texture. You need a paddle and whisk attachment.
• Sifter or fine mesh sieve: Sifting the flour and dry ingredients ensures complete mixing, and sifting powdered sugar removes lumps. A fine mesh sieve works as well if you don’t have a sifter.
• Cupcake wrappers: Using cupcake wrappers simplifies baked cake removal and maintains freshness. Use foil-lined cupcake wrappers, which hold their design post-bake and are easy to peel.
• Cupcake pan: Use a standard-sized cupcake pan. This recipe makes 24 cupcakes, so two 12-cup pans are needed or bake in batches.
• Baking rack: A wire baking rack circulates air for complete cooling of baked goods.
• Pastry bag: For professional frosting, a pastry bag allows beautiful swirls. Disposable pastry bags offer convenience, or learn to make parchment paper piping bags.
• Pastry tips: Metal pastry tips offer different frosting appearances. Large round tips give smooth swirls; open star tips make grooved swirls.

Frequently Asked Questions

Valentine’s Day Treats

Skip the store-bought items and try easy Valentine’s Day dessert recipes. These include favorites like:

• White Chocolate-Covered Strawberries
• Red Velvet Brookies
• Red Velvet Chocolate Chip Cake Mix Cookies
• Pink Pinwheel Sugar Cookies
• Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownie Bites
• Easy No-Bake Chocolate Tart with Strawberries

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