Bright and eye catching, red velvet cupcakes are an exciting dessert to make. With their deep red color, moist texture and tart cream cheese frosting, they are an absolute treat in every way. From birthday parties and anniversaries to themed parties and weddings, they can be served anywhere. They’re a fun dessert that can go along with any theme and mood. Everywhere, people enjoy eating them. So you can't really go wrong with them. So take notes because here is everything you need to know about the original red velvet cake recipe to make this versatile and delicious dessert.
Ingredients:
- 2 large eggs, room temperature and separated
- 166 gm all-purpose flour, spooned & leveled
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 4 teaspoons natural unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 56 gm unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 200 gm granulated sugar
- 120 ml canola or vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
- Liquid or gel red food coloring
- 120 ml buttermilk, room temperature
- cream cheese frosting for topping
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F or 177°C.
- Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners. Set aside.
- In a bowl, add the egg whites and beat on high speed using a handheld mixture. Keep beating until soft peaks form, which should happen in about 3 minutes. Set aside.
- In a bowl, sift the flour and the cornstarch, and mix well. Then add the baking soda, cocoa powder, and salt and mix all of it well together until thoroughly combined. Set aside.
- In a mixer or using a handheld mixer, beat the butter until it is smooth and creamy. Then add the sugar and beat some more until fully combined. Scrape down the sides and continue beating as needed.
- Then add the oil and beat more. It’s normal for the butter and oil to not combine fully.
- Now add the egg yolks and vanilla and beat on medium speed until combined.
- Then beat in the vinegar and the food coloring until you have the desired color.
- Next, you want to add the dry ingredients to the mixer. Add a little at a time, let it get incorporated, then add more. Also, add buttermilk and mix it well.
- Now you can fold the whipped egg whites into the mixture. Be gentle as you fold this in, and make sure it's fully incorporated. The batter will be smooth and a little thick.
- Now pour the batter into the cupcake liners, filling ¾ way full. Bake for about 20 minutes. A toothpick inserted in the middle should come out clean and the top of the cupcake, when pressed, should bounce back. Once ready, remove from the oven and let it sit in the tray for 5 minutes. It will continue baking during this time.
- Then transfer to a wire rack and let it cool completely.
- Prepare the cream cheese frosting in the meantime. Don't frost cupcakes while they are still warm or the frosting will melt and drip off. Frost once cooled and serve immediately.
Notes, tips and tricks:
- The cupcakes can be made in advance and stored at room temperature for 2 days. The frosting can also be made beforehand and stored for 2 days in the fridge. Unfrosted cupcakes that are leftover can be stored in the freezer for 3 months. Before using, thaw them overnight in the fridge.
- Be careful when adding red food coloring. Ultimately, you decide how much you want to add. But add a little at a time, mix it well, and see if you want it to be darker or not. Do not add too much.
- If you don't have buttermilk on hand, simply add lemon juice to whole milk and mix it well and let it sit for 5 minutes. Once curdled, it's ready to use.
- If you're making mini cupcakes instead of regular-sized ones, bake for 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.
- You can use a pipe to put the frosting or you can simply add a dollop on top with the back of a spoon. If you have time, let the frosting sit in the fridge for a few minutes before adding it to the cupcakes, so it has time to set.