Red Velvet + Weekend Plans
2012 January 9
This past weekend my plans were simple: clean my house, and bake two-dozen Red Velvet cupcakes to take to a friend’s BBQ. Sadly plans changed and our Sunday BBQ was cancelled leaving me with 24 frosted and glittering red velvet cupcakes and one very clean kitchen. Oh Lord, give me self-control not to eat the entire batch!
What is it about a sparkling clean kitchen that makes me want to eat? It’s like the counters are calling “get me dirty!” But enough about the counters…this turned out to be the perfect opportunity to photograph and share my favorite Red Velvet cupcake recipe with you! Yippee, this change of plans turned out to be a sweet success.
So…who’s coming over to eat these cupcakes?
Red Velvet Cupcakes – adapted from Martha Stewart
Makes 24 regular sized cupcakes
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour, sifted
2 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
2 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon red gel-paste food color or 1oz liquid food color
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
2 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon red gel-paste food color or 1oz liquid food color
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk together flour, cocoa, and salt.
- With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, whisk together sugar and oil until combined. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Mix in food color and vanilla.
- Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of buttermilk, and whisking well after each. Stir together the baking soda and vinegar in a small bowl (it will foam); add mixture to the batter, and mix on medium speed 10 seconds.
- Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool completely before removing cupcakes. Cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months, in airtight containers.
- To finish, use either a piping bag fitted with a round tip or a small offset spatula to frost. Sprinkle with colored sanding sugar if desired. I use this edible gold sugar.
Cream Cheese Frosting- Martha Stewart
Makes 4 cups
Makes 4 cups
8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
12 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 pound (4 cups) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
12 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 pound (4 cups) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Directions
- Beat butter and cream cheese with a mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low. Add sugar, 1 cup at a time, and then vanilla; mix until smooth.
9 Responses
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That gold sugar is stunning on the cupcakes!
Thank you Emily! I thought it added a little glamour to such a classic cupcake!
Those are flipping stunning cupcakes! I have been craving red velvet for over a week now, but long hours at the job have kept me decidedly out of the kitchen. I would totally be all over those if I was your friend! BBQ or no BBQ!
Rebecca- Congratulations on writing the best comment I’ve had all year. You made me laugh out loud reading this.
Those are beautifully made. My cupcakes always come out different sizes and look awful. I love red velvet cake. I’ll have to give these a try!
Thank you Tim! I use an ice cream scoop to make sure all cupcake papers are filled evenly. And I use a piping bag for the frosting. That may help!
So the recipe calls for all purpose flour but the directions say cake flour. Which on do you use?
Hi Karen- Sorry about that error! The original recipe called for cake flour however I used all purpose. Thank you for catching that.
Great, thank you. I have used the Martha recipe and wasn’t a big fan of it. They didn’t seem to cook very evenly and weren’t fluffy at all. I am excited to try this one