Red Velvet Cupcakes
I can’t think of any dessert more deliciously Southern than red velvet cake. It has become quite popular lately, but the recipes floating around these days are very different than the original. My grandmother’s recipe called for mayonnaise. If that sounds strange, just remember that mayonaise is simply eggs and oil whipped together. Also, a true red velvet cake has only a touch of cocoa powder and must contain buttermilk–it’s the South’s secret to tender cakes.
I feel that 4 cupcakes is the perfect serving size for two. After much experimentation, I discovered that if you bake all 4 cupcakes on the outside edge of the muffin pan, they will rise higher.
Red Velvet Cupcakes
Makes 4 cupcakes.
Ingredients
For the cupcakes:
- ¼ cup canola oil
- ¼ cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons buttermilk
- 1 egg white
- 1 teaspoon red food coloring
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon white vinegar
- ⅓ cup plus 1 tablespoon flour
- 2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
For the frosting:
- 3 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
- 6 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon milk
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a cupcake tin, place 4 cupcake liners on the outside edge.
- In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, salt and cocoa powder.
- In another bowl, beat together the canola oil, sugar, buttermilk, egg white, red dye, vinegar, and vanilla using an electric mixer.
- Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing all the while. Divide the batter between the four cupcake liners and bake at 350° for 20-22 minutes until a cake tester comes out clean. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
- Beat together all icing ingredients using an electric mixer. Frost cupcakes when cool. Dust with cocoa powder before serving, if desired.
The picture of the cupcakes is great. They look ever so delicious! Love the short list of ingredients and the smaller amounts. Makes them economical. Good luck!
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Great idea about making these velvety treats for two.
Strange how I’ve had this cake on my mind lately.
Saw an episode on ‘Cook’s Country’ on a fabulously made Red Velvet cake.
I am very tempted to try my very first one this coming weekend for my Mommy’s Birthday.
I just may however…have to put my Italian touch on that concoction…you know…just so that I can put my little signature on it ;0)
Thanks for sharing,
Claudia
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Red velvet is my all time favorite, but my recipe makes a 3-layer cake. Will have to make this soon! Thanks!
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Hmm, what does the white vinegar do? I’ve never heard of that being used in a cupcake. I’m thinking about making these this weekend but what could I substitute for the vinegar?
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Christina Reply:
September 29th, 2010 at 9:37 am
The vinegar reacts with the baking soda and causes the cupcakes to rise. If you leave it out, you won’t get the same results. I promise you don’t taste the vinegar at all. Every (Southern) recipe for Red Velvet I’ve ever seen calls for vinegar. If you leave it out, let me know how it works, but I suggest that you don’t.
Thanks for reading!
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My concern is less with the taste and more with the fact that I don’t have any white vinegar, rarely use it, and don’t want to go buy a whole bottle of it, haha. I’m lazy like that.
I’ll check around and see what else I might use. I’ll let you know how it goes! Thanks for the information!
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Christina Reply:
September 29th, 2010 at 3:50 pm
Ohhh, I see. I totally understand. If it were me, I would leave out the vinegar but use slightly more baking soda. Let me know how it goes!
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I was excited to see a portioned recipe for one of my favorite cupcakes so I gave this recipe a try and I think I might have gone wrong somewhere. The cupcakes came out with a disproportioned taste of flour. I wouldn’t say it was overpowering but certainly not the home baked goodness I was expecting. It tasted more like a box mix. I am going to try it out a few different times altering the ingredients a bit, but I was wondering if you had any advice as to what I might have done wrong or how to compensate for the flour taste. I followed the ingredients measurements exactly and the only differences were that I used Peanut Oil in the absence of canola oil and I used white wine vinegar in the absence of distilled white vinegar though the recipe didn’t specify. I am still learning the do’s and dont’s of baking so I really appreciate the help and inspiration you provide. Thanks for all of your recipes!! Cooking/baking for two is made easier through your posts!
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Christina Reply:
January 24th, 2011 at 6:25 am
Hi Dawne,
Thank you so much for the comment. And thank you for trying my recipe. I am so sorry it did not work out for you. I have a few ideas why it might not have. The white wine vinegar you used might have a different acidity than regular white distilled. You are absolutely correct–I should specify in my recipe the exact type of vinegar used. Also, peanut oil has a mild taste. The nutty taste is accentuated by heat. I recommend canola or vegetable oil in my baked good recipes for their neutral taste.
Again, I am so sorry these cupcakes did not work out for you. I feel certain it is the vinegar and oil issue because I have tested this recipe over and over again. My mom makes it almost every weekend for the grandkids.
I hope you will continue to use my recipes! Please don’t hesitate to write me or email me with any other concerns. If you test these cupcakes again with better success, I’d love to hear about it!
Christina
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I love Valentine’s Day desserts, and yours looks so, so delicious! You should really consider submitting this to Recipe4Living’s Valentine’s Day Recipe Contest! You could win a GreenPan Stainless Steel Todd’s Perfect Gourmet Cook Set!
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I have been a lurker on your website for quite some time, but just made my first dessert last night – we love these Red Velvet Cupcakes! We live at 5100′ and I was nervous they wouldn’t bake quite as well, but they really turned out wonderfully and my husband and I are both huge fans. Thanks so much!
P.S. Have you ever tried substituting beet juice for the red food coloring? I couldn’t believe how expensive food coloring has become!
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Thanks for the recipe. I am hoping to make this tomorrow!
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OMG. I have made several of your cupcake recipes. This is by far the best. I just happened to have all the ingredients and couldn’t resist. Your totally right about the edge of the pan they rose beautifully. I did not have any white vinegar but I did have raspberry vinegar leftover from a salad dressing recipe. Since you don’t need much it worked great. Thanks for this recipe!
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Katie Reply:
March 29th, 2012 at 6:16 pm
Typo Correction – Katie not Katieq
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Thanks so much, Katie. You really put to shame that other comment who said the cupcakes didn’t work out for them. I make these cupcakes so frequently, I can’t imagine why they wouldn’t work for someone unless their oven isn’t callibrated or they make crazy substitutions.
Happy baking!
Christina
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These cupcakes tasted great! Probably one of the best red velvet recipes I’ve found. There wasnt too much red food coloring so it didnt taste fake like some do. Ill definitely be keeping this recipe! Thanks
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I made these cupcakes last weekend and they were a big hit with my husband! They turned out perfectly and when he took his first bite he said “That is tasty!” High praise from a guy who rarely says anything more that “it was good”. Thank you for cutting these recipes down to size . . . I will be trying many more.
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I made these and used lemon juice instead of vinegar, they were perfect! Thanks for the recipe!
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can i use any other type of oil besides canola?
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Christina Reply:
April 11th, 2013 at 7:02 pm
Of course, Dana! Any mild oil is fine. Canola, sunflower, vegetable, etc.
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how much red food coloring would i need to use if i used the dry one?
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Christina Reply:
April 18th, 2013 at 7:21 pm
Dry food coloring? I have no idea. I didn’t test with it. Sorry, Clara. Happy baking!
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