Move over boxed cake mixes! My better than boxed red velvet cupcakes are homemade and pack a bunch of flavor! They’re a delightful treat that combines a subtle tang of cocoa powder with a hint of sweetness and a distinctive red color. My velvety, moist cupcakes are topped with a rich cream cheese frosting that adds a tangy contrast to the subtle chocolate flavor. This batter can also be used for cakes and I’m showing you how to make my BOMB cream cheese frosting. And the best part? They’re super easy to make!
What exactly is red velvet cake?
Did you know that beets originally gave red velvet cake its color? The original recipe still called for cocoa powder, so the flavor wasn’t all that different. Red velvet cake today is basically a chocolate cake with a tangy flavor that is achieved in many ways such as using buttermilk or vinegar, for example to your recipe. Although in historic times its vibrant red color came from beets, today it comes from red food gel. By the way, red food coloring usually doesn’t work because it isn’t strong enough to give us that bright red color. For this reason, I use food gel. I like this one from Hobby Lobby!
How to make better than boxed red velvet cupcakes
For this recipe, we don’t need a stand mixer. We start by mixing simple ingredients you likely already have in your pantry like all purpose, flour, brown sugar, salt, and baking soda. A secret dry ingredient I use is chocolate pudding mix because it really helps keep the cupcakes moist. Then we combine the dry mixture with wet ingredients, such as buttermilk, oil, and eggs. See the complete recipe below!
What do red velvet cupcakes taste like?
Before I started baking, I used to think the red velvet cake flavor was a fraud lol. I thought that it was just a chocolate cake dyed red until I started recipe developing and baking them for myself. My better than boxed red velvet cupcakes, of course taste sweet, but also have a pleasant tangy surprise and are balanced by a mild cocoa flavor.
Making the BOMB cream cheese frosting
This cream cheese frosting reminds me so much of the one at the Cheesecake Factory that’s used to make their famous red velvet cheesecake, which is my favorite menu item! To make the frosting, you need salted butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and heavy cream. The most important part is to soften the butter and cream cheese. no one wants lumpy cream cheese frosting! The frosting is light, creamy, and tangy and there’s no better frosting than this one to use for a red velvet cupcake!
My tips & tricks
- Be sure to sift your dry ingredients. Components, such as cocoa powder and flour, tend to have clumps.
- When making the frosting, the most important step is to ensure that your butter and cream cheese are softened. If they are still cold and hard, they will not mix together, and your frosting will have clumps.
FAQs
How many cupcakes does this recipe make?
- This cake recipe makes 24 cupcakes and the cream cheese frosting recipe is enough to frost all 24 cupcakes!
Can this recipe be used for a cake instead?
- Absolutely! My better than boxed red velvet cupcake recipe will yield two 8-inch round cakes. And the cream cheese frosting can stack and fill the two cakes.
How can I store these cupcakes?
- These cupcakes store wonderfully in the freezer! I suggest wrapping an unfrosted cupcake tightly with plastic wrap, then placing it into an airtight container. They will last up to a month. The frosting can be stored in the refrigerator for up to five days and up to a month in the freezer.
Why you will love this recipe
Why do we use boxed cake mixes? Because they’re easy and delicious every time. Simply put- my better than boxed red velvet cupcakes recipe is foolproof and delicious, just like boxed cake mix. You don’t need any fancy kitchen equipment to make them and my trusted ingredients make them impossible to mess up lol. I absolutely love this recipe and I know you will too! Leave me a comment if you give this recipe go!
Got a sweet tooth?
Try some of my other yummy sweet treats!
Copycat Starbucks cheese danish
Deep fried chocolate covered strawberries
Better Than Boxed Red Velvet Cupcakes
Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy24
servings30
minutes35
minutesMove over boxed cake mixes! These red velvet cupcakes are homemade and pack a bunch of flavor! They’re a delightful treat that combines a subtle tang of cocoa powder with a hint of sweetness and a distinctive red color. My velvety, moist cupcakes are topped with a rich cream cheese frosting that adds a tangy contrast to the subtle chocolate flavor. Here’s how to make them!
Ingredients
- Red velvet cupcakes
2 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon fine salt
1/2 box chocolate pudding mix
1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 large eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/3 cup light brown sugar
1 tablespoon white vinegar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon red food gel
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
- Bomb cream cheese frosting
1 stick (1/2 cup) salted butter, softened
8 ounce bar cream cheese, softened
15.9 ounces powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon heavy cream
Directions
- Fill your cupcake pan with cupcake liners and preheat your oven to 325°F.
- In a large bowl, measure flour, cocoa powder, chocolate pudding, and baking soda together. Stir to combine.
- In a separate bowl whisk together two eggs, then add oil, brown sugar, vinegar, vanilla extract, and red food gel. Whisk to combine.
- Once evenly combined, gently stir in buttermilk and mix well.
- Next, pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and whisk together. Stir for about 60 seconds until batter is velvety and lump free.
- Fill each cupcake liner with 3 tablespoons of batter or 3/4 the way then bake in the oven for 15 minutes.
- To make the frosting, mix butter and cream cheese together until evenly combined. Make sure the mixture is free of lumps.
- Sift in the powdered sugar, then mix slowly to incorporate. Once powdered sugar is completely mixed in, beat on high speed until white in color.
- Lastly, stop mixing the frosting and pour in the vanilla extract and heavy cream. Mix on low speed to incorporate, then switch to high speed and mix for about 60 seconds until light and fluffy.
- Wait for cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.
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