Soft, velvety, and an irresistible ruby red color, the Red Velvet Cupcakes are small pastry masterpieces capable of captivating at first glance. Their soft and moist texture, combined with the delicate aroma of cocoa and vanilla, makes them perfect for any special occasion: from birthday parties to indulgent afternoons, up to Valentine’s Day. Topped with a cloud of cream cheese frosting, they become refined, scenic, and incredibly delicious treats. In this recipe, I will guide you step by step to achieve tall, fluffy cupcakes with impeccable color, just like those from American bakeries.
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- Difficulty: Very easy
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Cooking methods: Oven, Electric oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Valentine's Day, All seasons
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup skim milk
- 1/4 cup plain yogurt
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp white vinegar
- 1 tsp red food coloring (gel)
- 5.3 oz cream cheese (Philadelphia)
- 5.3 oz mascarpone
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
Tools
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Electric whisk
- 1 Muffin tray
- 12 Cupcake liners
- 1 Piping bag
- 1 Star nozzle
Steps
Preheat the oven to 340–356°F and line a muffin tray with 12 paper liners.
In a bowl, sift together the flour, unsweetened cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Mix with a whisk.
In another bowl, combine sugar, egg, milk, vanilla extract, and vinegar and mix until smooth.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the liquid mixture, stirring gently until a smooth batter is formed.
Add the red gel food coloring gradually until the desired shade is achieved.
Pour the batter into the liners, filling them about 2/3 full.
Bake for 18–22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Let them cool completely on a rack before decorating.In a bowl, beat the cream cheese with the mascarpone until smooth.
Gradually add the powdered sugar and keep mixing.
Whip the heavy cream separately and gently fold it into the cheese mixture with upward movements, so as not to deflate it.Put the frosting into a piping bag with a star or plain nozzle.
Decorate each Red Velvet Cupcake with a generous swirl of cream.
For an elegant effect, you can add some sprinkles or crumble from the same cupcake base and lightly dust with cocoa.
Cupcakes without frosting
If you haven’t decorated the cupcakes with cream cheese frosting yet:
store them at room temperature in an airtight container;
they last 2–3 days, remaining soft;
you can also freeze them: wrap individually in plastic wrap, then in a freezer bag. They last up to 2 months.
To thaw: leave them at room temperature for 1–2 hours.
Cupcakes already decorated with cream cheese frosting
The cream cheese frosting contains fresh cheese, so it needs refrigeration.
Store them in the fridge in a rigid container (to avoid crushing the decoration).
They last 2–3 days.
Remove them from the fridge 20–30 minutes before serving, so the frosting becomes soft and velvety again.
👉 Do not freeze decorated cupcakes: the cheese loses its texture after thawing.
