There's just something so irresistible about red velvet cupcakes! They've been our best selling cupcake flavour in the bakery since we opened the doors to Brooki, so we figured what better Brooki Bakehouse recipe to share with you all.
Red Velvet is a flavour that is hard to describe but when done right, is the perfectly balanced cupcake sponge topped with delicious, glossy cream cheese frosting. Many red velvet cupcake recipes are similar with little to no variation, but there are a few handy baking tips to make sure you get that bakery quality every single time.
Baker's tips for Red Velvet Cupcakes
1. Always sift your cocoa powder. This is an ingredient I make sure to always sift, as it often forms little clumps that will not break down in the mixing process (and result in clumps of cocoa in your cupcake!)
2. Room temperature ingredients are key. To ensure a smooth even batter, always use room temperature eggs, butter and buttermilk.
3. Real buttermilk is best! For that delicious crumb you find in a bakery cupcake, real buttermilk is best (you can buy it in the supermarket near the milk). That said, you can always make your own following our quick substitute in the recipe below.
4. Use gel food colouring (not liquid). This ensures a strong red colour. I recommend Americolor or Chef Master brands.
5. Bake at a lower temperature. Compared to other cakes, red velvet are better baked at a lower temperature. If your oven runs hot, you might even consider baking 5 degrees lower, to ensure the sponge doesn't rise too quickly.
15 min
18-20 minutes
12 cupcakes
Desert
United States
Ingredients
For the cupcakes:
160g plain flour
2 tbsp corn flour
1 1/2 tsp cocoa powder, sifted
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/2 tsp salt
45g unsalted butter, room temperature
180g caster sugar
120ml vegetable oil
2 eggs (large), room temperature
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2/3 tsp white vinegar
1 tsp red food colouring (gel), I recommend Americolor or Chef Master
110ml buttermilk (if you don't have buttermilk, you can easily make it with this substitution!)
For the cream cheese frosting:
225 Cream Cheese, room temperature
100g unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
300g icing sugar, sifted
Directions
Step 1
Preheat oven to 170 degrees C (375F). Line a 12-cup cupcake pan with cupcake liners (white is fine but I find red gives them an extra pop!)
Step 2
Place the flour, cornflour, cocoa powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt together in a bowl and whisk to combine, then set aside.
Step 3
In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and the sugar on high speed until light and fluffy. This should take about five minutes (you can also use a handheld beater!) Scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure there are no clumps, then slowly pour in the oil and beat on low speed until combined.
Step 4
Beat in the eggs, vanilla, vinegar and food colouring on low speed, until just combined.
Step 5
Use an ice-cream scoop to evenly portion the batter between the 12 cupcake liners. I like to fill them a little over half way. If you don't have an ice cream scoop, two metal spoons will work just fine (see a tutorial here). Bake for 18-20 minutes (I like to keep an eye on them from 16 minutes as my oven runs hot).
Step 6
While the cupcakes are baking, prepare the cream cheese frosting by placing the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer and beating on medium speed until smooth, around 3-5 minutes. Add the vanilla. Slowly add the icing sugar on low speed until fully combined, before increasing to high speed to whip it good! You're looking for a light, fluffy, glossy cream cheese with no clumps that is silky smooth. Ice the cupcakes once completely cool to touch.
