Velvet cakes originated during the Victorian Era, in the 1800’s. Luxury or ‘fancy’ desserts had a smooth and soft texture. Red Velvet cake has a soft and velvety crumb made with cocoa. During the great depression red food coloring was used to enhance the color of the cake, rather than beetroot from earlier times. Red Velvet cake was a well-known dessert at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City and recently has become very popular around Christmas and Valentine’s Day. This recipe uses cake flour to create that ‘velvet’ texture, Ghirardelli cocoa powder, and is frosted with a cream cheese frosting.
| Red Velvet Cupcakes | Print |
Ingredients
- 1⅓ cups cake flour
- 2 tbsp. cocoa powder (Ghirardelli)
- 1½ tsp. baking powder
- ⅛ tsp. salt
- 4 tbsp. butter, room temperature
- ⅔ cup sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup buttermilk, room temperature
- 2 tsp. vanilla
- ½ tsp. distilled white vinegar
- 2 tbsp. red food coloring- gel
- Frosting- 2½ cups powdered sugar
- ½ brick cream cheese
- ½ stick butter, softened
- 2 tsp. vanilla
- 2 tbsp. milk
Instructions
- Mix flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl.
- In a larger bowl, beat butter for one minute, then add sugar, beat until fluffy.
- Add eggs one at a time, beat at medium speed for 2 minutes.
- Add oil, buttermilk, vinegar, then vanilla and mix well.
- Add dry ingredients to liquid mixture, ⅓ at a time, mix well, scraping sides of bowl.
- Add drops of red food coloring till desired color.
- Pour batter into cupcake lined pan.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes.
- Frosting- Cream butter and cream cheese, add 2 cups powdered sugar.
- Add vanilla, beat well.
- Alternate adding rest of powdered sugar with a little milk, beating until consistency to frost.
- When cooled, use a piping bag with your favorite tip to frost cupcakes.
Notes
Only a few drops of gel food coloring will give a nice red color to cupcake.
Thanks Joanne! Our Sisters were asking yesterday if any more Special recipes came through. Ta -Da and here we are. 😊. Thanks! Have a Super Day!
Red velvet cupcakes are the best!