Nothing says Valentine’s Day like Red Velvet Cupcakes topped with white chocolate cream cheese frosting! This recipe is easy and so much better than boxed cake mix. Yields 24 cupcakes.
Especially with teeny-tiny heart sprinkles.
I’m kind of sort of using a version of this recipe from 2012 — back when Malloree asked me to make it for her 8th birthday. EIGHTH. She’s now twelve. *cries*
Since I posted that recipe, I’ve been asked quite a few times if the cake recipe can be made into cupcakes. I’ve always been pretty positive that they could, but never tried it to find out for sure. Until now.
To Make These Red Velvet Cupcakes You Will Need:
- large eggs, lightly beaten
- low-fat buttermilk
- grapeseed oil (or another light and flavorless oil)
- unsweetened applesauce
- distilled white vinegar
- pure vanilla extract
- red food coloring
- unbleached all purpose flour
- granulated sugar
- unsweetened cocoa powder
- baking soda
- kosher salt
The only small changes I made, and believe me they are minor, is two swap a half cup of the oil for unsweetened applesauce. And increase the vanilla by 1/4 teaspoon. Like I said, minor.
Preheat your oven to 350℉ (or 180℃).
To start, in a large liquid measuring cup lightly whisk 2 eggs and add in the 1 cup buttermilk and oil, 1/2 cup applesauce, 1 tablespoon vinegar and 1-1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract.
Whisk to combine before pouring in 2 ounces of red food coloring.
Slowly whisk to combine and set aside.
In the bowl of your stand mixer add in the 2-1/2 cups of all purpose flour, 2 cups of sugar, 1-1/2 rounded tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder and 1 teaspoon of both baking soda and kosher salt. Using the whisk attachment, mix until blended.
Pour in the very red wet ingredients…
…and mix until just combined.
So RED.
Then line two muffin pans with liners.
Next fill each liner 2/3 of the way full with 3 tablespoons of the batter per liner. Bake each batch in your preheated oven for 15-17 minutes or until the tops bounce back when pressed gently. I bake them separately because my oven is small and extremely old and I worry about uneven baking.
In. Love. Isn’t the color ridiculously gorgeous?!
Allow the cupcakes to cool for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.
While the red velvet cupcakes cool, make the frosting.
FOR THE FROSTING:
- white chocolate chips
- cream cheese, softened at room temperature
- 1 stick unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
- 6 to 7 cups sifted powdered sugar
- sprinkles, optional
Add 2 cups white chocolate chips to a microwave save bowl and heat at 10 second intervals, stirring after each one until melted and smooth.
Then whip the 1 stick (or 1/2 cup) butter and 2 (8 ounce packages) cream cheese until smooth. Then slowly pour in the white chocolate.
If by chance the chocolate hardens and the frosting becomes lumpy, you can transfer the frosting to a microwave safe bowl and heat slowly, using the 10 second intervals– like before– whisking after each one until smooth.
Gradually add in the 6 to 7 cups powdered sugar until the frosting is thick.
SO good.
Once the cupcakes have cooled completely, it’s time to frost.
Fill a piping bag with some of the white chocolate cream cheese frosting.
And pipe over the top of each red velvet cupcake.
The frosting is pretty fantastical! But if you’re a purist and want to stick with a traditional cream cheese, then here is my original Cream Cheese Frosting recipe.
Then add the sprinkles!
These red velvet cupcakes are my absolute FAVORITE! It was pure agony having them hanging around and not eat them one after another.
When it comes to red velvet anything, I have zero will power. Zero. So I packed up half and sent the girls to school with them to give to their friends. The end result with 12 and 16-year-olds? Thumbs up all around.
I had no doubt.
Enjoy! And if you give this Red Velvet Cupcakes recipe a try, let me know! Snap a photo and tag me on twitter or instagram!
Red Velvet Cupcakes with White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
FOR THE CUPCAKES:
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup grapeseed oil, or another light and flavorless oil
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 ounces red food coloring
- 2½ cups unbleached all purpose flour
- 2 cups sugar
- 1½ tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
FOR THE FROSTING:
- 2 cups white chocolate chips
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened at room temperature
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
- 6 to 7 cups sifted powdered sugar
- sprinkles, for garnish, optional
Instructions
TO PREPARE THE CUPCAKES:
- Preheat your oven to 350℉ (or 180℃).
- Line 2 muffin pans with liners.
- In a large liquid measuring cup add the eggs and whisk gently. Then add in the buttermilk grapeseed oil, applesauce, vinegar, vanilla and food coloring. Whisk to combine.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment, add the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, salt and baking soda. Stir to combine.
- With the mixer on low, slowly add the liquid ingredients. Stop scrape down the sides and mix just until the dry is incorporated with the wet.
- Measure 3 tablespoons of the batter into each liner, filling them up 2/3 of the way. Bake for 15-17 minutes or until the tops bounce back when gently pressed.
- Allow the cupcakes to cool in the pan for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
FOR THE WHITE CHOCOLATE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:
- Add the white chocolate chips to a microwave save bowl and heat at 10 second intervals, stirring after each one until melted and smooth. If the chocolate is hot, set off to the side to cool until just warm and easily pour-able.
- Meanwhile whip the butter and cream cheese until completely smooth. Then slowly pour in the melted white chocolate.
- *If by chance the chocolate hardens and the frosting becomes lumpy, you can transfer the frosting to a microwave safe bowl and heat slowly, using the 10 second intervals-- like before-- whisking after each one until smooth.
- Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar and mix until incorporated. ]
- Pour into a piping bag and pipe onto the cupcakes. Then top with the sprinkles!
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THANK YOU in advance for your support!
Hey, I’m in the middle of making these, because Valentine’s Day and the husband asked, and just realized that in your frosting directions you forgot to indicate when/how to add the powdered sugar. I’ll be ok cause its not my first frosting rodeo, just thought you’d want to know. But thanks for the recipe! Obviously I’m a fan 😉
Gah! Thanks Molly! xo!
My cupcakes turned out magnificent the icing taste wonderful.
I’m so glad, Marie! <3
Did you use sweetened or unsweetened applesauce?
Hi Sophia! Unsweetened 🙂
6 cups of powdered sugar!?! isn’t that too much? Isn’t the chocolate sweet as well??
Hi Elena! As you know frosting is pretty sweet, but the white chocolate doesn’t make it any more sweet. And I know it seems like a lot, but you are frosting 24 cupcakes and this recipes makes enough frosting for you to pile it on. 🙂