Jess at The Island of Dr Gateau’s numerous posts on her adventures with Red Velvet cupcakes (and her mission to share their goodness with the masses) were eventually enough to inspire me to try my hand at making Red Velvet Cupcakes. I’d never had Red Velvet cupcakes before, or Red Velvet cake for that matter, so I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I have to say the end result was very surprising and I knew that this definitely wouldn’t be the last time I’d make these little beauties.
The cake is so moist, but crumbly at the same time. It’s light and surprisingly not as sweet as I expected it to be, but in a good way. They were also a hit with T’s work mates as I sent him off to work with a container full as I hadn’t thought ahead enough to realise quite how many cupcakes this batter would make (I managed to make 24 cupcakes if you are wondering).
Whilst I won’t be experimenting with Red Velvet Cupcakes and tamarind any time soon (sorry Jess), I do plan to experiment with this recipe and add my own touch and truly make these little beauties my own.
One word of advice, if you haven’t had Red Velvet Cupcakes before (as I think is the case for a lot of Australian’s) you really should try it. It could become a new favourite.
As I used Jess’s suggested recipe as is from Yum Sugar (the only amendment I made was to use 50mls of the red food colouring instead of 60) as is I won’t write it out here. If you want the recipe you can view it here.
I’d read that cream cheese frosting is traditional for Red Velvet cupcakes, but I have to admit I’m not really a fan of cream cheese frosting, so I decided to make Vanilla Bean frosting. I’ve posted my frosting recipe below.
Vanilla Bean Frosting Recipe
250g of butter, cut into cubes
1 cup of icing sugar
1 vanilla bean, split length ways
1 tablespoon of milk
1. Add the icing sugar and butter into the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until light and fluffy.
2. Add the milk and scrape out the seeds from the vanilla bean and mix until well combined.
3. Fill a piping bag and pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes using whatever pattern you desire.
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{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }
Your cupcakes look so lovely. I'm glad I've converted you to the ways of red velvet! Vanilla bean icing would definitely be a great substitute for the cream cheese one – sometimes I feel like the cream cheese overwhelms the whole cake, and given that the cake itself can be quite delicate (in texture and flavour) sometimes it just needs something not so over-the-top to go with it.
I'm really looking forward to seeing the variations you come up with!
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Thanks for your kind words Jess
You have converted me to the ways of red velvet. I\’m already dreaming up new combinations. I agree that cream cheese can often overwhelm things, which is why I think I don\’t like it on cakes.
I especially loved the velvety cakieness it produced and have already adapted the base for another recipe (which worked fantastically well) which I will post later.
this looks delicious! love the red!
Wish I could eat this right off my computer screen!
How beautiful they are! I have a confession to make…I have never made a red velvet cake or cupcakes! I must fix that. Lovely photos.
Hi Susan, thanks for your kind words
You really should try red velvet. Let me know if you do.
I've only had a red velvet cupcake once, but I really enjoyed it. Thanks for reminding me that I liked it! They look so tasty in your pics!
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Thanks Lacey
That looks out of the world pretty!
But…..
I have to admit I have never made a red velvet cake nor have I ate it. I know all about it. How to make it. How it looks taste etc but the color addition puts me off. Not that I' a health nut or anything but I can never understand why you have to add red color when you can just make the same recipe without it and may be call it velvet cake without the red. What sense does the red make. Well okay may be it makes it pretty but the other cupcakes without the red are also pretty.
Like you, I wasn’t keen on the idea of all of that food colouring, but the cake is certainly delicious. So delicious I’ve already adapted the recipe for another cupcake minus the food colouring and it turned out just as well. I’ll be posting that soon
what has gone wrong??? my cupcakes look like choco cupcake!!! color not red!!!
Hi Karen
I'm sorry to hear the cupcakes didn't turn out properly. Perhaps the red food colouring you used wasn't a particularly strong one. Maybe you can try a different brand of food colouring next time. Good luck 
stupid