- Prep15 min
- Bake18–20 min
- Makes12
Our best-selling cupcake since day one
There's just something so irresistible about red velvet cupcakes. They've been our best-selling cupcake flavour since we opened the doors to Brooki, so we figured there was no better recipe to share with you.
Done right, red velvet is a perfectly balanced sponge topped with glossy cream cheese frosting. Most recipes are much the same, but a few baker's tips make the difference between homemade and bakery quality, every time.
Cocoa forms little clumps that won't break down in mixing, and they end up as clumps in your cupcake.
Room temperature eggs, butter and buttermilk give you a smooth, even batter.
It gives you that bakery crumb. Find it near the milk, or make your own at home in about a minute.
Gel gives a strong red. We recommend Americolor or Chef Master.
Red velvet does better at a lower temperature than most cakes. If your oven runs hot, drop it another 5 degrees so the sponge doesn't rise too fast.
The recipe
Makes 12 cupcakes.
Ingredients
For the cupcakes
For the cream cheese frosting
Method
-
1
Preheat the oven to 170°C. Line a 12-cup cupcake pan with liners. White is fine, but red gives them an extra pop.
-
2
Place the flour, cornflour, cocoa powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt in a bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.
-
3
In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on high until light and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl, then slowly pour in the oil and beat on low until combined.
About 5 min -
4
Beat in the eggs, vanilla, vinegar and food colouring on low until just combined. Alternate adding the dry ingredients and the buttermilk, mixing on low until just combined.
-
5
Use an ice-cream scoop to portion the batter evenly between the liners, filling each a little over halfway. No scoop? Two metal spoons work fine (see how). Bake, checking from 16 minutes if your oven runs hot.
18–20 min -
6
For the frosting, beat the cream cheese and butter on medium until smooth. Add the vanilla, then the icing sugar slowly on low. Increase to high and whip until light, fluffy, glossy and silky smooth. Ice the cupcakes once completely cool.
3–5 min
Baker's note: ice only once the cupcakes are completely cool to touch. Any warmth and the cream cheese frosting will slide.
Want ours instead?
Red velvet has been our best-selling cupcake since the day we opened. Order them for pickup from any Brooki store, or find 100 tested recipes in Bake with Brooki.
