I can’t believe Halloween is just around the corner. I love Halloween mostly because I love making desserts, and the gore and home made nature of Halloween means that you don’t need perfectly made treats! People just appreciate the effort, just as they appreciate you guessing their costumes right on the first try. I love Halloween, not because I still dress up, because I don’t, those years passed by a long time ago. It’s the candy, when it comes to candy I don’t think hubs and I ever grew up. Why bother anyways? Believe me when I say that the inner child in you will squeal with delight when these are finished. Pretty much every year, before Halloween, I make a trip to Michael’s to see what decorations they have, and they never disappoint. This time I found these cute little royal icing knives which I thought were perfect to decorate cupcakes. But let’s be serious for a moment, red velvet cake and cream cheese frosting really is a marriage made in heaven. Which is why these cupcakes are perfect. They’re perfect even if you don’t decorate them because they’re still super cute.
Isn’t Red Velvet Just Chocolate Cake Dyed Red?
A lot of people think red velvet is just chocolate cake with coloring but that’s not quite true. There’s less cocoa than in a chocolate cake and the addition of sour cream make it tangier and give it the “velvet” texture. So these cupcakes are all about texture and flavor, combined with a visually stunning finish.
Ingredients
Cupcakes
Flour – We just want some all purpose flour today, if you’d like to make this gluten free I’ll include a section detailing how to do just that. Food coloring – Red food coloring, we’re using quite a bit of coloring today as the cocoa powder in our batter lends it’s own color and makes it a bit more difficult to achieve that true red. We want a super rich, pigmented color! Leavening – We’re using both baking soda and baking powder. Cocoa – We’re using some cocoa powder today, it’s a key aspect of the flavor profile of red velvet cake, so be sure to include it. Vanilla – Vanilla extract is our secret weapon flavor booster. Butter – Unsalted and softened to room temperature. Sugar – Plain white sugar and packed brown sugar is all we need for these cupcakes today, believe me it may be unconventional but it’s going to give our treats some great depth of flavor. Sour cream – Most red velvet cakes include vinegar but to achieve this brightness and tang while still ensuring tons of moisture I’m using sour cream instead. Believe me – it works! Eggs – The binding agent for our batter recipe. Salt – All baked goods and the frosting that tops them needs a little salt. My printable recipe card gives details on the exact amount needed below.
Frosting
Butter –Unsalted again as we want to control our sodium in this recipe. Vanilla – Vanilla extract is our secret weapon flavor booster. Salt – All baked goods and the frosting that tops them needs a little salt. My printable recipe card gives details on the exact amount needed below. Cream cheese – Softened to room temperature this is the rich base of our creamy rich frosting. Sugar – We need icing sugar for this part of the recipe as it will ensure our frosting is sweet and non grainy.
Decorations
Not A Sour Cream Fan?
I know there’s some of you out there and that’s totally fine! To substitute sour cream but still get tang and moisture just replace it with an equal amount of Greek yogurt. Just mix half a teaspoon of baking soda into the yogurt before incorporating.
How To Make Halloween Red Velvet Cupcakes
Cupcakes
Frosting
Decorate
Use The Right Frosting Tip
I don’t recommend using a star tip for this frosting because it’s a little too thin. You can also just use a knife to frost the cupcakes, no piping bag needed.
Not A Fan Of Food Coloring?
If you’re rather not use coloring it won’t affect the flavor or structure of the cake, it’ll just keep it brown. But I do recommend living a little and using it if you can! It’ll ensure these cupcakes are bright, vivid, and totally visually stunning. So why not?
Can I Use A Different Frosting?
Cream cheese icing is perfect for the tang from the sour cream but some people just don’t like it, in that case you can use any type of thick frosting you like. Whether it be buttercream, chocolate icing, your favorite out of a can.
How To Make Gluten Free Red Velvet Cupcakes
These can definitely be made without gluten if you’re cutting it out of your diet – and they’re just as delicious! Just substitute equal amounts of your favorite gluten free flour and add 1 teaspoon of xanthan gum and 1/4 cup of cornstarch.
Some tips
Prepare your frosting while your cake is baking to make the process nice and efficient. Cool the cupcakes completely before frosting them – trust me all that frosting will be wasted otherwise as it’ll melt immediately. They should be barely warm to the touch. Test if your cupcakes are done by sticking a tooth pick into the center of your little cake, if it comes out clean then it’s done! Otherwise it needs a bit more oven time.
Leftovers
In the fridge these red velvet cupcakes will last up to 5 days, just be sure it’s stored in an airtight container. This recipe can also be frozen! In the freezer it’ll keep for up to a year also stored properly in an airtight container. Wrap the cupcakes securely with plastic wrap before placing in the airtight container to protect your cake and allow it to thaw fully at room temperature before frosting.
Craving More Spooky Treats?
Halloween Candy Brownies Witches Brew Halloween Poke Cake Black Velvet Cake
