Red Velvet Cupcakes with Homemade Buttermilk

Learn how to make your favorite red velvet cupcakes the easy way! Moist, soft, and made of simple ingredients including homemade buttermilk. Frost with a simple cream cheese frosting, this becomes a special treat that both kids and adults will love.

Jump to:

• What does red velvet cake taste like?
• Why you'll love this recipe
• Red Velvet Cupcake Ingredients
• Tip: Use room temperature ingredients
• How to Make Red Velvet cupcakes
• Before Frosting
• Frosting for Red Velvet Cupcakes
• How to Make-Ahead
• Storage and Shelf-Life
• Frequently asked questions
• Watch How to Make It
• Complete Recipe
• Comments

What does red velvet cake taste like?

Red velvet cake tastes like more of a vanilla cake with a subtle chocolate flavor. The buttermilk gives it a touch of tang, but it is hardly noticeable.

But what really gives red velvet cupcakes flavor is the cream cheese frosting. Smooth, sweet with a hint of tanginess. It basically compliments the overall flavor of the cake.

Why you'll love this recipe

Here's why you'll love this red velvet cupcake recipe:

• Made of simple pantry ingredients, even the buttermilk is homemade! No need for an extra trip to the grocery to buy buttermilk.
• The cake texture is moist, soft, and tender. I promise this is one of the best red velvet cakes you'll ever have!
• Beginner-friendly recipe, with lots of tips and step-by-step photos, and recipe video.

Red Velvet Cupcake Ingredients

Here's what you need to make the cake:

• All-purpose flour - also known as plain flour. Makes a tender crumb–not too soft, not too moist.
• Cocoa Powder - I use natural unsweetened cocoa powder for this recipe.
• Leavening agents - baking powder and baking soda. Baking soda is a must for cakes made with buttermilk.
• Butter - use pure unsalted butter for the best flavor.
• Sugar - granulated sugar or superfine sugar works best for making cakes as they dissolve more easily.
• Oil - secret to making the red velvet moist even the next day! Canola oil or any neutral-tasting vegetable oil should work.
• Eggs - use two whole large eggs.
• Buttermilk - I promise this would be a simple recipe so we're going to make our own buttermilk.
• Vanilla Extract- Use pure vanilla extract for the best flavor.
• Red food coloring - red liquid food coloring is what makes modern red velvet cakes red. Back in the old days, bakers use red beet juice as a natural food color.

Homemade Buttermilk Ingredients

To make the buttermilk, you only need two ingredients: white vinegar or lemon juice and whole milk or full-fat fresh milk. Don't use low-fat milk or evaporated milk as it can may the cake dry and crumbly.

To make the buttermilk: Combine vinegar and milk in a small bowl. Let it sit for 10 minutes. Once it thickens and curdles, it's ready to use.

Tip: Use room temperature ingredients

Use room temperature ingredients, this includes eggs, butter, and milk. Bring them out of the refrigerator 45mins to 1 hour before you start baking. Room-temperature ingredients make a smooth and uniform batter while cold ingredients do not blend well together and sometimes cause a flat cupcake.

How to Make Red Velvet cupcakes

Making red velvet cupcakes is as easy as making regular cupcakes. You don't necessarily need an electric mixer but it will certainly make it easier for you to blend all the ingredients.

Here's how:

Here are my best tips for making the best red velvet cake:

• Make the buttermilk first and foremost. It usually takes around 10 minutes before the milk and vinegar mixture transforms into buttermilk. You can use that time to prepare and measure the rest of the ingredients.
• Beat butter, vegetable oil, and sugar together in a large bowl. Add eggs one at a time and beat after every addition. This is the secret to making a light and fluffy cake.
• Pour the buttermilk, salt, and red food coloring then whisk until everything is combined. Tip: At this point, you can adjust the amount of food coloring depending on your preference.

• Sift the dry ingredients to remove the lumps. You can do this directly into the wet ingredients using a fine-mesh strainer. There's no need for a separate bowl.
• Do not overmix the batter. Note that an overmixed cake batter can make the red velvet cupcake dense and chewy. Stir everything together until there are no streaks of flour visible. I usually start with an electric mixer and then finish stirring with a spatula so I don't overmix.
• Fill the muffin pan lined with cupcake liners ¾ full to allow room for the cupcakes to rise.
• Tap the muffin pan one to two times on your kitchen counter to remove air pockets. This will prevent holes inside your cake.

Finally, bake the cupcakes in a preheated oven at 350f / 180c for 20 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Before Frosting

Cool the cupcakes for 5 minutes then transfer them to a cooling wire rack to cool completely. Warm cupcakes will melt the frosting, but you probably know that already 🙂

While waiting for the cake to cool, you can go ahead and make the frosting.

Frosting for Red Velvet Cupcakes

Luckily for you, I have two cream cheese frosting recipes that you can use for these delicious cupcakes. These are:

Classic Cream Cheese Frosting

This is the traditional cream cheese frosting–made of butter, cream cheese, and powdered sugar. It's creamy, smooth, and delicious! You can taste the tanginess of the cream cheese but it's not too sweet either.

I like my cupcakes with minimal frosting so as not to overpower the cake. So I always make a small serving. This recipe can frost 12 cupcakes if spread moderately.

Cream Cheese Whipped Cream Frosting

Light, fluffy, and cloud-like frosting made of cream cheese, whipped cream, and powdered sugar. This frosting is also known as stabilized whipped cream in the baking world.

Compared to the classic cream cheese frosting, this one is not tangy as it uses more cream than cream cheese. Of course, the ratio can be easily adjusted depending on your preference.

How to Make-Ahead

You can make the cupcakes ahead of time before you actually need them. Cool completely then place an air-tight container without frosting.

Storage and Shelf-Life

To keep cupcakes moist, cover them with plastic wrap and place them in an air-tight container. Store in the fridge for 2 to 3 days or freeze for 1 to 2 months. Completely thaw overnight in the fridge before frosting.

Frost and decorate before serving.

Frequently asked questions

Watch How to Make It

Love baking? Try these recipes!

• Carrot Banana Muffins
• Red Velvet Cupcakes
• Easy Chocolate Cake
• Banana Chocolate Marble Bread
• The Best Cheese Cupcakes with Cheese Crumble
• Ensaymada Cupcakes
• Cornbread Cheese Muffins (no cornmeal)
• Moist and Soft Banana Bread

Complete Recipe

Originally published on March 2020. Updated with new photos, video, and a streamlined recipe after further testing.