Red Velvet Cupcake

❤️ Red Velvet Cake

Soft, lightly cocoa-flavored cake with a delicate crumb and subtle tang — balanced and smooth rather than overly sweet.

Ingredients

115 g unsalted butter, softened, about 1/2 cup
200 g sugar, about 1 cup
2 eggs
120 ml oil, about 1/2 cup
180 ml buttermilk, about 3/4 cup, or milk plus 1 tsp vinegar
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp white vinegar
Red food coloring
220 g all-purpose flour, about 1 3/4 cups plus 1 tbsp
1 tbsp cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Before You Start

Use buttermilk for proper texture
Do not add too much cocoa (this is not chocolate cake)
Mix gently after adding flour

Method

Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F) and prepare the cupcake tray or cake pan.
Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs one at a time, mixing gently after each addition.
Add the oil and mix until smooth.
In a separate bowl or measuring cup, mix together the buttermilk, vanilla, vinegar, and red food coloring.
Add the buttermilk mixture to the batter and mix gently.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
Add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
Portion the batter evenly into the prepared pan or cupcake liners.
Bake for 25–30 minutes.
Cool completely before frosting.

What to Look For

smooth, slightly thick batter
soft red color (not too dark)
fine, tender crumb
slight cocoa aroma

Common Mistakes

too much cocoa → turns into chocolate cake
too much color → artificial look
overmixing → dense texture
skipping acid (vinegar/buttermilk) → flat flavor

Tip

Red velvet is about balance, not strong flavor — keep it light, soft, and slightly tangy.