These red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting are the best small batch recipe to make when you're craving something sweet! Moist red velvet cake topped with rich cream cheese frosting is a truly iconic flavor pairing, and making just 6 cupcakes, it's the perfect treat to share for any small celebration or gathering.
Nothing says "I love you" like a small batch of homemade cupcakes, especially on days like Valentine's Day! These little red delights are moist, fluffy, and rich, with a delicious cream cheese frosting and crushed M&M's on top. Plus, the recipe makes just 6 cupcakes, making this a perfect gift for a loved one this holiday–or as a treat for a night in, or dessert for any other small special occasion!
Here are some more cake and cupcake recipes you'll love: Honey Rum Cupcakes with Brown Butter Buttercream, Decadent Chocolate Cake, and Salted Caramel Cake with Orange Buttercream.
Jump to:
Ingredients & Equipment
You’ll need the following ingredients and equipment to make these red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting:
- Cupcake pan
- Piping tips
- Piping bags
- Four
- Cornstarch
- Cocoa powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Sugar
- Vegetable oil
- Eggs
- Red food coloring
- Vanilla extract
- Maple syrup
- Vinegar
- Buttermilk
Customize This Recipe!
There are a few different ways you can customize this recipe:
- Toppings galore. You can totally change the vibe of these cupcakes based on the toppings you use. Use festive sprinkles for specific holidays, chopped white chocolate for a more elegant look, or even a drizzle of caramel or fruit purée for something a little more unique!
- Frost how you want. You don't have to use a specific piping tip if you don't have any on hand - you can use an offset spatula to make smooth swirls, or even press your cupcakes down onto parchment paper to make a super flat surface!
Kitchen Tips:
- Utilize mise en place! Make sure you have all of your ingredients prepped and ready before you begin making this recipe - it will help save you time and keep you organized.
- Piping tools matter. If your cupcakes never seem to come out looking like the ones in professional photos, it's probably because you aren't using the right piping tools. The most common tips are 1M and 2D, and if you use them with a proper piping bag, you'll find frosting your cupcakes so much easier (and prettier)!
More cake and cupcake recipes:
Did you make this recipe? Leave a star rating and/or review below to let me know how it turned out! To keep up with all my latest recipes, subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Instagram. 🙂
------------------------
Small Batch Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
For the cupcakes:
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 1 egg
- 2-3 teaspoon red food coloring
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon vinegar or lemon/lime juice*
- ¼ cup buttermilk
For the frosting:
- ¼ cup unsalted butter room temp
- 4 oz cream cheese room temp
- 1 cup powdered sugar sifted
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
For the cupcakes:
- Preheat your oven to 350ºF and line a cupcake tray with 6 liners.
- Mix together the flour, cornstarch, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl.
- In a separate bowl, mix together the sugar and oil until combined, then beat in the egg, food coloring, vanilla, syrup, and lemon/lime juice.
- Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients alternately with the buttermilk, starting with the flour, then the milk, until all has been added. mix until combined.
- Fill the cupcake liners about ¾ full, with just a bit of space at the top.
- Bake cupcakes for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. cool before frosting!
For the frosting:
- Beat the butter and cream cheese together until smooth, with no lumps (best done in a standard mixer).
- Add in ½ cup of the powdered sugar until combined, then add your vanilla extract.
- Add the rest of the sugar until fully combined, then chill slightly before piping onto cupcakes.
Notes
- *Most recipes use vinegar, but I didn't have any so I used lime juice. you can interchange vinegar with lemon or lime juice in the same amounts, so you can use whatever you have on hand!
- Utilize mise en place! Make sure you have all of your ingredients prepped and ready before you begin making this recipe – it will help save you time and keep you organized.
- Piping tools matter. If your cupcakes never seem to come out looking like the ones in professional photos, it’s probably because you aren’t using the right piping tools. The most common tips are 1M and 2D, and if you use them with a proper piping bag, you’ll find frosting your cupcakes so much easier (and prettier)!
*As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Leave a Reply