Red Velvet Valentine’s Day Cupcakes

These red velvet Valentine’s Day cupcakes are the perfect treat for that special someone, your closest gal-pals, or even for a fun classroom or work party! I’m not a crazy huge fan of red velvet, but these cupcakes are perfect. Light, fluffy, and topped with a pile of creamy frosting, you’re sure to get a lot of love for these cupcakes on Valentine’s Day!

Valentine’s Day Cupcakes

I wasn’t really sure what Valentine’s Day treats I wanted to make this year. Since The Swirl started out as a cupcake blog (didn’t know that? Check out our very first Crab Cake Cupcake post!), I went back to our roots.

A quick long stroll down the seasonal section at Target presented me with these super cute liners and toothpicks, along with the doilies that I used to decorate the table. SIDE NOTE: I also saw Cadbury Easter Eggs next to the conversation hearts. Love ya, Target, but CHILL.

And of course, Valentine’s Day means lots of roses, so I piped the decadent cream cheese frosting in a rose pattern.

And when you take the plunge and commit to eating one of these babies, they are SO MOIST AND CHOCOLATY.

Can you tell I had a lot of fun shooting these cupcakes? I felt (very) sad that I had to “take one for the blog” and devour a cupcake for the sake of showing y’all the inside. You’re welcome.

Feeling the love? I’ve included the recipe for these decadent Valentine’s Day cupcakes below, with my comments in bold!

One Bowl Red Velvet Cupcakes (from Baker By Nature)

For the cupcakes:

• 1 stick unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs + 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
• 1 cup all-purpose flour, not packed
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 2 and 1/2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup buttermilk (Put a scant 1/2 cup of buttermilk and 1 Tbsp of white vinegar in a cup and let sit for 5 minutes if you don’t want to actually buy buttermilk)
• 1/2 cup full fat sour cream
• 1 tablespoon red food coloring (use more or less to suit your color needs)
• For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
• 8 ounces cream cheese, VERY soft
• 2 ounces unsalted butter, VERY soft
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 3 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted (more if needed to reach preferred consistency) (I hate sifting. Don’t sift.)

Cupcake Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (F). Line a 12-cup cupcake/muffin tin with cupcake liners and lightly spray the liners with non-stick spray, set aside.
2. Place the butter in a large, microwave-safe bowl. Place the bowl in the microwave and melt the butter, heating it in 30 second increments, stirring in between each increment. Add in the oil and vanilla and whisk smooth; add in the sugar and whisk until well combined. Incorporate in the eggs and egg yolk, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the flour, cornstarch, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt to the wet ingredients and lightly combine them with a whisk before beating them into the mixture, stirring until it’s just combined – be sure not to over mix here! Whisk in the apple cider vinegar and buttermilk and whisk smooth. Fold in the sour cream (Folding is important! It’s what keeps the cupcake light and fluffy). Finally, stir in the food color, whisking the mixture just until combined.
3. Divide the batter among the lined cupcake molds, filling each 3/4 of the way full (you will have enough batter for about 18 cupcakes). Bake for 15-17 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.

Frosting Instructions

1. In a large bowl using an electric handheld mixer, beat the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla on medium-high speed until completely smooth; about 2 minutes. Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the sifted confectioners’ sugar and salt (I added ~1/2 cup more confectioners sugar to make the frosting more stiff). Once all of the sugar has been added beat on high-speed for 1-2 minutes. Once the cupcakes have completely cooled, spread the frosting over the cupcakes or use a piping bag to pipe it into decorative swirls (I used a Wilton 1M Open Star Tip). Store these cupcakes in the fridge, covered, for up to 3 days (Important to keep these in the fridge because the frosting contains a lot of dairy!). 

What’s your favorite Valentine’s Day treat? Let me know in the comments! And make sure to follow us on Pinterest and Instagram for more inspiration from our baking adventures!