Red Velvet Cupcakes and other sweet treats for Valentine’s Day
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Today’s recipe for red velvet cupcakes is one that I saw 10 years ago on Love My Philly. When I saw it, I knew I had to make it for my mom for her birthday, allowing me to share the recipe with you just in time for Valentine’s Day.
However, I did make a slight adaptation to the original recipe. I must say I love a recipe that begins with a cake mix. It makes life easy, and it’s so convenient. I love the subtle chocolate flavor of a red velvet cake recipe.
Now, I do know it is hard to locate a red velvet cake mix here in Utah, but I have always been able to locate one at Walmart. If you can’t find the red velvet mix, you can substitute a Betty Crocker German chocolate cake and add 1 oz bottle of red liquid food coloring and 1 Tbsp natural cocoa powder to the mix.
Ingredients for Red Velvet Cupcakes
- RED VELVET CUPCAKES PLUS EGGS, OIL, AND WATER LISTED ON THE PACKAGE TO MAKE THE CAKE MIX
- CHOCOLATE INSTANT PUDDING
- CUPCAKE LINERS
- CREAM CHEESE
- BUTTER
- CONFECTIONERS’ SUGAR
- COOL WHIP
- WHITE CHOCOLATE
The red velvet cupcake recipe turned out delicious by themselves.
To begin, you help doctor them up by adding a dry box of pudding mix, which I love. I love it when you can add another ingredient or two to make the cake mix even better. They turn out moist and tasty. Yum!
Now, on to the frosting. I think it just may be my new “go-to” cream cheese frosting. What makes this frosting extra special is the addition of a little cool whip. LOVE IT! As a result, you still get that yummy, delicious cream cheese flavor, but the Cool Whip adds a nice lightness to the frosting.
You get a winning combination when you put the cake and the frosting together. I make these often. They are one of my favorite cake recipes ever!
I used my “Best Ever Cupcake Icing Kit” that I purchased from Bake It Pretty. Their jumbo tips are WAY bigger than the usual cake decorating tips. Their kit made decorating these cupcakes easy and beautiful.
I used the close star piping tip. The kit is well worth the investment if you love to make cupcakes like I do. Your cupcakes will look professional.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use any brand of red velvet cake mix?
Yes, you can use your preferred brand of red velvet cake mix to make the cupcakes.
What additional ingredients do I need besides the cake mix?
The cake mix typically requires eggs, oil or butter, and water. Check the specific cake mix box for the exact measurements.
Can I substitute vegetable oil with another type of oil or butter?
Yes, you can use melted butter or a different vegetable oil of your choice, like canola oil or coconut oil, as a substitute for vegetable oil.
Can I make the cupcakes ahead of time and frost them later?
Yes, you can bake the cupcakes in advance and store the unfrosted cupcakes in an airtight container. Frost them just before serving to maintain freshness.
What if I can’t find a red velvet cake mix?
Substitute a German chocolate cake mix. Also, add a 1 oz bottle of red food coloring and 1 Tbsp natural cocoa powder to the mix.
So celebrate Valentine’s by giving your loved ones a little sweet treat, and if red velvet cupcakes aren’t your thing, here are a few more sweet treat ideas that would also work great for Valentine’s Day.
- Brownie Bites – who wouldn’t love brownies topped with ganache in a bite-sized form?
- Perfect Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Buttercream – a great combination of sweet with a little sour.
- Perfect Cake Mix Cupcakes topped with Strawberry Jam Butter Cream– I made these one year for Valentine’s Day. They bring together the great tastes of chocolate and strawberry. You could even finish them off with a chocolate-dipped strawberry on top. These scream Valentine’s Day.
- Basic White Cupcakes with Coconut Buttercream – if you are feeling kind of nutty, then try this combination. Classic white cupcakes finished off with coconut-flavored buttercream and toasted coconut.
- Moist Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream – a classic of chocolate and chocolate.
- Molten Lava Cakes – who doesn’t love a molten lava cake? I served this to my Hubby for Valentine’s years ago. I love mine served with vanilla ice cream.
- Eclairs – my own version using instant pudding mix to help make the filling.
- Eclair Torte – an even easy version of an eclair.
- Chocolate Mousse Filled Cream Puffs – these cream puffs are filled with a delicious no-cook mousse that is a cinch to make.
- Cookie Sundae – this easy dessert starts with a cookie mix. It’s simple to make but looks impressive.
Red Velvet Cupcakes
Real Mom Kitchen
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 (2-layer size) pkg red velvet cake mix plus ingredient to make cake according to pkg instructions
- 1 (3.9 oz) pkg JELL-O Chocolate Instant Pudding
- 1 (8 oz) pkg. PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
- ½ cup butter, softened
- 1 (16 oz) pkg powdered sugar (about 4 cups)
- 1 cup thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping
- 1 square BAKER’S White Chocolate shaved into curls (or whatever you want to go on top such as a chocolate heart or Valentine’s sprinkles)
Instructions
- Prepare cake batter according to pkg directions and blend dry pudding mix into batter with an electric mixer before spooning into cupcake pans lined with paper liners. Bake in the oven as directed on package for 24 cupcakes. Cool on a wire rack.
- Meanwhile, beat cream cheese and butter in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Gradually beat in sugar. Whisk in COOL WHIP. Spoon frosting into small freezer-weight resealable plastic bag; seal bag (or use a cake decorating bag with tip). Cut small corner off bottom of bag and insert tip.
- Frost cupcakes with frosting. Top with chocolate curls.(I tried to do chocolate curls. I used a potato peeler on the square of Baker's chocolate. I ended up the more like shaved chocolate, not curls here. You probably have to do curls the old fashioned way if you want nice curls) Store in the fridge.
Nutrition
These are the original photos from this post, which was first published in February 2010.
