Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Icing made into festive snowmen

I’ve always wanted to master the red velvet cupcake, but all my attempts have ended up being a slightly less chocolatey chocolate sponge rather than anything remotely red. Whilst in my mind the idea of using heaps of food colour to make a cake red is a little bit bonkers, the contrast of rich red sponge and white cream cheese icing is rather appealing and just right for a festive vibe.

Apparently the real key for a red velvet is to use beetroot powder, but I didn’t have any in, and you might not either, so this recipe uses an extra strength food colour. Whilst these sponges will be even redder with beetroot powder, you get a nice red sponge with just a hint of cocoa. 

The cream cheese icing, or frosting if you’d rather, is a wonderful recipe. It’s sweet and packed with vanilla but also has a cream cheese tang than contrasts brilliantly with the rich cocoa sponge. Keep this icing recipe to hand as it also works brilliantly on a carrot cake or even a ginger cake.

I make these gorgeous cupcakes at any time of year, but why not make them into these cute frosty snowmen by topping with half a marshmallow and drawing a face, buttons and arms with some piped chocolate. (see the notes at the bottom of the recipe for more detailed instructions)

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Icing

Dairy-free, egg-free, nut-free, soya-free, sesame-free, vegetarian and vegan Makes 6

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 18 minutes mins

Servings: 6

Course: Dessert, Snack

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 100 ml dairy-free milk
• ½ tsp vinegar or lemon juice
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 100 g self-raising flour
• 50 g caster sugar
• ½ tbsp cocoa powder
• ½ tbsp custard powder or cornflour
• Pinch of salt
• 50 ml flavourless oil
• ½-1 tsp extra strength food colour
• For the cream cheese icing:
• 50 g dairy-free margarine
• 40 g dairy-free cream cheese I used Oatly Creamy spread
• 220 g icing sugar sifted
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• To decorate into snowmen:
• 6 marshmallows
• 20 g dairy-free chocolate melted
• Icing sugar to sprinkle

Method

 

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Centigrade. Fill a cupcake try with six cupcake liners.
2. In a jug or small bowl combine the milk and vinegar/lemon juice and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, combine the self-raising flour, caster sugar, cocoa powder, custard powder and salt.
4. Add the oil and vanilla to the milk mixture and stir well. Pour into the dry ingredients, add the food colour and stir well until you have a nice smooth red batter.
5. Divide between the six cupcake liners and bake for 16-18 minutes until a knife comes out clean.
6. Move to a wire rack and leave to fully cool.
7. Next, make the icing: whisk all the ingredients together until you have a thick smooth buttercream.
8. Spread or pipe onto the cooled cupcakes.

Notes

To make snowmen, using a 1cm plain nozzle, pipe round mounds of icing onto each cupcake, top with a white marshmallow. Using melted chocolate or writing icing, pipe on eyes, moth, nose, buttons and stick arms. Dust with a fresh snow of icing sugar.