These Red Velvet Cupcakes are easily transformed into a Hi-Hat cupcake with just a few simple steps!
Red Velvet Cupcakes with Seven Minute Frosting
Ingredients
Red Velvet Cupcakes
- 3 1/2 cups cake flour, sifted
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter softened
- 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 4-6 tablespoons red food coloring
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons cider vinegar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
Seven Minute Frosting
- 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 6 large egg whites room temperature
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
- 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Instructions
Red Velvet Cupcake
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 cupcake pans with cupcake liners.
- In a small bowl, sift the cake flour and the salt and set aside.
- In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the red coloring, cocoa, and vanilla. Add to the batter and beat well.
- Add the buttermilk to the batter in three parts alternating with the flour. With each addition, beat on medium-low until the ingredients are incorporated.
- In a small bowl, stir together the cider vinegar and baking soda. Add to the batter and mix well. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the batter in the bowl, making sure the ingredients are well blended and the batter is smooth.
- Divide the batter among the prepared cupcake pans. I like to use an ice cream scoop.
- Bake for 17-20 minutes. Cupcake is done when the top springs back after touching with your finger (be careful!) or an inserted toothpick is removed with a few crumbs.
- Cool cupcakes in pan 10 minutes, then remove from pan and cool completely before icing.
Seven Minute Frosting
- Put a sauce pan on stove with a couple inches of water and bring to a slow boil.
- In a large heat safe bowl (I used a glass bowl) mix together room temperature egg whites, sugar, water, and cream of tartar. Whisk ingredients together by hand until nice and frothy.
- Set bowl over pan with barely boiling water and whisk until sugar is dissolved, about five minutes.
- Transfer liquid to your big electric mixer and beat on HIGH for about ten minutes. Add vanilla and whisk on HIGH for another five minutes.
- Use immediately. (If piping, place frosting in pastry bag and pipe onto the cupcake.)
Did you make this recipe?
Thank you for making my recipe! You took pictures, right? Well go ahead and post them on Instagram! Be sure to mention me @iambaker and use the hashtag #YouAreBaker.
Red Velvet Cupcakes
I love red velvet all year long, but I also love that in winter everyone else seems to as well. This has been my go-to recipe for almost a decade now, and there is a reason why. It’s delicious! Over the years I have messed around with the recipe a bit, adding the vinegar and food color at different times and even adding the food color and vinegar right to the buttermilk and I have to tell you, this recipe never disappoints. I love how versatile it is and that it’s no-fail!
Red Velvet Hi-Hat Cupcakes
I posted the recipe for the cupcakes and the frosting below, but then there is that other amazing part… the DIP. I used Cherry morsels to create the hi-hat portion of this decadent treat. I just LOVE the flavor not to mention how glorious they look! Can you imagine them with a piped little white dollop on top and made into Santa’s hat? So many possibilities!
Ok, here is the greatest trick you will ever learn when it comes to making Hi-Hat cupcakes.
FREEZE THE CUPCAKE BEFORE DIPPING! (only for about 15-20 minutes)
This is important for a couple big reasons:
- You want the frosting to hold its shape, and heated chocolate (or magic shell) will immediately start to melt frosting.
- You want the frosting to stick to the cupcake. When you dunk the cupcake into the chocolate you are holding the cupcake upside down and if you didn’t freeze, that frosting COULD fall off.
To Make the Candy Coating:
- 11 oz or 12 ounces of cherry morsels
- 3 -4 tablespoons vegetable oil
- Combine chocolate and oil in a medium heat-proof bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water. Stir until melted and smooth. Transfer to a small container with high sides (like a drinking glass, just make sure its wide enough to fit cupcake), and let cool about 15 minutes.
Holding the piped and chilled red velvet cupcake by its base, gently dip it into cherry chocolate and then remove.
Let as much excess chocolate drip off as possible, then set aside and let harden. (about 10 minutes)
Allow cupcakes to “set”, or harden. If you want to use any sprinkles though, be sure to do that when the chocolate is still wet.
They are so pretty! I wish I could eat one right now.
Honestly… Is there anything you cannot make look absoutely stunning!? I know you probably get sick of hearing me tell you how Ah-mazing you are so I’ll just say… “As *I* also enjoy baking on occasion” is the cutest thing I’ve heard all day!
I saw the same Martha segment! You took these cupcakes to the next level, Amanda!
These have been flagged in my Martha cupcake book for awhile. Cherry dip is my favorite as well. As soon as I get my hands on some of those little cherry bits of Heaven, I’m going for it! Thanks for the post! They came out gorgeous!
These are adorable! I’d love to make some for my cousin whose favourite colour is red! Anyone got any ideas on where you might get cherry chips down under?
Mia 🙂
http://thelittlebluebicycle.blogspot.com.au/
Wow! Amanda u are daring 🙂 just kidding, but seriously, i have wanted to try these but all i can picture is the frosting falling into the coating when you dip them. Scares the hang out of me!
These look absolutely gorgeous. And i love the 7 minute frosting–such a good flavor! I tried it with chocolate a few days ago but would love to try it with red velvet too. Delicious!!
Your high hat cakes gave me a good chuckle. They’re adorable and kind of remind me of lawn gnomes (errrr…edible and delicious lawn gnomes)! The Seven-Minute Frosting was also very well received by me, as I love baking things that are ready in a flash and I have historically been unsuccessful at frosting-making. Thanks for the beautiful cupcake (and frosting) recipe!
Amanda these are awesome & I love how neat they look cut in half 🙂
These are gorgeous! I’ve never had a cherry dip but now I want to know what they taste like!