Red Velvet Cupcakes With Chocolate Trees Recipe

Red. It's obviously Santa's favorite color. The color of stockings that you hang next to your fireplace. One half of the standard colors you expect to see with Christmas. AND, with "velvet", make for great cupcakes that, along with some chocolate trees, are great Christmas-themed cupcakes. These red velvet cupcakes are moist, have a slight cocoa flavor, and are topped with a delicious cream cheese frosting. We're assuming that if Santa wasn't a cookie kinda guy, these red velvet cupcakes would be his go-to treat. And if you're planning on leaving a plate of cookies and milk this December 24th, go ahead and leave a couple of these cupcakes too... you never know...

Before You Get Started Making Red Velvet Cupcakes With Chocolate Trees

Measure/Weigh all of the ingredients

Prepare a cupcake pan with cupcake liners of your choice

Take butter, cream cheese, buttermilk, and eggs out of the refrigerator to come to room temperature

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F)

Red Velvet Cupcakes With Chocolate Trees Ingredients And Amounts (Yields ~24 cupcakes)

Red Velvet Cupcakes

2 1/3 cup (292g) all-purpose flour

3 tbsp (22g) cocoa powder

1 tsp (5g) salt

1/2 cup (114g) unsalted butter - softened at room temperature

1 1/2 cup (300g) granulated sugar

1 tsp (4g) vanilla extract

red food coloring (see Sweet Notes)

2 (100g) eggs

1 cup (245g) buttermilk

1 tsp (5g) baking soda

1 tbsp (15g) white vinegar

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 cup (227g) unsalted butter - softened at room temperature

8 oz (225g) cream cheese - softened at room temperature

5 cups (575g) powdered sugar

2 tbsp (25g) vanilla extract

Chocolate Trees

White Chocolate Candy Melts

Red Velvet Cupcakes With Chocolate Trees Step-By-Step Directions

Red Velvet Cupcakes

1) In a bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Set aside.

2) In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or mixing bowl if using a handheld mixer) mix butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy - about 5 minutes.

3) On low speed, add in the vanilla and red food coloring and mix until combined.

4) Next, add in the eggs, one at a time, mixing for at least 30 seconds after each addition.

5) On low speed, alternate adding the dry ingredients set aside from Step 1, and the buttermilk. Start and end with the dry ingredients.

6) Lastly, mix the baking soda and vinegar together (it will bubble up) and pour it into the batter, mixing it just until combined.

7) Fill cupcake liners about 3/4 full and bake for 17-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1) Combine butter and cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer (or mixing bowl if using a handheld mixer) on medium speed until light and fluffy.

2) With the mixer on low, gradually add powdered sugar until combined (we recommend sifting the powdered sugar for a smoother frosting).

3) Add in vanilla extract, then turn mixer to med-high speed and mix for about 4-5 minutes. This will lend to a light and fluffy frosting.

Chocolate Trees

1) Tape a piece of parchment paper, aluminum foil, or wax paper to the back of a baking sheet.

2) Melt the chocolate melts in the microwave. Melt it slowly, stirring often, making sure not to burn the chocolate.

3) Pour the melted chocolate in a piping bag or small Ziploc bag. Cut off a small tip at the end or corner of the bag.

4) Begin by piping a line for your tree onto the paper lined baking sheet.

5) Pipe one side of your tree.

6) Continue to pipe the other side.

7) Pipe various size trees as you prefer. Once the baking sheet is filled, place your trees in the refrigerator to firm up before placing them on your cupcakes.

Red Velvet Cupcakes With Chocolate Tree Sweet Notes

Red Food Coloring - If using a red gel paste (such as Americolor) use about 1/2-1 tsp of gel color. If using basic red food coloring, use at least 5-6 tbsp to achieve the desired red of your choice

Store the red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting in the fridge, taking out about an hour before serving to come to room temperature

We frosted our cupcakes with a small angled spatula, sprinkled them with some sanding sugar and then added some chocolate trees