Red Velvet Cupcakes (Cake Mix)
Today's Red Velvet Cupcakes from cake mix are moist, soft, and have a hint of chocolate flavor.
Just as with our scratch red velvet cake, these cupcakes have added richness from buttermilk and sour cream. They taste like they are made from scratch!
Like many of our doctored cake mixes, the additional ingredients extend the cake batter as well- more cupcakes for everyone!
Table of Contents
Red Velvet Cupcakes from a Mix
You can find the full, printable recipe at the bottom of this post. Here is a quick look at our steps!
- First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line cupcake pan with paper liners.
- Ignore the directions on the back of your box of cake mix.
- Next add all of the cake ingredients to a mixing bowl.
- Mix the ingredients on low speed with an electric mixer for about 15 seconds to incorporate, then mix on medium speed for two minutes. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.
- Time to bake! Scoop the cupcake batter into the cupcake liners in the cupcake pan. Use about ¼ cup per pan (filling it about ⅔ full).
- Bake at 350 degrees F for 14-15 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean or with just a few crumbs attached.
Frosting the Cupcakes
Our favorite frosting for red velvet cake and cupcakes is cream cheese frosting! This easy recipe is our classic cream cheese frosting, which combines softened butter and cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, and a pinch of salt.
As with most cream cheese frostings, the consistency is a bit softer than most buttercreams. If you need to firm it up at any time, just pop the bowl or piping bag into the refrigerator for a few minutes to thicken.
Decorating the Doctored Red Velvet Cupcakes
Once the cupcakes have cooled and the frosting is prepared, it is time to decorate! Decorate however you like.
We kept things very simple today and piped spirals of frosting onto the top of the cupcakes to create a fairly even layer of frosting.
We topped each one with a fresh blueberry for a little red, white, and blue theme since tomorrow is the Fourth of July!
We think that they came out really cute. We hope that you enjoy the recipe!
Can you Use Other Kinds of Cake Mix?
I've only tried this recipe with White Cake Mix, but I'm sure that Yellow Cake Mix would work also! If you already have a Red Velvet Cake Mix, I think that could work also-- you just likely wouldn't need as much cocoa powder and could therefore cut back the buttermilk to 1 ¼ cup. At least, that is what I would do!
I often like to work with white cake mixes because I feel like the added flavorings come through more easily. Most mixes are pretty forgiving though if you feel like experimenting!
More Doctored Cake Mix Recipes
We have many more cake mix recipes to share with you! Some of our favorites are our easy Strawberry Cupcakes, easy Oreo Cupcakes, easy Rum Cake, easy Boston Cream Pie, and easy Pineapple Upside Down Bundt Cake!
Have you made this? We would LOVE for you to leave a ⭐️ rating as well as a comment and photo below! We really appreciate your feedback!
Red Velvet Cupcakes from Cake Mix
Ingredients
- 1 box white cake mix, sifted (15.25 oz) (We used Duncan Hines White Cake Mix- Perfectly Moist)
- 1 cup all purpose flour (125g)
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200g)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda (2g)
- 5½ tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (25g)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup sour cream (242g) (We used "full fat")
- 1 stick unsalted butter, melted (113g) (This is ½ cup butter)
- 1⅓ cup buttermilk (302g) (we use 2 percent or whole milk)
- 3 whole large eggs
- 2½-3 tablespoons Liquid Red Coloring (you could also use coloring gel until you reach desired shade.)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (8g)
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
- 16 oz cream cheese, softened 452g (We used two 8 oz packages of full fat cream cheese.)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (4g)
- 6 to 6 ½ cups powdered sugar (747g)
- pinch salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line cupcake pan with paper liners.
- Ignore the directions on the back of your box of cake mix.
- Add all of the cake ingredients to a mixing bowl.
- Mix the ingredients on low speed with an electric mixer for about 15 seconds to incorporate, then mix on medium speed for two minutes. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.
- Scoop the cupcake batter into the cupcake liners in the cupcake pan. Use about ¼ cup per pan (filling it about ⅔ full).
- Bake at 350 for 14-15 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean or with just a few crumbs attached.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- Add the softened butter to the bowl of your mixer. Beat on low to medium speed until the butter is smooth. Cut the softened cream cheese into pieces and add to the butter, along with the salt, mixing at low to medium speed until incorporated.
- Add the vanilla extract. Gradually add the powdered sugar mixing on low speed until blended.
- Increase mixing speed to medium, mixing just until well combined and fluffier. Don't over mix or it may become too soft.
Frosting and Decorating
- Decorate however you like! We kept things very simple, creating swirls with a round tip 12. (You can also just snip the tip off of a disposable piping bag or ziplock bag). We topped ours with blueberries for a patriotic theme.
Refrigeration
- Because of the cream cheese frosting, this cake should be refrigerated (in an airtight container, in a bakery box, or under a cake dome). However, for the very best flavor and texture, you should remove from the refrigerator a couple of hours before serving, to allow time for the cake to warm and soften.
Thank you for sharing this recipe! Can I use it for a cake as well?
Hi Ansa! Yes, I don't see why not ;0) Hope you enjoy it!
Looks great! :-) Easy and fabulous! Perfect for July 4th, red, white & blue ;-)