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side view shot oh halloween red velvet cupcakes on a cooling rack
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4.80 from 30 votes

Halloween Red Velvet Cupcakes

These bloody Red Velvet Cupcakes are perfect for Halloween. Traditional red velvet cupcakes, topped with a cream cheese frosting and decorated with a red icing for a bloody effect.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cupcakes, halloween desserts, red velvet, red velvet cupcakes
Servings: 12
Calories: 444kcal

Ingredients

For Red Velvet Cupcakes

  • 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon cocoa powder unsweetened
  • ¾ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¾ cup butter unsalted, softened
  • ½ cup sugar granulated
  • ½ cup brown sugar packed
  • 3 eggs
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • 2-3 teaspoon red food color

For Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 8 ounce cream cheese
  • 4 tablespoon butter unsalted, softened
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups icing sugar

For Decorations

Instructions

Make the Cupcakes

  • Preheat your oven to 350℉. Line a 12-cup standard muffin tin with paper liners. Spray the paper liners with cooking spray. This will ensure your cupcakes won't stick to the paper liners.
  • In a medium bowl combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
  • In another bowl, or the bowl of your mixer, add the butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar and mix until well combined and it lightens in color. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each egg. Mix in the vanilla extract and sour cream.
  • Add the food color and mix. I usually start with 1 tsp and keep adding until I get the desired color. I ended up using a total of 3 tsp of red food color, but the color of your cupcakes may depend on which product you use.
  • Add the flour mixture and mix on low until until well incorporated, scraping the sides of the bowl as you go along.
  • Using an ice cream scoop, scoop the batter into the prepared muffin tin, filling each so that it's about ¾ full.
  • Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool the cupcakes in the muffin tin for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Make the Cream Cheese Frosting

  • Beat the cream cheese and butter first until smooth. Add the vanilla extract, salt and icing sugar and continue mixing until smooth and fluffy.
  • Prepare a piping bag and fill it with the frosting and frost the cupcakes.

Decorate the Cupcakes

  • In a small bowl whisk all the icing ingredients. Use as much red food color until you achieve a dark blood like icing. The icing should be quite thin so that you can easily drizzle it.
  • Dip a knife, with the blade side down, into the red icing, then place it into the frosting of each cupcake. Drizzle with additional red icing for more of a bloody effect.

Video

Notes

  1. I don't recommend using a star tip for this frosting because it's a little too thin. You can also just use a knife to frost the cupcakes, no piping bag needed.
  2. In the fridge this recipe will last up to 5 days, just be sure it’s stored in an airtight container.
  3. This recipe can also be frozen! In the freezer it’ll keep for up to a year also stored properly in an airtight container. Wrap the cupcakes securely with plastic wrap before placing in the airtight container to protect your cake and allow it to thaw fully at room temperature before frosting.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 444kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 107mg | Sodium: 297mg | Potassium: 127mg | Sugar: 40g | Vitamin A: 850IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 67mg | Iron: 1mg