Red Velvet Cheesecake Cupcakes Recipe

I can’t wait to share my Red Velvet Cheesecake Cupcakes that conceal a silky cheesecake center and a clever cream cheese frosting trick you’ll be eager to uncover.

I first made these Red Velvet Cheesecake Cupcakes for a tiny holiday party and they disappeared so fast I started hiding extras. They look like the Best Cheesecake Cupcake Recipe youd pin, but honestly they got messy and delicious, and thats why I love them.

The surprise of creamy cream cheese tucked inside a red velvet crumb, brightened with red food coloring, keeps people guessing whats next. Every bite is a little party, rich but not cloying, and yes you will want another.

If you like filled cupcakes or a showstopper dessert, these will make you look like you know what you are doing.

Ingredients

• All purpose flour: Mostly carbs and some protein, low fiber; gives structure but it’s not much nutrition.
• Unsweetened cocoa powder: Adds chocolate flavor, antioxidants and a little fiber, slightly bitter not sweet.
• Unsalted butter: Rich in fat, adds tenderness and flavor, high calories so use in moderation.
• Granulated sugar: Pure sweetener, no nutrients; boosts sweetness and texture, lots of simple carbs.
• Eggs: Bring protein, moisture and structure, they also help the cake rise a bit.
• Buttermilk: Tangy adds acidity and moisture, reacts with baking soda for lift, tastes richer.
• Cream cheese: High fat and protein, gives tangy creamy filling and frosting, very rich.
• Red food coloring: No nutrition just color; makes it festive but doesn’t change taste.

Ingredient Quantities

• 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour (150 g)
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (12 g)
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened (113 g)
• 1 cup granulated sugar (200 g)
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons red food coloring (liquid) or 1 teaspoon gel (30 ml)
• 1 cup buttermilk (240 ml)
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar
• 8 ounces cream cheese softened for filling (225 g)
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar for filling (50 g)
• 1 large egg for filling
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract for filling
• 8 ounces cream cheese softened for frosting (225 g)
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter softened for frosting (56 g)
• 2 1/2 to 3 cups powdered sugar (300 to 360 g)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract for frosting
• Pinch of fine salt
• Red sprinkles or extra cocoa for garnish (optional)

How to Make this

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners, center rack, let the oven fully heat while you work; room temp butter, eggs and cream cheese make everything smoother.

2. Make the cheesecake filling: beat the 8 oz softened cream cheese with 1/4 cup granulated sugar until smooth, add 1 large egg and 1/2 tsp vanilla and mix just until combined, dont overbeat; set in fridge while you make the cake batter so it firms up a bit.

3. Whisk together dry ingredients: 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour, 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder, 3/4 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda and 1/2 tsp fine salt; sift or whisk well to avoid lumps.

4. Cream 1/2 cup unsalted butter (softened) with 1 cup granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes; add the 2 large eggs one at a time, then 1 tsp vanilla and the red food coloring (2 tbsp liquid or 1 tsp gel) until evenly red.

5. Stir 1 tsp white vinegar into 1 cup buttermilk, then add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the butter mixture in 2-3 additions, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients, mixing gently and scraping the bowl; mix only until just combined so the cake stays tender.

6. Assemble cupcakes: put about 1 to 2 tablespoons of red velvet batter into each liner, add about 1 tablespoon of the chilled cheesecake filling in the center, then top with more red velvet batter so cups are about two thirds full; dont overfill or the centers will spill out.

7. Bake 18 to 22 minutes, testing the cake part with a toothpick (avoid the cheesecenter): the toothpick should come out with moist crumbs, the cheesecake center will still be slightly jiggly; let cupcakes cool in the pan 5-10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack and chill at least 1 hour so centers set.

8. Make the cream cheese frosting: beat 8 oz softened cream cheese with 1/4 cup softened unsalted butter until silky, add 1 tsp vanilla and a pinch of fine salt, then gradually add 2 1/2 to 3 cups powdered sugar until you get a spreadable or pipeable consistency; sift the powdered sugar for extra smoothness.

9. Frost chilled cupcakes with a spatula or piping bag, garnish with red sprinkles or a dusting of extra cocoa if you like; store in the fridge for up to 3 days, bring to room temp before serving for best flavor.

Equipment Needed

1. 12-cup muffin tin and paper liners
2. Stand mixer or handheld electric mixer (for creaming and frosting)
3. 3 mixing bowls (small, medium, large)
4. Measuring cups, measuring spoons and a kitchen scale if you have one
5. Sifter or fine mesh sieve (for flour, cocoa and powdered sugar)
6. Rubber spatula and a wooden spoon for folding and scraping
7. Cooling rack and toothpicks to test doneness
8. Piping bag with a round tip or an offset spatula for frosting
9. Oven mitts and a kitchen timer

FAQ

Red Velvet Cheesecake Cupcakes Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• All purpose flour (150 g) — swap for cake flour for a lighter crumb: use the same weight (150 g) or make DIY cake flour by removing 2 tbsp flour per cup and replacing with 2 tbsp cornstarch, then sift; or use whole wheat pastry flour 1:1 but expect a denser, nuttier cupcake and maybe add 1–2 tbsp extra liquid.
• Buttermilk (240 ml) — no buttermilk on hand: stir 1 tbsp white vinegar or lemon juice into 1 cup milk, let sit 5–10 minutes; or use 3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt + 1/4 cup milk to get the same acidity and thickness.
• Red food coloring (liquid or gel) — for natural color use 2–3 tbsp beet puree or 1–2 tsp beetroot powder rehydrated, note it can add a faint earthy-sweet note and a browner red; or use concentrated freeze-dried red fruit powder (raspberry or strawberry) for color and a light fruit tang.
• Cream cheese (225 g for filling or frosting) — swap 1:1 with mascarpone for a richer, creamier filling; use Neufchâtel 1:1 for slightly lower fat; for dairy-free try a thick coconut or cashew-based cream cheese (same weight) but chill before whipping because texture can be softer.

Pro Tips

1. Get everything really close to room temp, especially the cream cheeses and butter. If you forget to take them out, cut them into small chunks or zap in the microwave in 5 to 8 second bursts, stirring between each burst until just softened. It mixes smoother and you avoid lumps, trust me.

2. Use a small cookie scoop or a zip top bag with a corner snipped to portion batter and the cheesecake dollop. That way each cupcake is the same size and you wont overfill the liners so the centers stay put.

3. Prefer gel food coloring over liquid if you want bright red without thinning the batter. Add most of the color after the eggs are in so you can see the true shade and tweak it slowly, a little goes a long way.

4. Chill the filled cupcakes well before frosting and if your frosting gets too soft pop it in the fridge for 10 to 15 minutes, then re-whip lightly. Also sift your powdered sugar for a silky frosting, and store finished cupcakes in an airtight container in the fridge, let them warm up a bit before serving for best flavor.

Red Velvet Cheesecake Cupcakes Recipe

Recipe by Tina Braven

0.0 from 0 votes

I can't wait to share my Red Velvet Cheesecake Cupcakes that conceal a silky cheesecake center and a clever cream cheese frosting trick you'll be eager to uncover.

Pin

Servings

12

servings

Calories

590

kcal

Equipment: 1. 12-cup muffin tin and paper liners
2. Stand mixer or handheld electric mixer (for creaming and frosting)
3. 3 mixing bowls (small, medium, large)
4. Measuring cups, measuring spoons and a kitchen scale if you have one
5. Sifter or fine mesh sieve (for flour, cocoa and powdered sugar)
6. Rubber spatula and a wooden spoon for folding and scraping
7. Cooling rack and toothpicks to test doneness
8. Piping bag with a round tip or an offset spatula for frosting
9. Oven mitts and a kitchen timer

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour (150 g)

• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (12 g)

• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened (113 g)

• 1 cup granulated sugar (200 g)

• 2 large eggs

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 2 tablespoons red food coloring (liquid) or 1 teaspoon gel (30 ml)

• 1 cup buttermilk (240 ml)

• 1 teaspoon white vinegar

• 8 ounces cream cheese softened for filling (225 g)

• 1/4 cup granulated sugar for filling (50 g)

• 1 large egg for filling

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract for filling

• 8 ounces cream cheese softened for frosting (225 g)

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter softened for frosting (56 g)

• 2 1/2 to 3 cups powdered sugar (300 to 360 g)

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract for frosting

• Pinch of fine salt

• Red sprinkles or extra cocoa for garnish (optional)

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners, center rack, let the oven fully heat while you work; room temp butter, eggs and cream cheese make everything smoother.
• Make the cheesecake filling: beat the 8 oz softened cream cheese with 1/4 cup granulated sugar until smooth, add 1 large egg and 1/2 tsp vanilla and mix just until combined, dont overbeat; set in fridge while you make the cake batter so it firms up a bit.
• Whisk together dry ingredients: 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour, 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder, 3/4 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda and 1/2 tsp fine salt; sift or whisk well to avoid lumps.
• Cream 1/2 cup unsalted butter (softened) with 1 cup granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes; add the 2 large eggs one at a time, then 1 tsp vanilla and the red food coloring (2 tbsp liquid or 1 tsp gel) until evenly red.
• Stir 1 tsp white vinegar into 1 cup buttermilk, then add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the butter mixture in 2-3 additions, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients, mixing gently and scraping the bowl; mix only until just combined so the cake stays tender.
• Assemble cupcakes: put about 1 to 2 tablespoons of red velvet batter into each liner, add about 1 tablespoon of the chilled cheesecake filling in the center, then top with more red velvet batter so cups are about two thirds full; dont overfill or the centers will spill out.
• Bake 18 to 22 minutes, testing the cake part with a toothpick (avoid the cheesecenter): the toothpick should come out with moist crumbs, the cheesecake center will still be slightly jiggly; let cupcakes cool in the pan 5-10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack and chill at least 1 hour so centers set.
• Make the cream cheese frosting: beat 8 oz softened cream cheese with 1/4 cup softened unsalted butter until silky, add 1 tsp vanilla and a pinch of fine salt, then gradually add 2 1/2 to 3 cups powdered sugar until you get a spreadable or pipeable consistency; sift the powdered sugar for extra smoothness.
• Frost chilled cupcakes with a spatula or piping bag, garnish with red sprinkles or a dusting of extra cocoa if you like; store in the fridge for up to 3 days, bring to room temp before serving for best flavor.

Notes

• Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.

Nutrition Facts

• Serving Size: 149g
• Total number of serves: 12
• Calories: 590kcal
• Fat: 26.2g
• Saturated Fat: 15.7g
• Trans Fat: 0.13g
• Polyunsaturated: 1g
• Monounsaturated: 5.4g
• Cholesterol: 114mg
• Sodium: 275mg
• Potassium: 150mg
• Carbohydrates: 61.8g
• Fiber: 1g
• Sugar: 51.8g
• Protein: 5.7g
• Vitamin A: 300IU
• Vitamin C: 0.5mg
• Calcium: 63mg
• Iron: 0.5mg