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Frosting & Fettuccine

Home » Recipe Search » Cupcakes

Jan 22, 2020(last updated October 31, 2021)

Red Velvet Cheesecake Cupcakes

BySam Adler
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These red velvet cheesecake cupcakes are stuffed with a cheesecake filling and topped with a decadent cream cheese frosting. They are quick and easy to make and are the perfect Valentine’s Day treat!

a red velvet cupcake with cream cheese frosting sitting on white gauze with other cupcakes in the background on a gray surface.

Topped with sprinkles and a swirl of cream cheese frosting, this Red Velvet Cheesecake Cupcake recipe has a creamy cheesecake surprise filling.

I feel like red velvet cake is somewhat of a mystery. Is it chocolate? It vanilla? Why is it red? What makes it so special?

After some grueling research (LOL) and taste testing, I have some answers for you.

What is a red velvet cake?

Ok so before when I asked if it was chocolate or vanilla- the answer is its both. There is cocoa powder and vanilla extract in all red velvet cake recipes.

The reason it’s so special or different is because it has a combination of ingredients in it that most other cakes don’t- buttermilk and vinegar.

When buttermilk and vinegar react in a red velvet cake batter it brings out the redness of the cocoa- and that’s why they call it red velvet cake. To make the color brighter and more saturated, most recipes call for an additional red food coloring. You don’t actually need it for taste, it’s just there to sit still and look pretty.

4 red velvet cupcakes infested sitting on a small wire rack on a gray background,

With valentines day coming up, I immediately thought about making something red velvet but wanted to make it a little more fun. So I came up with these cheesecake filled red velvet cupcakes.

Cheesecake Stuffed Red Velvet Cupcake Ingredients:

For the cupcake batter:

  • all purpose flour
  • cocoa powder
  • kosher salt
  • baking soda
  • vegetable or canola oil
  • white granulated sugar
  • eggs
  • vanilla extract
  • red food coloring
  • buttermilk
  • white vinegar

For the cream cheese filling:

  • cream cheese
  • sour cream
  • white granulated sugar
  • all purpose flour
  • kosher salt

For the cream cheese frosting:

  • more cream cheese
  • butter
  • confectioner sugar
  • vanilla extract

How to make Red Velvet Cheesecake Cupcakes:

Firstly, it’s best if your ingredients are all at room temperature. It makes the ingredients easier to combine and will make for a fluffier cupcake. Also its kind of hard to cream cream cheese if you have just taken it out of the fridge. Trust me I’ve tried it haha.

You can either make this recipe by hand or with a stand mixer. First measure and whisk your dry ingredients (flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda) in a medium sized bowl.

Next either in another bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer– add the oil and sugar and whisk or mix for two minutes until the mixture is pale yellow and frothy. Add in the eggs, vanilla extract, and red food coloring and mix away again.

Now time to alternate between adding in the flour and buttermilk and ending with that little bit of vinegar.

The batter should be smooth and really red!

An orange cupcake tin lined with cupcake liners and filled with red velvet cupcake batter

Fill 2 cupcake pans with 18 cupcake liners and fill 1/2 of the way full. I used a tablespoon for this part. Then set them aside to make the cheesecake filling.

How to make the cheesecake filling:

In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, flour, and salt and mix. It’s totally fine if its a little lumpy!

Now fill your cupcakes:

Take 1/2 teaspoon and place a dollop (hehe I love that word I don’t know why!) of cheesecake filling on top and in the center of the cupcake filling. Try to keep it in the middle, so that the cupcake bakes around the filling. If it gets on the side, thats fine, they will still be good but they just won’t look as pretty.

Cover the filling with a little more red velvet batter, just enough to cover the filling so you can’t see it anymore.

a red velvet cupcake cut in half to show the cheesecake filling inside set on a gray plate

Bake at 350° for 16 minutes.

While the cupcakes are baking, make the cream cheese frosting.

How to make cream cheese frosting:

You will need a mixer for this. Combine the cream cheese, butter, and confectioners sugar in the bowl of a mixer. Mix on low at first so that the confectioners sugar doesn’t blow up in your face. Also talking from experience here. Gradually bring it up in speed, and add in the vanilla extract. Scrape down the bowl if you see its not mixing well, then continue to mix.

Usually frosting recipes call for milk or half n half to thin it out, but in this case I left it out so that the cream cheese frosting would be able to pipe. Because the cream cheese is the main component here and because it has the tendency to melt a little, its hard to find a pipeable cream cheese frosting but I have some tips on how to make it work!

Tips on making pipeable cream cheese frosting:

  • Refrigerate the frosting after you make it
  • Pipe it when it’s cold
  • To retain the shape, refrigerate the cupcakes until it’s time to serve
  • I used a 1M wilton tip to pipe these cupcakes
one red velvet cupcake with creamcheese frosting piped on top sitting on white cheesecloth on a gray background

Cupcake decorating ideas:

  • If you don’t want or don’t know how to pipe these, you can always spread some frosting on them and then dip them in sprinkles.
  • Top with frosting, crumble up a cupcake and use the crumbs as decoration!
  • Pipe them with a different tip and then sprinkle!

Making ahead and storing the cupcakes:

You can totally make these cupcakes completely a day or two in advance, or you can make the cupcakes and frosting separately in advance and pipe them the day you need them.

Store them in the fridge for up to 3 days. If you leave them out at room temperature the frosting will lose their shape a little but it won’t melt completely down, So as long as they are not outside they should be fine.

A red velvet cupcake sitting on an open liner, topped with cream cheese frosting and sprinkles.

If you would rather a different frosting you can try this classic American buttercream frosting which is great for piping, or you can try this chocolate buttercream. Oooh or try this white chocolate buttercream– any of these would be great on these red velvet cheesecake cupcakes!

one red velvet cupcake with creamcheese frosting piped on top sitting on white cheesecloth on a gray background

Red Velvet Cheesecake Cupcakes

These red velvet cheesecake cupcakes are filled with a decadent cheesecake filling and topped with a pipe-able cream cheese frosting and sprinkles! Super easy to make and perfect for Valentine's Day!
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Course: Cupcakes
Cuisine: American
Keyword: easy red velvet desserts, red velvet cupcake recipe, valentines day desserts
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 18 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 18 cupcakes
Calories: 354kcal
Author: Sam Adler

Ingredients

Cupcakes:

  • 1 ¼ cups all purpose flour
  • 1 ½ tablespoons cocoa powder
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ cup vegetable or canola oil
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs large
  • 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon red food coloring
  • ½ cup buttermilk
  • 1 teaspoon white vinegar

Cream Cheese Filling

  • ½ cup or 4 oz cream cheese softened
  • ¼ cup sour cream
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ tablespoon all purpose flour
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 1 8 oz package cream cheese softened
  • ½ cup butter softened
  • 3 cups confectioner sugar
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350° F and line two cupcake tins with 18 cupcake liners. 
  • In a medium sized bowl combine the flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda and whisk to combine.
  • In a large mixing bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer, add the oil and sugar, and whisk to combine or mix on low until frothy about 30 seconds.
  • Add in the eggs one at a time, and continue to mix until frothy and light yellow in color. Add the vanilla extract and food coloring and mix till evenly combined.
  • Next alternate adding in the dry ingredients with the buttermilk starting with 1/3rd of the dry ingredients, then half of the buttermilk, alternating and ending with the dry ingredients.
  • Add in the white vinegar, mix to combine evenly and fill the cupcake liners up halfway. A tablespoon helps here! 
  • Set the cupcake tin aside and make the cheesecake filling.
  • Combine the cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, flour, and salt in a small bowl and mix until combined. It’s ok if there are lumps! Add ½ teaspoon of filling to the center of each cupcake and then top with a little extra batter just to cover the filling. 
  • Bake the cupcakes for 16-18 minutes. They are done when the tops are springy and no longer jiggle. 
  • Now make the cream cheese frosting- In the bowl of a stand mixer combine the cream cheese, butter, and confectioners sugar. Turn the mixer on low, scraping down the sides as needed. Gradually pick up the speed as the sugar gets mixed in.
  • Add in the vanilla extract and beat on medium to high speed until the frosting is light and fluffy. 
  • Pipe onto cool cupcakes or store them in the fridge!

Notes

For a buttermilk substitute- fill a measuring cup with 1 cup of milk. Take out one tablespoon and replace it with one tablespoon of lemon juice. Let it sit for 10 minutes. Voila- you have homemade buttermilk
You can leave the cream cheese filling out and just make the cupcakes- fill 2/3rd of the way full

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Red Velvet Cheesecake Cupcakes
Amount Per Serving (1 g)
Calories 354 Calories from Fat 180
% Daily Value*
Fat 20g31%
Saturated Fat 13g81%
Cholesterol 57mg19%
Sodium 256mg11%
Potassium 66mg2%
Carbohydrates 42g14%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 35g39%
Protein 3g6%
Vitamin A 490IU10%
Calcium 37mg4%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

I love when you share my recipes!!

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Filed Under: Cupcakes Tagged With: Cheese, Red Velvet

About Sam Adler

Sam Adler is a Le Cordon Bleu professionally trained pastry chef, Saveur Blog Award winner, food photographer, and food blogger over on FrostingandFettuccine.com. She has been featured in numerous online and in-print publications including Taste of Home Magazine, Saveur Magazine, The Feed Feed, and Food Blogger Pro. Sam lives in Hollywood florida with her husband, two young kids, and french bulldog. When she’s not baking and dancing in her kitchen you can find her at her favorite yoga spot.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Darian says

    January 29, 2020 at 3:41 pm

    So good and really easy to make!

    Reply
    • Sam says

      January 31, 2020 at 11:48 am

      Thank you so much Darian!

      Reply

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Hi! Im Sam Adler,

I'm a professionally trained pastry chef and food photographer.
This is a place where you will find easy yet impressive looking desserts. I also share a ton of food photography resources too! What can I say, I love pretty & delicious baked goods! Learn more about me!

As Featured In:

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Saveur Blog award winner for best food Instagram

samadlerphotography

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Find the recipe below!

#ALDILove
Prep time: 1 hr 45 mins
Cook time: 1 min
Yield: 40 donut fries
2 pack Baker’s Corner Active Dry Yeast
1 1/2 cup warm water
1/3 cup Sugar
2 Simply Nature Grade A Organic Cage Free Brown Eggs
2 tbsp Stonemill Pure Vanilla Extract
1/3 cup Carlini Pure Vegetable Oil
5-6 cups Baker’s Corner All Purpose Flour
1 tsp Kosher salt
½ cup Baker’s Corner Powdered Sugar
For Dipping:
1 cup Baker’s Corner Dark or Milk Chocolate Morsels
Simply Nature Organic Raspberry Preserves
Method:
•Mix the yeast with water in a mixer bowl and let stand for 10 mins until frothy. Add the
sugar, eggs, vanilla, and oil to the bowl and mix until well combined.
•Start adding only 5 cups of flour and salt, and knead/mix on medium speed in a stand mixer
fitted with the dough attachment for 5 minutes until a soft, non-sticky dough forms. If the
dough seems sticky, add ¼ cup flour to the dough until it no longer sticks to the bowl when
mixing.
•Let the dough rest in the bowl for an hour to double in size. 
•Punch down the dough and remove it from the bowl onto a lightly floured surface. Using a
lightly floured rolling pin, roll it out into a rectangle. About 18”x 15” and 1/2 of an inch in
thickness. 
•Using a pizza cutter, cut in half vertically. Then slice thin strips horizontally. You want them
thin as they will puff up while frying.
•Let the fries rest for another 15 mins. 
•Meanwhile, using a deep fryer or a large pot, heat your oil to 350 degrees F. Fry the donut
fries 30 seconds per side, then drain on a paper towel.
•Dust the donut fries with powdered sugar and set aside.
•Microwave 1 cup of dark or milk chocolate for 30 seconds at a time until melted. Scoop
jelly into another bowl. Dip the fries in the chocolate or jelly!
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