Red Velvet Cheesecake Cupcakes
These Red Velvet Cheesecake Cupcakes are a perfect blend of tangy cheesecake and rich, velvety cake, ideal for special occasions like Valentine's Day. They are stunning, single-serving mini cheesecakes that look like they came from a high-end bakery, offering a sweet and memorable treat to show affection.
Equipment
- Cupcake pan
- Paper liners
- Medium bowl
- Larger bowl
- hand mixer
- stand mixer
- Aluminum foil
- airtight container
Ingredients
Ingredients
- ¾ cup of all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon of baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon of salt
- 5 tablespoons of unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup of granulated sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tablespoon of milk
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract (for crust)
- Red food coloring
- 12 ounces of full-fat cream cheese, softened
- 2 tablespoons of sour cream
- 5 tablespoons of sugar (for topping)
- 1 egg white
- 1 ½ teaspoons of vanilla extract (for topping)
- 1 ½ to 2 cups whipped cream (for serving)
- Heart-shaped sprinkles (for serving)
Instructions
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a standard cupcake pan with paper liners.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Set this aside.
- In a separate, larger bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer to beat the softened butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then beat in the egg yolk, milk, and vanilla extract.
- Add a few drops of red food coloring until you achieve your desired shade of red.
- Gently mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients on low speed until just combined.
- Spoon about one tablespoon of the red velvet mixture into the bottom of each cupcake liner, pressing it down into an even layer.
- Pop the pan into the oven to pre-bake the crust for 6-7 minutes.
- While the crusts are baking, in a clean bowl, beat the softened cream cheese on medium-high speed until it’s completely smooth.
- Add the sour cream and sugar, mixing until they are just combined.
- Add the egg white and vanilla, and mix on medium speed only until the batter is smooth (do not overbeat).
- Spoon 2-3 tablespoons of the cheesecake mixture on top of each pre-baked red velvet crust, spreading it gently to the edges.
- Bake for another 18-20 minutes. The edges should be set, but the center should still have a slight jiggle. Loosely tent the pan with aluminum foil during the last 5-10 minutes of baking to prevent browning.
- Let the cupcakes cool at room temperature for about 30 minutes before transferring them to the refrigerator to set completely, which takes 1-2 hours.
- Before serving, top with a generous dollop of whipped cream and a smattering of sprinkles.
Notes
For a variation, create Red Velvet Oreo Cheesecake Cupcakes by crushing 6-8 Oreo cookies (with filling), reducing all-purpose flour to ½ cup, and folding the crushed Oreos into the red velvet batter. Store cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, adding whipped cream and sprinkles just before serving.