Moist layers of red velvet cupcakes frosted with a decadent cream cheese icing and toasted pecans become portable in these classic mason jar treats!
When hubby brought home a piece of red velvet cake during the 4th of July weekend from Billy Sims (long story), he asked me if I would make it for him. He said that it would probably be really tasty with nuts. I looked at him and said, you know, I’ve never made a red velvet cake but I’m up for the challenge, Love! 🙂 I love it when he tells me exactly what his heart’s desires are…it takes out all that silly guess work. He doesn’t make specific requests often but I just love it when he does! 🙂 Love you, Love!
This cake is kinda tricky in that it needs the moistest delicate, flavorful crumb (almost velvet-like texture) with a dramatic vibrantly red color. It’s not easy to master so on my quest to find the best, I turned to “friend in my head”, Sally of Sally’s Baking Addiction that is. She has gone through great lengths to perfect this delightful cake. I’m happy to declare that she hits it outta the park! Thank you Sally! It’s incredibly moist with the most beautiful shade of red. Dramatic deep red is my favorite color by the way! It’s strikingly beautiful in my opinion and it always reminds me of love. I admire it so much that it was actually the main character in our wedding colors. Love, love, love it!
I thought I would make this cake even more fun by presenting and serving them in mason jars. The white cream cheese icing layers provide a beautiful contrast to the deep red layers. They’re just too cute! They’re easy to transport and enjoy on-the-go! Kids love ’em too so they’re perfect for serving at birthday parties as well!
As I was making these beautifully red and white desserts for hubby, I couldn’t help but to think about the love of God. It reminded me of the John 3:16 scripture, which states “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life (KJV). It’s almost unbelievable when you think about the amount of love that He has for us, yet He wants us to understand its height, depth, width and breadth for HE IS LOVE. Yep, He sent His only Son to the cross because He loved us all just that much! Isaiah 1:18 states, Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. What an Awesome Wonder He is! Hallelujah!! Yep, these yummy red velvet cupcakes in a jar totally took me there. I love it how He reminds us in the little things! 🙂 Say Grace and enjoy!
The BEST Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
Red Velvet Cupcakes
- 3 c. cake flour
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 2 T. unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
- 1 stick unsalted butter room temperature
- 2 c. sugar
- 1 c. canola or vegetable oil I used canola
- 4 eggs room temperature
- 1 T. vanilla
- 1 tsp. white vinegar
- 1.5 oz. red food coloring
- 1 c. buttermilk room temperature
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 2 8 oz. cream cheese bars very cold
- 1 and 1/2 sticks butter unsalted, room temperature
- 3 c. powdered sugar sifted
- 1 T. vanilla
- 1 c. chopped pecans toasted and cooled
Instructions
Red Velvet Cupcakes
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line 28 cupcake wells with liners
- Sift cake flour into a large bowl along with baking soda, cocoa powder, and kosher salt. Set aside.
- Place butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on high for about a minute.
- Add sugar and continue to beat them together until creamed for about 3-5 minutes.
- Add the oil and mix on high for 2 minutes. It will look like bright, white sour cream.
- Add the eggs one at a time just until the yellow disappears and then the vanilla seeds until combined.
- Add in the vinegar and red food coloring until combined.
- Add the dry ingredients (flour mixture) and the wet (buttermilk) to the batter in intervals beginning and ending with the dry.
- Pour batter into cupcake wells until 2/3 full.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a clean toothpick comes out clean. Check at 15. My convection oven took about 16 minutes. Cool pans on a wire rack for 5 minutes and them remove the cakes and completely cool on the rack.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- Combine all ingredients in mixer and beat until smooth and creamy. Place the icing in a piping bag.
- Pipe the icing on top of the cooled cupcakes and then top with toasted pecans.
Adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction
Wow! These are so delish!! I am going to make these and probably eat every 18 of them!
Thanks Lisa! It’s definitely not an easy feat to just eat one!! Enjoy!! 🙂
I like to thank you for making these delicious cup cakes. Willie is in my group at work and said he would bring something very good in but WOW i didnt know they would be this good. Thank you so much from the Fitters at D Ham.. Ken G.
Hi Ken! You guys are most welcome! Thanks for stopping by!! 🙂
These look so delicious! My husband doesn’t eat sweets anymore, but Red Velvet used to be his favorite. I would totally make these for him if I could! Layered in the jar is such a great idea!
Thanks Jay! They were such a big hit!
Red Velvet Cake is one of my favorite cakes. I never thought to make them in jars. Such as great idea, I will be trying this very soon.
Thank you Linda! These go super fast. You will definitely enjoy! Thanks for stopping by! 🙂
So I was recently privileged to experience these. First off, let me say that the presentation is awesome! I actually thought they might’ve been ordered from Wicked Good Cupcakes (a company showcased on Shark Tank). So when Felesha told me she made them, that was 50 cool points alone. Now although these were supposed to be for after dinner take home treats, I couldn’t help myself and went head and had one before dinner. BOMB-DIGGIDY!!!
My wife is not usually a partaker of Red Velvet cake, but she came back to my jar several times. Not to mention, she grabbed one to take home with her. However, I did get payback; I snuck and ate a good portion of her jar the next morning before she woke up!
Felesha, you are definitely on point with this one!
Wow!! Thanks for stopping by Brandon. So glad you guys enjoyed them and that you appreciate the presentation!
That’s saying a lot about Gina as I know her favorite is German Chocolate. More to come!! 🙂
Can you freeze these to give away at a later date?
I have tried freezing them and I think it compromises the moisture for some reason. I prefer these fresh. Thanks for stopping by! 🙂