Red Velvet Oreo Cupcakes (Printable)
Moist red velvet cupcakes studded with Oreo chunks and crowned with cream cheese Oreo frosting.
# What You Need:
→ Cupcake Batter
01 - 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (160 g)
02 - 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (25 g)
03 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
05 - 1/2 cup vegetable oil (120 ml)
06 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar (150 g)
07 - 1 large egg, room temperature
08 - 1/2 cup buttermilk, room temperature (120 ml)
09 - 1 tablespoon red food coloring gel
10 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
11 - 1/2 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
12 - 10 Oreo cookies, roughly chopped
→ Cream Cheese Oreo Frosting
13 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened (115 g)
14 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened (225 g)
15 - 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted (250 g)
16 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
17 - 6 Oreo cookies, finely crushed
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners and set aside.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly distributed. Set aside.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, beat the vegetable oil and granulated sugar until well combined. Add the room-temperature egg, buttermilk, red food coloring gel, vanilla extract, and distilled white vinegar. Mix until the mixture is smooth and homogeneous.
04 - Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing gently just until combined. Do not overmix. Gently fold in the roughly chopped Oreo cookies with a spatula.
05 - Divide the batter evenly among the 12 cupcake liners, filling each about two-thirds full to allow room for rising.
06 - Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Allow the cupcakes to cool in the muffin tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
07 - In a large bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter and cream cheese together using an electric mixer until creamy and smooth. Add the sifted powdered sugar and vanilla extract, then beat on medium speed until light and fluffy. Gently fold in the finely crushed Oreo cookies until evenly distributed.
08 - Pipe or spread the frosting generously onto the fully cooled cupcakes. Garnish with extra Oreo crumbs if desired. Chill before serving for a firmer frosting texture.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The cocoa powder adds just enough chocolate depth without overpowering that gorgeous red hue everyone obsesses over.
- Crushed Oreos in the frosting create tiny pockets of crunch that make each bite more interesting than your standard cream cheese swirl.
02 -
- Room temperature ingredients blend into a smoother batter, so plan ahead and pull the egg and buttermilk out of the fridge early.
- Chilling the frosted cupcakes for thirty minutes before serving firms up the frosting and makes the texture even better.
03 -
- Gel food coloring gives you bold red color with just one tablespoon, while liquid coloring requires much more and waters down the batter.
- Fold the crushed Oreos into the frosting by hand instead of using the mixer so the pieces stay chunky rather than turning gray.