This Red Velvet Buttercream Frosting is rich, delicious, and perfect to top a cupcake . . . or spoon.
Back in October, I did a review for Deborah of Taste and Tell’s amazing book, Red Velvet Lover’s Cookbook. Ummm . . . she totally got me on the red velvet bandwagon. I think before reading her cookbook (yes, reading, cookbooks are serious literature), I had only really ever had red velvet cupcakes . . . and some not so amazing ones at that. So I for sure didn’t appreciate the red velvet taste that combines buttermilk, cocoa powder, and . . . . enough red food coloring to make your house look like a crime scene.
But after reading her book, that all changed! She totally got me. It’s possible that the Red Velvet Gooey Bars had something to do with it.
Anyway! Since I’m on a mission to FROSTING ALL THE THINGS, I thought that this Red Velvet Buttercream Frosting would be the perfect next feather in my cap for this mission. I’m beyond happy with how this recipe turned out. It’s rich and creamy, and the cocoa and the buttercream make it all sorts of red velvety goodness. I was going make you some cupcakes to put this on, because it would be so pretty, but that seems a little disingenuous.
Since I prefer my frosting on a spoon.
Red Velvet Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 TBSPs unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup buttermilk
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tsps red food coloring
Instructions
- With your whisk attachment on your mixer, whisk your butter until it is creamy, scraping down as necessary.
- Whisk in the cocoa powder and then the first cup of powdered sugar. Scrape down the sides, continue mixing and add the second cup of powdered sugar. Add cups three and four and scrap down again.
- Continue mixing and add the buttermilk, turning your mixer to medium high until the frosting is creamy. With the mixer stopped, add the red food coloring, and mix until it is fully combined.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator, up to three days. Bring the frosting to room temperature before pipping or spreading.
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Red Velvet Buttercream Frosting
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heather @french press says
I’m not a big fan of frosting, but red velvet is entirely a different story, LOVING this Lisa
Amy @Very Culinary says
I just need a spoon. Gorgeous!
Julianne @ Beyond Frosting says
I love that there is no actual cake mix in this recipe! I have been playing around with a Red Velvet Buttercream too! It is so awesome!
ColleenB. says
I’m not that big fan of frosting but this looks amazing.
I was just wondering; if a person had a Red Velvet cake mix on hand, why couldn’t a person use 1 T of dry cake mix in place of the cocoa powder? I may have to try that someday.
Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Wayne says
Red Velvet Cake “mix?” Eeewwwwww, you have to make that from scratch. Actually you should bake everything from scratch. Unless it’s a last minute request and you don’t have all the ingredients.
There is no greater reward than watching people eat your “stuff,” hear the compliments and comments, like where did this come from? Then you can proudly say, “I made it from scratch.”
Gina says
Oh my- Lisa – you have found my weakness. YUM!
Mine too Gina!!
Becky at Cooking with Vinyl says
This looks so darn yummy! I love red velvet, so I can’t wait to try this on a cake (or maybe just eat it straight!). I found your site on a link up. I’m a new food blogger and love meeting others. I’ve followed your social sites and hope we can connect on those. Thanks for sharing this and I look forward to reading more of your stuff! Becky
Jean says
How many cupcakes does this decorate if you use the large tip to make rosettes that cover the top of the cupcake
No clue Jean! Sorry I can’t be more help! If you give it a go come back and let us know!
Jean says
I will after next week. I’m using it on cupcakes next week. However I’m just using it as a second color in roses on the top of the cupcakes. I’ll compare it to the amount of white I’m using and let you know
Sara says
Hi. How many cupcakes normal size can I frost with this recipe?
It totally depends on how you frost them. I would say 24 with a thin layer, maybe twelve if you do a SERIOUS layer.