Ever wondered how to bake soft, velvety cupcakes at home without eggs or buttermilk? This eggless red velvet cupcake recipe delivers moist, tender results with minimal fuss.
This recipe produces light, melt-in-your-mouth cupcakes that are easy to make and perfect for everyday treats or special occasions.
If you love red velvet, you’re in good company. Its delicate balance of tang and sweetness is what makes it so popular. The secret to these cupcakes is using both oil and butter: the butter adds flavor while the oil keeps the crumb moist and tender, achieving a texture close to traditional buttermilk versions without actually using buttermilk.
Why you will love this recipe?
- Easy to follow – No complicated steps or obscure ingredients. Everything is available at a regular grocery store.
- Soft, spongy texture – The cupcakes are tender and moist with a light crumb that practically melts in your mouth.
- Flexible – You can adapt the batter to make mini cupcakes, filled cupcakes, or a layer cake.
- Make-ahead friendly – The cupcake bases freeze well, and frosted cupcakes keep in the fridge for several days, making them ideal for parties.
- Great for selling – These reliable, attractive cupcakes work well for home bakers and small businesses.
Follow the recipe below for consistently fluffy eggless red velvet cupcakes.
Ingredients Needed
- Cornflour: A small amount of cornflour added to all-purpose flour softens the crumb. If you prefer, use cake flour instead of the flour+cornflour combination.
- Milk and Vinegar: Warm milk with vinegar acts as a buttermilk substitute, creating a mildly acidic environment helpful for texture and color.
- Butter and Oil: Butter adds flavor; oil keeps the cupcakes moist. Using both yields a soft, velvety crumb.
- Food colouring: For the classic red hue use gel red food colouring rather than liquid colouring for a vibrant result.
Step by Step Instructions:
Step 1 – Preparing the Muffin Pan
Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners and preheat the oven to 180°C (360°F).
Step 2 – Preparing the Cupcake Batter
Sift together the dry ingredients: all-purpose flour, cornflour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt; set aside.
Warm the milk slightly, stir in the vinegar (or lemon juice) and let it sit for about 5 minutes to curdle—this is your buttermilk substitute.
- In a mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar together until combined—about 3 minutes with a hand mixer. No need to fully cream, just mix well.
- Add the vegetable oil and beat briefly to combine.
- Stir in vanilla extract and gel red food colouring until evenly incorporated.
Use gel food colouring for the best red colour. The mixture may look a little curdled after adding the milk substitute—that’s normal.
- Combine the batter by alternating the dry ingredients and the curdled milk: add one-third of the flour mix, fold until nearly combined, then add half of the milk mixture and fold. Repeat until everything is incorporated.
- For beginners, fold the batter by hand with a spatula instead of using a mixer to avoid over-mixing, which can cause cupcakes to sink.
- Divide the batter evenly among the lined cups using an ice-cream scoop or ladle.
- Bake at 180°C (360°F) for 18–25 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let the cupcakes rest in the pan for about 3–5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 3 – Cream Cheese Frosting without butter
These cupcakes are traditionally finished with cream cheese frosting. Here we use a simple frosting made without butter for a tangy, light finish.
- Sift the icing sugar. Beat the cold cream cheese until smooth, then add the icing sugar and mix until combined.
- Add vanilla extract and cold whipping cream, then beat until stiff peaks form. Chill briefly if needed before piping.
If you prefer, you can use buttercream, stabilized whipped cream, or a classic cream cheese frosting instead.
Step 4: Frosting the Cupcakes
Ensure cupcakes are completely cool before frosting to prevent the frosting from melting.
Fill a piping bag fitted with your preferred nozzle and pipe a swirl over each cupcake. You can finish with a small crumb topping by shaving a bit from the cupcake dome and sprinkling crumbs over the frosting for a decorative touch.
These cupcakes are perfect for Valentine’s Day, birthdays, potlucks, or any celebration.
Storage Instructions (Make-Ahead Instructions)
Store frosted cupcakes in the refrigerator. They will keep well for up to 5 days chilled. Unfrosted cupcake bases can be refrigerated for up to a week or frozen for up to a month in an airtight container. Frosted cupcakes also freeze well for up to a month—thaw in the refrigerator before serving.
MAKE AHEAD INSTRUCTIONS:
- Make the cupcake bases up to a week ahead and refrigerate or freeze for longer storage.
- Frosted cupcakes can be frozen for up to a month; store in an airtight container and thaw in the fridge.
Baker’s Tips:
These tips will help you get consistent results:
- Prepare liners and preheat the oven before you start mixing.
- Beat butter and sugar only until combined—about 3 minutes—don’t over-cream.
- Fold dry and wet ingredients gently by hand if you’re new to baking to avoid over-mixing.
- Use an ice-cream scoop for even portions and uniform baking.
- Make frosting when you are ready to use it; some frostings lose volume if left at room temperature too long.
- Allow cupcakes to cool completely before piping so the frosting holds its shape.
- For a vivid red color use gel food colouring and minimal cocoa; too much cocoa or a non-acidic cocoa can mute the red hue.
- Store frosted cupcakes in the refrigerator for best freshness.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. The batter can be scaled to make a layered cake—this quantity works for a three-layer 6-inch cake or a two-layer 8-inch cake with slight adjustments.
Use gel red food colouring for vibrant results. Liquid colourings tend to dilute the batter and can produce a dull, brownish tint unless used in very large amounts.
A mildly acidic batter reacts with cocoa powder pigments and, combined with red food colouring, creates the characteristic red hue.
Bitter taste can come from too much or expired baking soda, or from using excessive food colouring. Measure carefully and use fresh leavening agents.
They contain a small amount of cocoa, so chocolate notes are subtle. Red velvet is more about a tender, tangy, buttery crumb with light cocoa undertones and a tangy frosting.
Classic pairings include cream cheese frosting, buttercream, or whipped cream. You can also fill cupcakes with cheesecake filling or add warm spices for a seasonal twist.
Common reasons are too much cocoa powder, using a less acidic cocoa, or using liquid colouring instead of gel. Adjusting cocoa and using gel colour improves the hue.
You can use beetroot purée or beetroot powder to colour the batter naturally, though the colour will be less vibrant than with gel colouring.
Related Recipes:
- (4 mins) Vanilla Frosting recipe without Butter for Cupcakes
- Red Velvet Cake in a Jar
- Buttercream Frosting recipe
- Stiff Cream Cheese Frosting
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The Best Eggless Red Velvet Cupcakes without Buttermilk
Ingredients
For Cupcakes
- 180 gms (1.5 cups) APF/Maida
- 3 tbsp Cornflour
- 2 tbsp Cocoa Powder
- 1 tsp Baking Soda
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 188 gms (3/4 Cup) Warm Milk
- 1 tbsp Vinegar
- 56 gms (1/4 cup) Butter, cubed and softened
- 225 gms (1 cup) Caster Sugar
- 54 gms (1/4 cup) Oil
- 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 2 tsp Gel Red Food Colour
For Frosting
- 250 gms (8 oz) Cream Cheese, cold
- 130 gms (1 cup) Icing Sugar
- 150 ml (3/4 cup) Whipping Cream
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
Instructions
Step 1 – Pre-preparatory Steps
- Line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners and preheat the oven to 180°C/360°F.
Step 2 – Making the Cupcakes
- Sift the dry ingredients: flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt; set aside.
- Mix warm milk with vinegar and let it curdle for about 5 minutes.
- Beat softened butter and sugar until combined, about 3 minutes.
- Add oil, vanilla and red food colour and mix until combined.
- Alternate adding the dry mix in three parts and the curdled milk in two parts, folding gently until just combined.
- Portion batter into liners and bake for 18–25 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack.
Step 3 – Prepare the Frosting
- Beat cream cheese until smooth, then add icing sugar and combine.
- Add cold whipping cream and vanilla, then beat until stiff peaks form.
- Pipe or spread the frosting on cooled cupcakes and decorate as desired.
Notes
- Use softened butter for the cupcake base and cold cream and cream cheese for the frosting.
- Fold gently to avoid over-mixing; overworked batter can sink during baking.
- Portion batter evenly with a scoop for consistent cupcakes.
- Chill or use the frosting immediately for best volume and shape.
- Store frosted cupcakes in the refrigerator for up to five days.