Red Velvet Oreo Cupcakes (Printable)
Moist red velvet cupcakes studded with Oreo pieces and finished with tangy cream cheese frosting.
# What you'll need:
→ Cupcake Batter
01 - 1 1/4 cups (160 g) all-purpose flour
02 - 3 tbsp (25 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
03 - 1/2 tsp baking soda
04 - 1/4 tsp salt
05 - 1/2 cup (120 ml) vegetable oil
06 - 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
07 - 1 large egg, room temperature
08 - 1/2 cup (120 ml) buttermilk, room temperature
09 - 1 tbsp red food coloring (gel preferred)
10 - 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
11 - 1/2 tsp distilled white vinegar
12 - 10 Oreo cookies, roughly chopped
→ Cream Cheese Oreo Frosting
13 - 1/2 cup (115 g) unsalted butter, softened
14 - 8 oz (225 g) cream cheese, softened
15 - 2 cups (250 g) powdered sugar, sifted
16 - 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
17 - 6 Oreo cookies, finely crushed
# How to make it:
01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners and set aside.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly distributed. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, beat the vegetable oil and granulated sugar until well combined. Add the room-temperature egg, buttermilk, red food coloring, pure 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 just until combined and no dry pockets remain. Do not overmix.
05 - Gently fold the roughly chopped Oreo cookies into the batter using a spatula, distributing the pieces evenly throughout.
06 - Divide the batter evenly among the prepared cupcake liners, filling each approximately two-thirds full.
07 - Bake for 18–20 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.
08 - In a mixing bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter and softened cream cheese together until creamy and smooth. Add the sifted powdered sugar and pure vanilla extract, then beat until the frosting is light, fluffy, and fully incorporated. Gently fold in the finely crushed Oreo cookies.
09 - Pipe or spread the cream cheese Oreo frosting generously onto the completely cooled cupcakes. Garnish with additional Oreo crumbs if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The cocoa powder gives just enough chocolate depth without competing with the tangy cream cheese frosting.
- Chopped Oreos tucked into the batter create little pockets of crunch that surprise people on the first bite.
- Gel food coloring means you need only a tablespoon for that vivid red without thinning the batter.
02 -
- Warm cupcakes will melt the cream cheese frosting into a puddle so patience while cooling is nonnegotiable.
- Overmixing the batter after adding flour makes the cupcakes dense and tough instead of soft and tender.
03 -
- Chop the Oreos by hand rather than using a food processor for the batter so you get recognizable chunks rather than crumbs.
- Refrigerate the frosted cupcakes for thirty minutes before serving to set the frosting and make the texture incredibly satisfying.