Happy Valentine’s! If you celebrate this day… ;)
If you’re not celebrating, you can still make those little beauties for friends and family – or just for yourself :)
These red velvet cupcakes get their color from beet roots (red beets), not from artificial food coloring. I don’t have a problem using food colors, but in this case I wanted to try if it works – it did work pretty good actually. I might use beet root more often now. You can taste the beet root, so if you hate this vegetable, you might want to use another recipe for red velvet cupcakes ;) Anyways you can make these cupcakes completely vegan if you like. Replace the milk with almond milk for example and use vegetable margarine and a vegan substitute for the cream cheese and you will get a nice vegan sweet treat.
INGREDIENTS / ZUTATEN
For the cupcakes:
3/4 cup (160g) freshly puréed beet roots, cooked and peeled
1/3 cup (80ml) vegetable oil
1 1/4 cups (250g) sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 cup (200g) all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tbsp. cocoa powder
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup (180ml) milk
For the frosting:
1/3 cup (80g) butter
7 oz. (200g) cream cheese
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2-1 cup (65-130g) confectioner’s sugar
Für die Cupcakes:
160g Rote Beete, gekocht, geschält und püriert
80ml Pflanzenöl
250g Zucker
1 1/2 TL Vanille Extract
200g Mehl (Type 405)
1 1/2 TL Backpulver
1 1/2 EL Kakao
1/4 TL Salz
180ml Milch
Für das Frosting:
80g Butter
200g Frischkäse
1/2 TL Vanille Extrakt
65-130g cup Puderzucker
DIRECTIONS / ZUBEREITUNG
2. In a separate bowl sift together flour, baking powder, cocoa powder and salt. Add to the batter alternating with the milk until incorporated completely. Do not overmix. Fill into the paper liners (3/4 full) and bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
3. For the frosting beat the butter on high speed until pale and fluffy. Add the cream cheese and vanilla extract and mix well. Add the confectioner’s sugar in small portions until it reaches the desired consistency. Fill into a piping bag with a star tip and decorate the cupcakes. Note: the red color of the beet root may discolor the frosting if it is on for too long – it is best to decorate shortly before serving.
2. Das Mehl in einer zweite Schüssel sieben und mit Backpulver, Kakao und Salz vermischen. In kleinen Portionen, abwechselnd mit der Milch zur Roten Beete Mischung geben und verrühren. Nicht zu viel rühren. Papierförmchen zu etwa 3/4 füllen und für 15-20 Minuten backen – mit einem Zahnstocher testen, ob noch Teig kleben bleibt und erst herausnehmen, wenn der Zahnstocher sauber herauskommt.
3. Für das Frosting die Butter auf höchster Stufe aufschlagen, bis sie hell und luftig ist. Frischkäse und Vanille Extrakt zugeben und gut verrühren. Puderzucker in kleinen Portionen zugeben, bis die gewünschte Konsistenz erreicht ist. In einen Spritzbeutel mit Sterntülle füllen und die Cupcakes dekorieren. Hinweis: Die rote Farbe der Roten Beete kann abfärben, wenn das Frosting zu lange auf den Cupcakes ist – am Besten erst kurz vor dem Servieren dekorieren.
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Here is a version of the recipe you can print easily.
Print
Valentine’s Day Mini Beet Root Red Velvet Cupcakes
- Prep Time: 25
- Cook Time: 20
- Total Time: 45
- Yield: 48 1x
Ingredients
For the cupcakes
- 3/4 cup (160g) freshly puréed beet roots, cooked and peeled
- 1/3 cup (80ml) vegetable oil
- 1 1/4 cups (250g) sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cup (200g) all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1 1/2 tbsp. cocoa powder
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 3/4 cup (180ml) milk
For the frosting
- 1/3 cup (80g) butter
- 7 oz. (200g) cream cheese
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/2–1 cup (65-130g) confectioner’s sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350˚F (175°C). Line mini cupcake tins with paper liners. In a large mixing bowl combine beet root purée, oil, sugar and vanilla extract.
- In a separate bowl sift together flour, baking powder, cocoa powder and salt. Add to the batter alternating with the milk until incorporated completely. Do not overmix. Fill into the paper liners (3/4 full) and bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- For the frosting beat the butter on high speed until pale and fluffy. Add the cream cheese and vanilla extract and mix well. Add the confectioner’s sugar in small portions until it reaches the desired consistency. Fill into a piping bag with a star tip and decorate the cupcakes. Note: the red color of the beet root may discolor the frosting if it is on for too long – it is best to decorate shortly before serving.
Notes
- Enjoy baking!
I love my job, but in between I love to bake and try new things in the kitchen. A lot of my friends and colleagues encourage me to bake - for a very simple reason: they get the leftovers - and it seems they like it most of the time ;) 
Oh these are tooooo cute! :) love them! nice work. mel
Thxs :) Happy Valentine’s Day!
Nothing is more perfect for Valentine’s day than classic red velvet. These little cupcakes look divine and I love how you have naturally dyed them!
Thank you! The color turned out pretty good – did not think the beet root red would be so strong :)
The most gorgeous looking cupcakes I have ever seen.
Thxs a lot! :))
So gorgeous! I love these, Pinned and shared everywhere. oxox
Thx a lot! :) looked at your blog – you have really nice recipes!
Cheers, Marc
wow those look amazing!!! i will definitely pin and share
Thxs! They are one of my favorite bakes! Cheers, Marc
Hi, just wondering how do u make your beetroot puree?
Hi Tika,
that is pretty easy – you either use pre-cooked (peeled) beetroots from the store and just throw them into a mixer or you take fresh beetroots and cook them in saltwater (30-50 Minutes depending on the size) – just make sure the skin is not damaged or they will “bleed” into the water and the color is gone. Then peel them when cooled and also into the mixer – use rubber gloves, or you will end up with very red hands ;)
Cheers,
Marc
cool, thanks Marc :D
cheers,
Tika
Hello Marc,
Thanks for sharing this lovely recipe. I tried it and made a lovely cake. I don’t have a proper cup cake tray, so had to settle for a cake, instead. I think I should add more beets or lesser cocoa, as I did not get the rich red colour. Any suggestions for the colour?
Regards,
Medha
India
Hello Medha,
if you don’t want to use (artificial) food color for your bakes, the color at the end is always a little surprise ;) Some beets make the dough more red than others – but using bit less cocoa should help if the color was kind of brownish. Using more beets is a bit tricky, cause you don’t really want the cake or cupcakes to taste a lot like beets.
Cheers,
Marc
Thank you so much for your quick reply, Marc.
Warm regards,
Medha