Traditional red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting and a shocking addition of raspberry coulis. It’s going to be your favorite Halloween treat!
These show-stopping bloody red velvet cupcakes combine classic red velvet with cream cheese frosting and a surprising raspberry coulis center! These are perfect for Halloween parties and spooky celebrations. They deliver both visual drama and incredible flavor!
Why Make These Halloween Cupcakes
- Red velvet and cream cheese is a timing combination. The addition of homemade raspberry coulis elevates standard red velvet into something really special!
- The bright, tart raspberry “blood” cuts through the richness of the cream cheese frosting.
- Pressed for time? You can use this decorating technique on box mix cupcakes. The bloody coulis packs a theatrical presentation that’s easy to pull off!
Since I had so much fun with my surprise bloody cake, I’m using the same raspberry coulis (blood) for another treat.
Cream cheese frosting and red velvet cake are an undeniably delicious pairing. The bright notes of the raspberry coulis really brings the red velvet cake to life… perfect for Halloween!
Dessert Components
There are four elements to this Halloween dessert:
- Red velvet cupcakes
- Cream cheese frosting
- Raspberry coulis
- Royal icing decor
Red Velvet Cupcakes
Use room temperature ingredients. Room temperature eggs and buttermilk (as well as butter and cream cream from the frosting) ensures smooth even mixing.
Don’t overmix the batter. Mix until just combined to keep your cupcakes tender and light. Overmixing lends to a tough, dense cake.
Food coloring choices. Traditionally, the “red coloring” was result of the chemical reaction between natural cocoa and acid (baking soda and buttermilk). For a vibrant red, standard liquid food coloring works just fine. I highly recommend using gel food color for more richer, more intense red color.
Cream Cheese Frosting
This is your standard cream cheese frosting made up of brick-style cream cheese, softened butter, vanilla, and powdered sugar (aka confectioners’ sugar or sugar 10x). Simply beat all the ingredients together until smooth and fluffy.
Raspberry Coulis
A coulis is a smooth, strained sauce made from pureed fruits or vegetables. It used to add concentrated flavor, vibrant color, or elevate a dish’s presentation.
My raspberry coulis is made from frozen raspberries, sugar, and lemon. Combine all the ingredients in saucepot. Heat until mixture has thickened and then strain through a sieve to remove the seeds. Chill until ready to use.
Royal Icing Decor
Royal icing decorations are piped or molded designs made from stiff icing that dries hard. These edible decorations hold their shape well and are rather lightweight. I used little meat cleaver royal icing pieces. Here are some additional decor choices: severed finger icing decor or bloody eyeballs.
Assembling the Bloody Cupcakes
- Once the cupcakes have completed cooled, use a small round cookie cutter (or apple corer, melon baller, or the fat end of a piping tip) to create a shallow cavity in the top of each cupcake.
- Fill a piping bag fitted with a medium star tip with the cream cheese frosting. Fill each cavity about three-quarter full for frosting. Drizzle about 2 teaspoons of cooled raspberry coulis over frosting.
- Pipe a large rosette on top to cover and hide the cavity.
- Finish by drizzling additional raspberry coulis over the frosted cupcakes for that dramatic bloody effect!
- And if you’re in the festival Halloween spirit, decorate the the bloody red velvet cupcakes with these royal icing meat cleavers.
Serving Suggestions
Store frosted, decorated cupcakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. Bring to room temperature (about 30 minutes to 1 hour) before serving for the best flavor and texture. For best results, drizzle raspberry coulis right before serving.
Helpful Tips
- Make Coulis Ahead of Time: The raspberry coulis can be prepared up to three days in advance. Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Having this prepared makes assembly day much easier!
- Fresh vs Frozen Raspberries: While you can certainly use fresh raspberries, frozen raspberries will generally produce a richer, more vibrant red color when cooked down into a coulis.
- Make Components Ahead of Time: Bake the cupcakes up to two days in advance and store unfrosted at room temp in a covered container. Prepare coulis ahead of time and store in the fridge. Prepare frosting on day of assembly.
Blood Red Velvet Cupcakes
Yield: 1 dozen standard size cupcakes
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled (163 g)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 Tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder, (5 g)
- ¾ cup granulated sugar, (150 g)
- ¾ cup vegetable oil, (180 ml)
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- ½ cup buttermilk, room temperature
- ½ Tablespoon red food coloring (liquid)*
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, , or paste
- 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 8 oz brick- style cream cheese, room temperature, softened (226 g)
- ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature (113 g)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups powdered sugar, (340 g)
- pinch kosher salt
Raspberry Coulis:
- 12 oz package frozen raspberries
- 5 Tablespoons granulated sugar, (63 g)
- 2 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line standard 12-cavity muffin pan with cupcake liners. Set aside.
- Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together sugar and vegetable oil. Add egg. Mix until combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together buttermilk, red coloring, vanilla, and vinegar. Add half of liquid mixture to mixing bowl. Mix on low speed. Add half of sifted dry mixture into mixing bowl. Mix until almost combined. Then add remaining wet ingredients followed by remaining dry mixture. Mix until just combined. Scrape down bowl as needed to ensure thorough mixing.
- Divide batter among prepared cupcake pan. Bake for 18-20 minutes until toothpick inserted in center of cupcakes comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 5 minutes. Gently remove cupcakes from pan and allow to cool to room temperature on wire racks.
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add vanilla. Add powdered sugar in 1 cup increments. Add pinch of salt. Mix until smooth and fluffy.
Raspberry Coulis:
- In a medium sauce pot, add frozen raspberries, sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Cook over medium heat until sugar has dissolved, raspberries have thawed, and mixture has slightly thickened. Stir occasionally to prevent raspberry sauce from burning along the sides of the pot. Remove from heat. Strain out raspberry seeds. Keep raspberry coulis (sauce) in the fridge until ready to use.
Assembly:
- Once cupcakes are cool, use an small round cookie cutter (or apple corer, melon baller, fat end of piping tip) to punch out a shallow cavity on top of each cupcake.
- Prepare a piping bag with a medium star top. Place frosting in prepared bag and fill the cupcake cavity about 3/4 full. Drizzle about 2 teaspoons of cooled raspberry coulis over the frosting. Pipe a large rosette to cover the hole.
- Drizzle additional raspberry coulis over frosted cupcakes. If desired, decorate finished cupcakes with royal icing knives.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!
Alice in Wonderland! Painting the roses red!
I’m looking forward to making these for Halloween. I was wondering if fresh raspberries be used instead of frozen?
Yes, you may use fresh raspberries. I recommend using frozen raspberries because they create a brighter, richer red color when cooked.