Red Velvet Mickey Mouse Cupcakes

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Whether you are throwing a Mickey-themed birthday party, announcing a trip to Disney, or making them just because, this Mickey Mouse red velvet cupcake recipe is going to be a big hit! 

Who needs a special occasion when this cupcake recipe is easy enough to make for a fun weekend treat? All you need are some mini Oreo cookies, some Mickey Mouse Sprinkles, and red cupcake liners to make this red velvet cupcake recipe extra special for the Disney fan in your life.

Tips for making delicious red velvet cupcakes

This recipe is pretty easy, but here are some tips to ensure success.

• Do not use milk (with or without lemon juice) instead of real buttermilk. It is part of what makes red velvet cupcakes taste like red velvet.
• Cake flour is lighter and not as glutenous as all-purpose flour, producing a lighter cupcake. 
• If you don’t have cake flour, you can make your own by replacing a small amount of all-purpose flour with cornstarch. (see recipe note below)
• Fill the cupcake tin about ⅔ of the way full. A cupcake batter scoop can be helpful in not over-filling the tin or filling it too little.
• Check the cupcakes a minute or two before the minimum baking time to get an idea of how much longer they need to cook. If the top is no longer wet and has a small mound, check them with a toothpick.
• Overbaked cupcakes are dry cupcakes, and no one wants that. 

With these simple tips, you are on your way to making no-fail cupcakes that everyone will be asking you to bake again and again.

Keep this recipe handy the next time you serve or bring them to a party because people will be asking for it! 

How to make red velvet Mickey Mouse cupcakes; step by step

Scroll down to the recipe card for all the ingredients and measurements and full instructions. 

First things first, preheat the oven and line a cupcake pan with red cupcake liners.

Whisk the dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl and set aside. 

Mix the egg, buttermilk, vanilla, and vinegar in a small bowl.  

In another small bowl, make a paste by combining the cocoa powder and red food coloring.

Beat the softened butter and sugar on medium speed in a stand or hand mixer until fluffy. Reduce to low speed and alternate adding the flour mixture and egg and buttermilk mixture, then add the cocoa paste.

Fill the cupcake tins about ⅔ of the way full with batter and bake.

Make cream cheese frosting and add food coloring to make the frosting black.

Once cooled, decorate with frosting, mini Oreo cookies, and Mickey Mouse sprinkles. 

How to store frosted cupcakes

Storing frosted cupcakes is easy to do as long as you have the right container. 

 If you want to be decorative, you could use a cake plate with a lid to display and store some frosted cupcakes, but since it won’t hold a whole batch, you will still need a container for the remainder of them. 

Any airtight container that is high enough to accommodate the frosted top of your cupcake will do. I like to use a cake travel caddy, but a Rubbermaid container is also perfect.

A cupcake carrier is your best bet if you will be transporting your cupcakes,

Can frosted cupcakes be frozen?

If you make cupcakes ahead of time, it’s best to freeze them unfrosted and then decorate them later. But if you have made too many cupcakes and have leftovers, the good news is that you can freeze them, frosting and all! 

How to freeze decorated cupcakes

To freeze frosted cupcakes, put them flat on a sheet tray and pre-freeze them for about an hour. This way, your decorations won’t be smushed and ruined. 

Once the cupcakes are frozen, individually wrap them individually in wax paper and put them in a freezer-safe container to keep them from being damaged in the freezer. 

If you have to use a freezer bag, it’s not the best method, but you can. Individually wrap each cupcake and place them carefully in the freezer bag. Keep them on top of other items in your freezer, so they don’t get crushed. 

They should keep in the freezer for about three months. 

How to defrost frozen cupcakes

To thaw frozen cupcakes, unwrap them and put them in an airtight container on the counter for a minimum of one hour. 

Try these delicious Mickey Mouse puff pastry cherry turnovers if you want more Disney desserts. So easy and so yummy!

Continue to Content

Red Velvet Mickey Mouse Cupcakes

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Additional Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes

Moist, delicious red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting and adorable Mickey Mouse decorations.

Print

Ingredients

Cake

• 2 ¼ cups cake flour * (see note)
• 1 ½ tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 cup buttermilk; room temperature
• 2 large eggs; room temperature
• 3 tsp white vinegar
• 2 tsp real vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tbsp red food coloring
• 12 tbsp unsalted butter; softened to room temperature
• 1 ½ cup granulated sugar

Frosting

• 2½ packages cream cheese; softened
• 12 tbsp (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 2 tbsp sour cream
• 2 tsp real vanilla extract
• ¼ tsp salt
• 2½ cups powdered sugar
• Black food coloring

Decorations

• Mini Oreo cookies
• Mickey Mouse sprinkles

Instructions

Cupcakes

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Line a cupcake tin with red cupcake liners
3. Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl
4. In a small bowl, combine the egg, buttermilk, vanilla, and vinegar. 
5. In another small bowl, combine the cocoa powder and food coloring to make a paste.
6. In a stand mixer or large bowl with a hand mixer, beat the softened butter and sugar on medium speed until fluffy. 
7. Reduce the mixing speed to low, then add one-third of the flour mixture, then one-half of the egg and buttermilk mixture; alternating until flour and buttermilk is combined into a batter. 
8. Scrape down the bowl, then add the cocoa paste and beat until just combined.  
9. Fill the individual cupcake tins about ¾ of the way. TIP: use a batter spoon for the perfect amount of batter. 
10. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
11. Allow to cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then transfer the cooked cupcakes to a cooling rack to finish cooling. 

* NOTE: If you don’t have cake flour, measure out 2 ¼ cups of all-purpose flour, then remove 4 ½ tbsp of flour and add 4 ½ tbsp of cornstarch and mix to combine. This will create a lighter flour.

Frosting

1. In a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, beat cream cheese, butter, sour cream, vanilla, and salt on medium speed until combined and smooth. 
2. Reduce speed to low and slowly add the powdered sugar. Mix until combined.
3. Add black food coloring until the frosting is black; about a tablespoon and a half.

Decorate

1. To decorate, fill a piping bag with frosting. Use the piping tip of your choice (round or star tips work best)
2. Frost the cupcake by making a circle from the outside to the inside, swirling the icing into a dome.
3. Place two mini Oreo cookies on the sides for ears and sprinkle the top of the cupcakes with Mickey Mouse sprinkles. 

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  Mickey Mouse Sprinkles 
• 
  Red Standard Size Cupcake Liners 
• 
  OREO Mini Mix Sandwich Cookies 

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 18 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 388Total Fat: 21gSaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 75mgSodium: 306mgCarbohydrates: 48gFiber: 0gSugar: 33gProtein: 4g

There you have it! Easy and adorable red velvet Mickey Mouse cupcakes for your next party or any old day of the week. 

If you prefer another kind of cake, you could also use chocolate cupcakes or any other cupcake flavor of your choice and decorate as above.