These Red Velvet Cupcakes with Chocolate Truffle Centers are a decadent and delicious treat! They are surprisingly simple to make and the cupcakes perfect for Valentine’s Day or any special occasion.
*This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Affiliate, I earn a commission on qualifying purchases.
What ingredients do I need for the Chocolate Truffle Red Velvet Cupcakes?
For cupcakes:
- Unsalted butter
- Granulated sugar
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
- White vinegar
- Salt
- Cocoa powder
- Baking soda
- Vegetable oil
- Buttermilk
- All-purpose flour
- Red food coloring
- Milk chocolate truffles
For Frosting:
- Unsalted butter
- Cream cheese
- Powdered sugar
- Vanilla extract
Looking for more delicious treats for Valentine’s Day? Give these reader favorites a try!
Red Velvet Blossom Cookies | Bacon Roses in the Air Fryer | Chocolate Strawberry Dessert Sticks | Easy Heart Shaped Brownies | Milk and White Chocolate Bark with Almonds
How do I make Red Velvet Cupcakes with Truffles?
Step 1: Make the cupcake batter
Start off by preheating the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Then, in a large mixing bowl, add in the ½ cup of butter and granulated sugar. Using a hand or stand mixer, beat until smooth and creamy. Next, add in the eggs and vanilla extract. Continue to mix until well combined and add in the white vinegar.
Add in the salt, cocoa powder and baking soda. Once mixed, add in the vegetable oil and buttermilk. Mix until well combined and add in the food coloring. Add in as much coloring until the desired red is achieved. Slowly add in the flour in ½ cup increments, mixing in between each time.
Step 2: Add batter and truffles to muffin pan
Line 2 muffin pans with cupcake liners. Add about one tablespoon of cupcake batter to each liner. Then, place one chocolate truffle in the center of the batter. Add in more batter until the liners are ¾ of the way full.
Note: This recipe will yield about 20 cupcakes.
Step 4: Bake the Red Velvet Truffle Cupcakes
Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit in the center of the oven for 13 to 16 minutes. Be sure to check with a toothpick by placing the toothpick in the middle of a cupcake. If the toothpick comes out clean of red, they are done! Allow the cupcakes to cool completely.
Step 5: Make the cream cheese frosting
While the cupcakes are cooling, prepare the frosting. Start off by adding the butter and cream cheese to a large mixing bowl and beat until creamy and smooth. Next, add in the vanilla extract and mix well. Then, slowly add in the powdered sugar ½ cup at a time. Once all the powdered sugar is mixed in, place your frosting into a piping bag prepared with the piping tip of your choice. Pipe the frosting on to each cupcake and add sprinkles, if desired.
Notes:
If the frosting is too thick for your liking, add in 1 Tbsp. of heavy cream at a time until desired consistency is achieved.
Red Velvet Cupcakes with Truffle Centers FAQ’s
- What if I don’t have access to Lindt Lindor truffles? You can use any chocolate truffle available to you. You could also use Hershey Kisses, peanut butter cups, or any chocolatey treat you would like! Another idea is to add white chocolate truffles to the center of the cupcakes.
- If I change the chocolate center to another candy, how long should I bake it for? The baking time should be the same! Just be sure to check with a toothpick, if you’re clean of red, your cupcakes are done!
- What if I just want a classic red velvet cupcake with nothing in the center, does the baking time change? Yes! Add 2-4 minutes extra for baking time! Also, with adding more batter to each cupcake, you will get 1-2 less cupcakes in the end.
- What does it taste like? Mild, bold, chocolatey? It is a classic red velvet cupcake. Very moist, chocolatey, fluffy and just all around delicious. The chocolate center just takes it to another level of deliciousness!
- How do I store them and for how long? I like to store my cupcakes in a cake carrier. They can be stored in any airtight container. I would not recommend freezing them, as it dries out the cupcakes. I recommend putting them in the refrigerator, you can chill them for up to 5 days.
Ingredients
For the cupcakes:
- ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 Tbsp white vinegar
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 Tbsp cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2½ cup all-purpose flour
- Red food coloring
- 20 milk chocolate truffles such as Lindt
For the frosting:
- ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 8 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- 3¾ cup powdered sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- heavy cream if desired to thin the icing
Instructions
To make the cupcakes:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a large mixing bowl, add in the ½ cup of butter and granulated sugar. Using a hand or stand mixer, beat until smooth and creamy.
- Add in the eggs and vanilla extract.
- Mix well and add the white vinegar.
- Add in the salt, cocoa powder and baking soda.
- Once mixed, add in the vegetable oil and buttermilk.
- Mix until well combined and add in the food coloring.
- Add in as much red food coloring as needed until the desired red is achieved.
- Slowly add in the flour in ½ cup increments, mixing in between each time.
- Line 2 muffin tins with cupcake liners (this recipe will yield about 20 cupcakes)
- Add a Tbsp. of the cupcake batter to each liner.
- Place one chocolate truffle in the middle of the batter.
- Add in more batter until the liners are ¾ of the way full.
- Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 13-16 minutes. ***Be sure to check with a toothpick by placing the toothpick in the middle of a cupcake. If the toothpick comes out clean of red, they are done!
- Allow cupcakes to cool completely.
To make the frosting:
- Add 1/2 cup of butter and the cream cheese to a large mixing bowl.
- Beat until creamy and smooth.
- Add in the vanilla extract and mix well.
- Slowly add in the powdered sugar ½ cup at a time. (If the frosting is too thick for your liking, add in 1 Tbsp. of heavy cream at a time until desired consistency is achieved)
- Once all the powdered sugar is mixed in, place your frosting into a piping bag prepared with the piping tip of your choice.
- Pipe the frosting on to each cupcake and decorate with sprinkles, if desired.
Notes
Red Velvet Cupcakes with Truffle Centers FAQ’s
- What if I don’t have access to Lindt Lindor truffles? You can use any chocolate truffle available to you. You could also use Hershey Kisses, peanut butter cups, or any chocolatey treat you would like! Another idea is to add white chocolate truffles to the center of the cupcakes.
- If I change the chocolate center to another candy, how long should I bake it for? The baking time should be the same! Just be sure to check with a toothpick, if you’re clean of red, your cupcakes are done!
- What if I just want a classic red velvet cupcake with nothing in the center, does the baking time change? Yes! Add 2-4 minutes extra for baking time! Also, with adding more batter to each cupcake, you will get 1-2 less cupcakes in the end.
- What does it taste like? Mild, bold, chocolatey? It is a classic red velvet cupcake. Very moist, chocolatey, fluffy and just all around delicious. The chocolate center just takes it to another level of deliciousness!
- How do I store them and for how long? I like to store my cupcakes in a cake carrier. They can be stored in any airtight container. I would not recommend freezing them, as it dries out the cupcakes. I recommend putting them in the refrigerator, you can chill them for up to 5 days.