Oreo Red Velvet Cupcakes With Oreo Cream Cheese Frosting

Blue's Best Life
by Blue's Best Life
12 servings
38 min

Buttery and moist with just a hint of chocolate, these Red Velvet Oreo Cupcakes are a special dessert for either Christmas of Valentine's Day! The cupcakes have the beautiful, rich red color that classic red velvet cake is known for with the extra addition of Oreo cookies in the cupcake batter as well as an Oreo frosting piped on top! These cupcakes are almost too cute to eat!

A close up of a red velvet cupcake on a cake stand.

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Why This Oreo Red Velvet Cupcake is the Best!


This cupcake recipe is one of my favorite's! Not only do I find a fluffy red velvet cupcake completely irresistible, the addition of chopped Oreos make this a unique treat. The key to a perfect cupcake is keeping it super moist which I find the addition of buttermilk always does the trick! And by adding a little chopped Oreo cookie, you get a extra sweetness in every bite!

If you are looking for a beautiful dessert for your holiday party, this cupcake will be the star of the show. That beautiful bright red color is absolutely perfect for the Christmas season.


What is Red Velvet?


Red velvet is a dessert that is popular in southern U.S. Of course this dessert has evolved over time and is now known for its bright red color. Many people think this is nothing more than a chocolate cake with food coloring, however red velvet has only a hint of chocolate flavoring. It has only 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder added to the batter, while a regular chocolate cake has ½ a cup of cocoa powder making it much more intense chocolate flavor.

In fact red velvet became a popular cake during WWII when many food staples were rationed. Bakers began using beet juice as a way to keep cakes soft and moist which gave the cakes a red color. People felt the red cake was more special and evolved into a dessert that it is still very popular today!

This red velvet recipe has a buttery flavor that is light and airy in texture from the buttermilk. It’s most commonly paired with a tangy cream cheese frosting, however this recipe has the addition of cookies added to the cupcake and the frosting for a special treat!


Key Ingredients


Oreo cookies-make this red velvet cupcake different from the rest! These chocolate cookies add a little extra sweetness to every bite.

red food coloring-to get that beautiful bright red color, red gel is the best option. Liquid food coloring will require much more to achieve the same effect which I find it has a bitter taste.

cream cheese- this is a must for the frosting! The tangy cream cheese pairs perfectly with the red velvet cupcakes and is even more irresistible with the crusted Oreos. Go all out and use the full fat variety!

white vinegar- is used to help intensify the deep red color in the cake.

Step-By-Step Instructions


Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Add paper liners to a cupcake pan.

Measure your flour using the level method. I prefer using this method because I feel that it is fairly accurate. To do so spoon the flour into the measuring cup, without packing it down and level with the back of a knife. In a large bowl, sift together all purpose flour and cocoa powder. I like to sift together the flour and cocoa powder because cocoa tends to clump. Whisk in the baking soda and salt.

In a separate mixing bowl, cream the butter, sugar and vegetable oil. This mixture will become pale yellow in color. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth.

A bowl whisking together the dry ingredients and in a separate bowl mixing together the butter, sugar and egg.

While the mixer is running on low speed, add half off the flour mixture and half of the buttermilk to the wet ingredients. Slowly add the remaining dry ingredients and buttermilk. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the sides of the bowl. Never over mix because this will result in dry cupcakes. Stir in chopped Oreos to distribute into the batter.

Adding the food coloring and the Oreos to the batter.


Fill cupcake liners ¾ of the way full. There should be just enough batter for the 12 cupcakes.


Bake in preheated oven for 16-19 minutes. All oven temperatures can vary so its important to check a few minutes before the recommended bake time. The best way to check your cupcakes is to insert a toothpick into the center, if its clean with no crumb the cupcakes are ready to come out of the oven. Transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack to cool.

The batter in the cupcake tin and then the cupcakes after baked.

After the cupcakes have cooled the next step is to make the Oreo cream cheese frosting. It is crucial to have the butter and cream cheese at room temperature to properly make the frosting and get that smooth creamy consistency free from lumps. You can beat the unsalted butter and cream cheese in either a stand mixer or with an electric hand mixer. I have found that the cream cheese is very light and airy when whipped with a whisk attachment but you can also use a paddle attachment if you prefer.

Once the butter and cream cheese mixture is whipped to a smooth, lump-free consistency, add powdered sugar. I mix in a small amount at a time to keep the sugar from flying out of the bowl when mixed.

In the bowl of a food processor add 6 Oreo cookies. Pulse into very fine crumbs. If you do not have a food processor you can use a rolling pin to crush the cookies.

The cream cheese being mixed together to make the frosting and the Oreos pulsed into crumbs in a food processor.

Mix together the crushed Oreos into the cream cheese frosting. Add the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a decorating tip. To make my swirl design, I used the 1M decorating tip from this cupcake decorating kit. It was easy to use and made these cupcakes look so cute! To garnish cut 3 Oreos into 4ths and place the Oreo wedge into the frosting.

Stirring the cookie crumbs into the cream cheese frosting and then using a piping bag to decorate the cupcakes.

Depending on how tall you make your cream cheese swirl, you may have a little leftover frosting. I wanted to make sure there was plenty for decorating! If you do not have a pipping bag, you can use a plastic Ziplock bag and cut a corner off to decorate.

A close up of a red velvet cupcake.
Ingredient Substitutions


  • buttermilk- is not something everyone has on hand so you can add a teaspoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to milk.
  • white vinegar- acid will help the cupcakes rise and produce a light tender crumb, while also reacting with the food coloring to intensify that bright red color. You can always substitute lemon juice for the vinegar.
  • Oreos- if you live in an area that does not have this brand of cookie, substitute another crunchy chocolate wafer cookie. Or you can leave it out, but they just won't look as fun!
A bite taken from a red velvet cupcake.
Storage Suggestions


Because of the cream cheese icing, these cupcakes must be stored in the refrigerator. Keep in an airtight container for up to 3 days. I like to remove them from the refrigerator 30 minutes before serving.


Looking For Other Dessert Recipes? Try These!


Cinnamon Bread Pudding {with Cinnamon Bourbon Sauce}

Easy Individual Tiramisu Cups {without Eggs}

Mini Key Lime Pie Bites


Did you try this recipe? Please let me know what you think! Leave a comment below, and a 5- star rating. I would love to hear from you! Here to get new recipes sent straight to your inbox!

Oreo Red Velvet Cupcakes With Oreo Cream Cheese Frosting
Recipe details
  • 12  servings
  • Prep time: 20 Minutes Cook time: 18 Minutes Total time: 38 min
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Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon red gel food coloring
  • 3/4 cup buttermilk
  • 8 Oreo's, chopped into pieces
Oreo Cream Cheese Frosting
  • 1 8 ounce block of cream cheese
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1-2 tablespoons milk or cream if needed
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 6 Oreo's, crushed
Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a cupcake tin with paper liners.
Sift the flour and cocoa powder together into a large bowl. Whisk in the baking soda and salt.
In another large bowl cream the sugar, butter and vegetable oil together using either a stand or hand mixer. After a minute the mixture will be pale yellow in color and smooth texture.
Add the vanilla extract, egg and red gel to the butter mixture. Mix well to incorporate the ingredients.
Add half of the flour mixture and half of the buttermilk while mixing at a low speed. Continue to mix and add the remaining milk and flour. Use a spatula to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl.
Use the spatula to stir in the chopped Oreos. Use a cookie scoop to portion out the batter and divide evenly into the cupcake liners.
Bake on the middle rack in your preheated oven for 16-19 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Once the cupcakes are finished baking remove from the cupcake tin and let cool on a wire rack. They must be completely cool before frosting.
Oreo Cream Cheese Frosting
Place 6 Oreos in a food processor and pulse into a very fine crumb.
Add the room temperature butter and cream cheese in a large bowl. Use either a stand mixer or a hand mixer to cream the ingredients together until light and fluffy. Add a teaspoon of heavy cream or milk and vanilla extract.
Using a spatula stir in the Oreo crumbs. Add the frosting to a piping bag with a cupcake tip to decorate the cupcakes.
Blue's Best Life
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