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Today’s Bloody Red Velvet Cupcakes are topped with homemade cream cheese frosting and a raspberry sauce drizzle, perfect for Halloween or a scary movie night with friends. They make look chillingly macabre but I promise they taste heavenly!

Halloween Red Velvet Cupcake Recipe

Red velvet cupcakes are already a favorite Halloween option for their tender crumb, cocoa-kissed sweetness and vibrant red hue. (In fact, one of our most popular Halloween desserts is our Red Velvet Halloween Cake with Bloody Glass – made with clear, homemade glass candy.)

Today, we’re giving these classic cupcakes a dramatic Halloween-inspired make-over with a drizzle of ruby-red raspberry coulis that doubles as “edible blood.” The tang of the cream cheese frosting balances the richness of the cake, while the raspberry coulis (a fancy name for an easy raspberry sauce) provides both brightness, a hint of fruity flavor and a haunting presentation.

While you can use a boxed red velvet cake mix for the cupcakes, I highly recommend that you make the cream cheese frosting from scratch – the taste of canned frosting just doesn’t compare to homemade! And while our raspberry coulis is super simple and only 3 ingredients, if you really want to save time in the kitchen, you can use a pre-made raspberry sundae sauce instead.

Note: if you don’t want to use raspberry sauce on these cupcakes, you can opt for a gel-type frosting like this that will look similar (or this sparkly one).

This set of food coloring has lasted me forever and I love that it creates highly saturated colors with just a drop or two; I highly recommend using a very saturated food coloring like this one when making red velvet desserts to avoid having to add a large amount of food coloring which can alter the flavor of the dessert.

If you’re trying to avoid using artificial food coloring, this one made from beet root is a great swap!

How to store these red velvet Halloween cupcakes: Cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days if stored without the raspberry coulis. If stored with the raspberry sauce, store in the fridge for 3-5 days. (Note: if making with

Can I use frozen raspberries for the coulis instead of fresh raspberries? Yes, frozen raspberries work great. Simmer them directly from frozen, adding a few extra minutes to the cooking time to reduce completely.

Do I have to strain the coulis? Straining is recommended for a smooth finish, but you can skip it if you prefer a chunkier sauce.

Can I make the cupcakes ahead of time? Yes, bake the cupcakes up to two days in advance and store unfrosted. Assemble with frosting and coulis the day of serving for the best flavor and texture.

What can I use instead of buttermilk? You can make a quick buttermilk substitute by mixing 1/2 cup milk with 1/2 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice, then letting it sit for 5 minutes. However, I just buy this powdered buttermilk that is good for up to a year after opening. I love that I have buttermilk available anytime a recipe calls for it without having to make a special trip to the store.

Bloody Red Velvet Cupcake Ingredients

For the red velvet cupcakes:

• All-Purpose Flour
• Baking Soda
• Salt
• Cocoa Powder
• White Sugar
• ¾ cup Vegetable Oil
• 1 Egg
• Buttermilk <– I always have this powdered buttermilk in my fridge to make instant buttermilk whenever I need it.
• Liquid Red Food Coloring
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• Vinegar

For the cream cheese buttercream:

• Unsalted Butter, softened
• Cream Cheese, softened
• Salt
• Vanilla Extract
• Milk, as needed
• Powdered Confectioner’s Sugar

For the raspberry coulis “blood”:

• Fresh Raspberries
• White Sugar
• Lemon Juice
• Lemon Zest

Scroll down to the printable recipe card for full measurements.

Tip: For the smoothest frosting, sift the powdered sugar before adding it to the butter and cream cheese mixture

Kitchen Tools You May Find Helpful

• Mixing bowls
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Wooden spoon or Spatula <– I like these spatulas because they are one solid piece and don’t have removable heads for bacteria to get trapped underneath. Plus they are heat-resistant and have a lifetime warranty.
• Mixing Bowl
• Whisk
• Cooling racks
• Muffin Tin
• Muffin Liners <– I also like these silicone muffin liners, they are super easy to remove and clean
• Piping Bags
• Large Star Piping Tip
• Saucepan
• Whisk
• Strainer

How to Make Bloody Red Velvet Cupcakes

For the cupcakes:

Preheat the oven to 350F.  Prepare your muffin pans by placing liners – set aside. 

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, salt and baking soda – whisk to combine.  Set aside. 

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the sugar, egg and oil. 

In another medium bowl, combine the butter milk, vanilla, food color and vinegar.  Whisk to combine. 

Add the red buttermilk mixture to the bowl of the stand mixer.  Combine well. 

Pour in the dry ingredients and mix well.  Scrape the sides and mix again.  Pour about ¼ cup worth of batter in each cupcake liner – they should be about ⅔ full.

Bake in preheated oven for 18-20 minutes or until set and a toothpick comes out clean.  Allow to cool. 

Meanwhile, begin making the coulis.

For the raspberry coulis: In a saucepan, combine the raspberries, lemon juice, sugar and lemon zest.  Simmer over low heat for about 20 minutes or until slightly thickened.

Pour through a strainer into a small bowl and allow to cool.  Store in the fridge until ready to use.  

To make the buttercream frosting – in the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the softened butter, cream cheese, vanilla and salt.  Cream until smooth. 

Add in the powdered sugar and mix on slow until combined.  If needed, add in one tablespoon of milk if the mixture looks dry.  Whip on high speed for a minute.  

Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip.  Pipe a dollop of frosting on each cupcake once they’ve cooled.  Drizzle with a spoonful of chilled coulis and allow it to drip down the sides.  

Pin this Macabre Red Velvet Cupcake with Raspberry Coulis Blood for a spooky treat perfect for Halloween parties or your next scary movie night:

Grab your free printable recipe card for our Bloody Red Velvet Halloween cupcakes:

I hope your family and friends love these spooky Halloween cupcakes as much as mine did!

For more scrumptious cupcakes, check out our full cupcake recipe collection here:

For more decadent desserts, check out our full dessert recipe collection here: