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Blue Velvet Cupcakes – No food coloring needed!

blue velvet cupcakes

People love Red Velvet.

But why does it have to only be red velvet? What about green velvet, purple velvet, or—dare I say it—blue velvet? When I was asked to make cupcakes for a boy baby shower, I figured it was the perfect opportunity to try my hand at blue velvet cupcakes. However, two problems existed: One, I wanted the cupcakes to be natural (no blue food coloring). And two, I didn’t have a healthy chocolate cupcake recipe!

EDIT: There is finally now also a  Healthy Red Velvet Cupcake Recipe.

blue cupcakes

Experiments are always fun when they include chocolate, because you get to eat the not-so-perfect trials. (Fortunately and unfortunately for me, I got this cupcake recipe right on the first try.)  At first, I’d planned to use a recipe straight from the cookbook, VCTOTW. But as I worked, I changed it up completely!

Blue Velvet Cupcakes

(healthy and low-fat!)

  • 1 cup spelt or white flour
  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder
  • 3/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 3/4 cup sugar of choice
  • 1 and 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup yogurt (I used SoDelicious plain coconut)
  • 3 tablespoons canola oil or melted coconut oil
  • 1/2 cup milk of choice
  • 1/2 cup blueberries (60 grams)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mash or puree the blueberries (or just leave ’em whole). Mix dry ingredients, then add in wet. Don’t overmix. Pour into 12 cupcake liners, and bake 22-24 minutes. The blueberries didn’t exactly turn the cupcakes blue; but they are blue in spirit… and when you bite into one, you can see the blue from those lovely–and antioxidant-packed–berries.

Click for notes about a fat-free version.

blue velvet cupcake

Since I wasn’t really a guest at the shower, I didn’t eat one of the final-product cupcakes. However, I did eat an unfrosted one (straight out of the oven) that morning as part of my breakfast! Someone had to be a taste-tester, right?

The Icing on the Cake

2013 EDIT: I frosted the cupcakes with Pillsbury (surprisingly vegan), but if I were to make them again I would use my new favorite frosting of choice: Vegan Cool Whip. Just add a blueberry or two for a vibrant frosting.

Published on May 16, 2011

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129 Comments

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  1. Carrie (Moves 'N Munchies) says

    AHHHH yo u have created a new THING girl! i can see this going far! i mean who ever started red velvet? whynot BLUE! love it!

    yes i defs wnt kids! i think at least…. i know i wnt to name my girl Aubrey or Aubree

  2. Kaysie says

    that is so funny that you posted this! I love red velvet cake… so much so that I told my pastry chef friend to make “blue velvet cake” for my baby shower in a few weeks cause I am having a boy! Great minds think alike 😉

  3. Liz @ Tip Top Shape says

    I am definitely looking forward to being a mom. Don’t want to be one in the near future, but I’m looking forward to having the husband and family. As for names, I want to name a daughter Vivien. Other than that, no clue. I think I’ll let my husband decide. lol

  4. Emily says

    Ah I don’t know about kids. I always said I didn’t want them and I still don’t… But who knows, maybe in the very distant future I will. If I DID had a baby, I would have to name her Grace. And yes it would have to be a girl. See? So not ready for kids.

  5. Eric Jaffa says

    In the early 1990s I collected versions of the song, “Blue Velvet.”

    It was before MP3s, and so I bought the whole CD for each recording (and got to listen to other songs performed by the artist.)

  6. Jennifer JCD says

    Oooh, blue velvet, now that’s my kind of cupcake!

    As for kids, I love them, I really do, but my husband and I have decided not to have any of our own. I teach Brownies and volunteer with kids as much as possible so I can get my kid ‘fix’ every week. 🙂

  7. Jamie aka "Sometimes Healthy" Girl says

    Blue velvet cupcakes. How clever! I just happen to have blueberries in the fridge right now so maybe I should give this recipe a shot?! I hope to have kids one day but right now, it sounds so scarrrrrry. I will name my baby after a country, fruit or a piece of food 😉

  8. Jess @ Keeping It Real Food says

    Love this recipe!

    I tell myself that if I want to have kids, I should probably try to do it by 35, but that’s only ten years from now! I’ll be done with my masters and RD-training in a little less than two years, so I figure that will be a good time to check back in.

  9. Angela says

    Mmmmmm…looks delicious. I can’t wait to try them out.

    I already have one child (Elli) who is 8 months. I would love to have at least one more. She has a healthy appetite and so far loves everything. A future taste-tester will be fantastic for me.

  10. Lauren @ Healthy Food For Living says

    Beautiful cupcakes! I appreciate that you didn’t resort to using food coloring.

    I absolutely want to have kids… and hopefully sometime soon. My husband and I have been married for two years, I’m two years shy of 30, and we’re settled in this area – it’s time ;). I like Jack for a boy, and Lily for a girl. I used to love the name Isabella, but there are so many now thanks to Twilight!

  11. Cait @ Beyond Bananas says

    Blueberries sound so good in a cupcake!

    I do not have children yet (well.. I mean.. by birth. I consider my 17 students to all be my children ;))
    I definitely want them someday though! I can’t wait to be a mother!

  12. Gabriela @ Une Vie Saine says

    Being a mom is my biggest life goal. I love kids and can’t wait to raise my own! I’d love three- two boys and a girl. Because I think boys are easier to raise during the teen years, but I’d still love a girl to have the mother-daughter bond with!!

  13. Lauren says

    These are so pretty, love the icing! I definitely want to have kids, probably somewhere in the next 5-10 years. My husband and I are those crazy people who have already named all our children like waaaayyy before they’re born! HAHA! Who knows if we’ll stick with them once they’re actually born, but we’ll see I guess! 🙂

  14. Lilly says

    I have always wanted to me a mom, since I can remember! Maybe adoption, maybe kids of my own, but def being a mommy in the future.

  15. Laura says

    I’ve always wanted to a mother. I played with dolls until I was 15 years old, and on my 14th christmas I got a real babies pram to play with with my ‘babies’. Crazy. I love alot of names, espescially girls. Clara, Eden, Cadence, Talullah, Georgie, Jazelle, Hanna, Lucie….okay, yes i’ll stop- there are loads. My mum is called Claire though so i’m hoping to call my first daughter Clara. As for boys names I really like Robert, Leo, and Louis! 🙂

  16. Laura @ Sprint 2 the Table says

    Katie! Where were you when I was making my BFF’s baby shower cake?! she’s having a boy and I made a Strawberry Chantilly. Bright pink. Haha! It was good though!

    If you can vegan-ize it and make it blue, I’ll be forever impressed/indebted/will bring it to her son’s birth. His name will be Jackson – isn’t that cute?!

    I don’t want kids, but my bestie’s child is going to be “mine.” He’s already the recipient of a running stroller for me to cart him around in. 🙂

    • Chocolate-Covered Katie says

      LOL maybe I should’ve made your strawberry dessert for this baby shower. The doctor says the girl is having a boy, but my mom swears she is going to have a girl b/c of how she’s carrying her belly.

  17. Jenny says

    I almost thought that the frosting on the cupcakes had been coloured blue by the pureed blueberries in the recipe, haha! I was thinking “Wow, those must’ve been some funky-coloured blueberries…” 😛

    I’d definitely like children, but have never thought about baby names! I used to be horrified at the idea of having children, but I guess something changed along the way.

    I love the little blue “pearls” you put on the cupcakes! Makes ’em look so professional. Very nice touch!

  18. Bianca- Vegan Crunk says

    Cute! Your photos are gorgeous, and good idea using blueberries for a natural coloring! As for kids, not a fan. But I’m an only child, so I feel like I have to procreate at some point to carry on the family legacy or whatever. If I had a brother or sister to do that duty, I would totally never have one. But I guess I should someday. I’m putting that off until the last possible second though. At least if I do have a kid, it’ll be a vegan kid, and those are way cooler.

  19. tracey says

    Hi Katie,
    Sorry to hear of the passing of sweet Molly.

    On a more sweet note… have you ever made a single serving brownie? Searched but didn’t see one on your blog. I just had a sweet baby girl, Evelyn Ruth, so my baking time is limited. I am loving the single serving recipes for a quick healthy treat with easy clean up.
    I am going to use the cookie recipe (to create a brownie) and add some cocoa…wish me luck!
    🙂 Tracey

    • Chocolate-Covered Katie says

      I haven’t done brownies yet :(. I am a chocolate-covered disgrace; I don’t even have a NON-single brownie recipe posted here! Hard to believe, right?
      Luckily, I am planning to at least post a blondie recipe later this week. Perhaps brownies need to follow soon after!

      Oh, and good luck!

  20. Heidi @ Food Doodles says

    Yum! Blue velvet sounds awesome. Although I don’t remember ever having red velvet anything, haha. I already have kids. I never really wanted kids but now that I have them I would never ever even think about wanting to go back. It really is the greatest joy in my life 🙂

  21. Lenna says

    Lovely recipe! Well, I don´t think about having kids now or in any near future, but who knows what life brings…oh, I am speaking like my grandma:))

  22. Holly @ The Runny Egg says

    I don’t have kids but I do want at least 1 but hopefully 2. I used to want 5 or 6! Yikes. I have a few names that I do like — I like Molly or Marjory for a girl and Jack for a boy 🙂

  23. bitt of raw says

    I realize the bottom of the cake doesn’t have the food coloring, but you used some on the top, right? Or did just the blueberries make that color? Blueberries always dye everything purple not blue unfortunately.

    Vegan Cupcakes is a great book!

  24. Averie (LoveVeggiesandYoga) says

    One of the sweetest, nicest, most giving women and mothers I know is a lady named Gardenia. I think it’s a beautiful name!

    I never wanted children. At all!!! Until I was about 27-28. Then my clock started ticking so loudly that it boomed. I told Scott i HAD to be pregnant. Like yesterday. And a month later, I was. And the rest is history 🙂

    • Julie says

      Averie you sound like me. I want kids so bad right now that I cry over cute kids on commercials, my heart aches, I dream about it, I talk about it a lot, and then my husband goes to work and talks about it too. We’ve chosen Aurora for our first daughter, and Camden for our first son.

      We knew we were getting closer to being ready for kids when the screaming kids in grocery stores no longer annoyed us 🙂

      Katie, so funny that you chose blue velvet. I hate the color red, and always said that if I ever get around to making red velvet cake, I would make it blue.

  25. Emma (Sweet Tooth Runner) says

    BLUE velvet?! I love it you are a GENIUS!! These are PERFECT cos I am a huuuuge blueberry fan, and obviously I like chocolate a little bit too 😉

    I want a whole LITTER of children hehe! I like names based from people I love! So the name Katie is a firm favourite 🙂

    • Chocolate-Covered Katie says

      Wow, Emma, this comment actually made me cry! And in a good way, of course. I just can’t believe how sweet you are!
      Also, I used to want to name my daughter Emma. No joke. But then Friends had to come along and make the name trendy… so now everyone is named Emma LOL! I guess everyone knows what a good name it is!

      • Catherine says

        Oh my gosh, me too! I loved the name Emma and was so mad when Rachel named her baby that, because I knew there would be many to follow. But I still think it’s a beautiful name.

  26. Faith @ lovelyascharged says

    I definitely could be perfectly happy never having kids. I think working in the preschool ruined them for me! I may be able to handle one – years down the road, of course – but I’m not exactly overflowing with maternal instincts, so I’d have to come a long way from where I am right now to consider it!

  27. Stephanie @ StephSnacks says

    I think you’ve outdone yourself this time! They are so cute! I think one day I would love to have children, but for right now, I am happy to be a career gal 🙂

    • Chocolate-Covered Katie says

      Maybe if you didn’t use the cocoa, the blue from the blueberries would be more prominent? (Add an equal amount more flour for the omitted cocoa powder.) I can’t really think of any other ways… except to make your guests wear blue-tinted glasses ;).

  28. Ragnhild says

    Wow, those cupcakes are soo cute!
    I really want a family someday, but first I need to find a good houstband 😉 I love names from The Bible, like Benjamin (my favorit), Lucas and Noah

  29. Renée says

    I don’t really plan on having kids, but I’ve always loved the name Aurora for a girl. I don’t know what name I’d like for a boy though. I think of names I like all the time but none of them have stuck with me enough to remember them!

  30. Stephanie says

    I must be an odd one as I’ve never wanted kids. Just happy to be childfree and spoil my nieces and nephews and of course, my furry boy. I’m 37 now and still no tick tock.

  31. Luciana says

    Those are too cute! Adding the blueberries was a great idea!
    I want one kid. I’m so set on that I’ll probably end up with identical triplets or something. My husband and I can never agree on names! We both want something not too popular, but not completely made-up, either. We like Autumn for a girl, but what if she’s born in the summer?

  32. Jess says

    this is a great idea since i have everything on hand for once, i might try it this weekend. i love cupcakes 🙂

    Also, yeah thinking about kids, certainly not now, for two reasons, but hopefully later, depending on what options are available. I have my heart set on at least one girl, because I want to name a child after my favorite anime character, Tima. I also like Antonella, which is my beef’s sister’s name. For a boy, I have a solid Charles; I’m unsure what else I would like.

  33. Eleanor@eatinglikeahorse says

    All I’ve got in my head is that really ancient song Blue Velvet by Bobby Vinton, “she wore bluuuuuuueeee velvet, ooh, ooh ooooooh” 🙂
    I know it’s weird but I don’t want children. I love my nephew, goddaughter and friends’ kids and really enjoy having them and being around them – but don’t want my own!
    If I ever did though, I love Saffron or Siena for a girl and George for a boy.
    Hope you’re feeling better x

    • Chocolate-Covered Katie says

      Haha there was a Xerox commercial once, where they sang: “She wore… brown.” It was that song. And then they had a bunch of other color songs where they replaced “brown” (in a monotone voice) with all the colors as if to say, if the color is messed up, it doesn’t work very well. It was the funniest commercial!

  34. Sam says

    I definitely would like to have children – some day. My fiance and I are getting married next summer and I would like to enjoy a few years of “just the two of us” before we think about kids. I always thought I would want two, but one might be nice as well. I guess we’ll see what happens when we get there! As for names – I have no idea!

  35. Mary @ Bites and Bliss says

    I’d love to try blue velvet! I’m all for blueberries. 🙂 They look beautiful, too!!

    I’d love to have kids someday. I think 2, maybe 3..4 TOPS would be nice. 🙂

  36. Dawn @ Blonde on a Mission says

    What about a healthy chocolate cupcake with pink frosting in the centre? So I’ll know who to call when I’m having a baby shower for myself 🙂 waaaaay down the road though. I would love to have a girl someday, but I don’t know what I’d name her…yet.

  37. Angel says

    I always wanted kids. A bunch of kids. Used to daydream about what I’d name them. I am BLESSED beyond words to have a bunch of them now. I hesitate to say on a blog how many I have because sometimes other people’s responses are downright rude in response. However, as my husband and I absolutely believe these children are blessings and we are thrilled to have them, I’ll gladly tell you we have eight. Yes. I said eight. Seven boys and one girl. I would not trade my LOUD, busy, crazy life for anything. I will also say to any of you reading to ENJOY your children – the years FLY by. Some days seem like years, but I guarantee you, you will blink and YEARS will have flown by.

  38. Meghan @ StruggleMuffins says

    I’m just getting caught up on bloggery after having been away all weekend and first wanted to say I’m sorry for your loss. I completely know what it feels like to lose a dog – they’re every bit as much a ‘family member’ as the parents, siblings, etc. But onto happier things – cupcakes! These look divine, and I love the idea of blue velvet, although I can’t hear ‘blue velvet’ without thinking ‘blue steel,’ which of course brings me to Zoolander, which of course brings a smile to my face. Sorry for the total stream of consciousness here, and thank you for the lovely cupcake inspiration 🙂

  39. Noya - gluttonandstudent says

    blueberries and chocolate sounds amazing! it reminds me of Trader Joe’s powerberries, which I’m pretty sure I can inhale in an hour.

    I definitely want kids, but not now! As of the moment, I want a big family considering how lonely it was growing up as an only child. But I know that number is going to reduce after having one kid.

  40. Beth @ naturallyyoursbeth says

    These look so cute…I bet everyone loved them! Not to mention I def took a little looks at that red velvet pancake recipe 🙂

  41. McKayla @ Green Groats says

    What beautiful and yummy cupcakes! I love blueberries!

    I think I’ll want children someday, but it’s not something I think a whole lot about right now. I’ve got time. I have not thought about baby names in a while either. I did, however, name my sister when I was 2. My parents read the name Skyler out of a baby name book, and from then on I went around saying, “my baby’s name is Skyler,” so my parents were forced to name her Skyler! We call her Sky for short!

  42. Moni'sMeals says

    this is great Katie! Your photography again is just stellar! I will make these for sure.

    Yes, I want kids…ideally in 1-2 years. No must plans but that is just ideal as we are soooo busy right now. 🙂

  43. Tara says

    I never really understood why everyone was obsessed with red velvet cake. Isn’t it just a fancy way to make chocolate cake? This blue velvet is way more exciting, plus it has bloobs in it! Yay!
    I want to have a son and name him Miles. My parents will probably hate me for naming my son after a running term, but I like it!

  44. kaila @ healthyhelper blog! says

    Mmmm blueberries and chocolate sound heavenly together! I alwaaays have to taste stuff before I give it to other people….gotta make sure it tastes good right!?! 🙂

  45. Stephanie says

    Oh yum. I kind of want to make a fruit-sweetened version of these, minus the frosting. I feel like mashed banana would taste really good with the chocolate and the bloobs. Hah, let’s see how far away from the original recipe we can get, right? 😉
    Btw I hope you’re doing well after what happened with your doggie. I’m still thinking about you and Molly will always be in my prayers <3

  46. Lauren says

    We named our son, Alexander Keaton, after Michael J Fox’s character on Family Ties. My husband’s parents nicknamed him Alex P Keaton growing up because he was always scheming to get money. 🙂

  47. Kat @ Cupcake Kat says

    These cupcakes look incredibly delicious. There’s a bakery in my town that makes green velvet cupcakes around st.patty’s day. Why limit it to just one color? Colors are fun!

  48. melissa @ the delicate place says

    i absolutely loathe the movie blue velvet but i read on because of the scrumptious looking cupcake haha! i’m really impressed with the color using natural dye in the fruit! bravo!

  49. Pure2raw twins says

    Beautiful photos Katie!! Love the popping blue color frosting.

    Oh yes I want kids, probably two.

  50. BroccoliHut says

    I definitely want to be a mom someday too! Just like wedding plans, I’ve been thinking about baby names for years:)

  51. Nina says

    I’d love it be able to pick that cupcake off the screen. Looks devine!
    Another recipe I need to make. Blimey, my list is getting pretty long!

    As for childrens names. We have three and choosing names was not an easy task. You not only need to like the name but, of course, your partner does too. Names he liked I did not, or names I liked he’d known someone by that name and didn’t want that association forever more. You’d think 9 months would well and be well and truly enough time to choose a name but it’s just not that easy.
    We liked the name Xander (from ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’) but didn’t want Alexander, as it’s always shortened to Alex and he have one of those in the exttended family. So we settled on Zander (pronounced ‘Zarnder’, as I’m British and ZAnder felt forced). Then came Anya (yes also from Buffy) and by the time our little boy Drew was born it was almost a given it would be another ‘Buffy’ name. Mind you it’s not as though so many other names around either appealed or weren’t already horribly popular.
    We do, occasionally, have complete strangers ask if we are Buffy fans, once they hear us call to 2 of our children. 🙂 That’s ok. We like the names and I think they will endure. 🙂

  52. Ryan @ Aloha Appetite says

    You’re so fun and basically the master craftswoman of desserts. The cupcakes are beautiful and sound delish!

  53. Katara says

    I seem to be in the minority in NOT wanting children, and I’ve known this since I was eleven years old. It’s good to be clear whether you do or don’t hey, so you can make the decisions that will or won’t bring them into your life? : ) All my friends are in the always wanted camp, with one who has found herself to be infertile, which apparently goes with being gluten intolerant too. : (

  54. J3nn (Jenn's Menu and Lifestyle Blog) says

    That blue frosting is gorgeous! Love the color.

    I have a box of food colorings made with 100% vegetable juice (beets, carrots, etc.) It was expensive, so I haven’t opened it yet, lol.

  55. Helene says

    I love when experiments have surprisingly fantastic results. These cupcakes look amazing! Blueberries are such a great idea! I love to bake with So Delicious coconut milk, creamer, and yogurt, and this recipe lets me use two of the three. Cannot wait to try it!

  56. courtney says

    Those look soooo good!! So going to try them!!
    I for sure want kids!! I still gotta find a man first haha.. Right now my favorite names are ocean and kenyah for girls and Israel and izayiah for boys… Yes spelling is wacky but I like it

  57. Jill Paxson says

    Gorgeous blue color, Katie! I’m sure it was delightful. I will try this with some fresh garden blueberries! Thanks for posting.

  58. Christy says

    hi katie! can you please veganize and healthanize this recipie? its from http://www.abeautifulmess.com heres the recipie:
    Needed: 3 cups all purpose flour, 1/2 cup wheat flour, 1/2 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, a pinch of ground ginger, 1 1/2 cups (cold) butter, 3 eggs and 4 tablespoons water.
    First blend together the flours and butter until the batter is like a coarse grain. I usually do this step in a food processor, but a pastry blender is great too. Then add in the sugars and spices, mix. Add in the eggs and water and use your clean hands to press the dough together. If it still feels too dry add another tablespoon of water. Press into a ball, cover in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. When your ready to fill the crusts simply divide in four and roll out on a lightly floured surface. id really appriciate your help! thanks

  59. Rebekah says

    I have two little girls. One of them is going to a party tomorrow so I am scouring your site for a dessert I can make for her to eat there!

  60. Justin says

    Do you think I could replace the blueberries with raspberries for a ‘red’ velvet cupcake? I’m kind of obsessed with red velvet 🙂

  61. Emily Pulitano says

    I just made these cupcakes (but I used whole grain oat flour, coconut oil and xylitol) for a co workers birthday. Oh my goodness these are awesome! They taste so fudgy and moist. For icing I used your recipe for healthy homemade Nutella and the combo is seriously delicious! Thank you for all your awesome healthy dessert recipes! Emily
    P.S. how do you create baked good recipes and know how much leavening agents/corn starch and egg replacements etc. to use and when???? Very curious!

    • Chocolate-Covered Katie says

      A lot of trial and error at first! After a while, you just start to know, because it’s usually the same proportions (or pretty close). And then you can taste the batters and add extra salt/sugar/liquid if need be, as you’re experimenting. 🙂

  62. Anonymous says

    Hmmm. I’ve always liked the name Samantha. I’d name my first daughter that and then call her same for short.

  63. Melissa says

    Hi Katie!

    Love the sound of the recipe, but if I wanted to make a gluten free version, what flour would you recommend swapping out the white flour for?

    Thanks for all of your yummy recipes!

  64. Mom in Maine says

    Thank you! My son has an egg allergy so I am always looking for recipes that don’t have egg. I just made 60 of these for his birthday party and they were a big hit!

  65. Kylie Keppler says

    Hi Katie!

    We have created a collection of patio blueberry and raspberry plants under the brand BrazelBerries and one of our home gardeners made this recipe using our blueberries! May we link to your recipe in a blog post with her photo? Please let us know, thank you!

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