Vegan Red Velvet Cupcakes

This one-bowl vegan Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting recipe makes cakes that are so moist, fluffy and delicious that nobody would ever guess that they're vegan. They're super quick, easy and dairy free.

Vegan Red Velvet Cupcakes

If you've never tried them before, you might be asking yourself, What do red velvet cupcakes taste like?

Red Velvet is not just cake that's been colored red.

The flavor comes from the mix of vinegar, buttermilk and cocoa powder.

It tastes deliciously of a mildly chocolatey vanilla cake, with a bit of acidity and that vibrant trademark red color.

The acid reacts with the cocoa to create a reddish hue, which is then made more vibrant with food coloring.

This chemical reaction is where the magic happens. 

It's hard to pinpoint that irresistable flavor (vanilla, chocolate?), but trust me, it's tasty.

It's a velvety smooth cake in a fun colour and a delicious indulgence.

Why you should make these Vegan Red Velvet Cupcakes

• Easy one bowl recipe
• Rich, moist and flavorful 
• If you loved my vegan chocolate cake you'll love these cupcakes. 
• Perfect with my quick and easy vegan cream cheese frosting for a classic red velvet taste. 
• They're delicious and perfect for birthdays, special occasions or a lovely treat. 
• They're dairy free cupcakes.
• This is an eggless red velvet recipe.

Red Cupcakes

Some recipes simply dye white cake red for red velvet.

Those ones look super bright red. Frighteningly so.

But to truly make red velvet cupcakes, you need to add cocoa powder.

That results in a richer, deeper hue, and also gives it the perfect flavor.

Tips for Vegan Red Velvet Cupcakes

• You'll need to use gel food dye, rather than liquid. The color of liquid won't work as well.
• Be sure to check that your food dye is vegan. Most are nowadays, but glance at the ingredients list to be sure that it doesn't contain cochineal or carmine. 
• As someone who makes a lot of desserts with vegetables, you'd think that I'd have used beets instead of food dye. Well, I haven't because I know through much trial and error that the beet colour usually cooks out in cakes, so the outside is coloured but the inside is beige! I will keep trying different methods and hopefully will bring you a vegan beet red velvet cake soon. 
• For the pretty red crumbs (that classic red velvet look), you’ll need to sacrifice one of those precious cupcakes. Take one and use your fingers to rub the cake into crumbs. You won’t need the whole thing, so feel free to have a sneaky taste test with some of the sacrificed cupcake. I won’t tell anyone.

Frosting Suggestions

• I used my Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting. They go perfectly together!
• Other frostings that would work are Vegan Chocolate Frosting.  

Storage Tips

• Keep them in an airtight container for up to 4 days. 
• Once frosted with my vegan cream cheese frosting, they should be kept in the fridge (for up to 5 days). 

How to make vegan red velvet cupcakes

This one bowl recipe couldn't be easier!

Just follow this simple step by step tutorial and then head down to the recipe card for the full instructions. 

1: Add the vinegar to the soy milk and set aside for a few minutes for it to thicken slightly and turn into vegan buttermilk.
2: Add the oil, vanilla and food colouring to the buttermilk mixture and mix well.

Note: Be sure to use gel coloring, not liquid for best results. 

3: Sift in the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder and bicarb of soda (baking soda). 
4: Stir gently until combined.
5: Spoon into the muffin pan and bake for 15 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. 

You can then let them cool completely and frost with vegan cream cheese frosting!

More Vegan Cake Recipes

Be sure to check out some of my other vegan cake recipes: 
Vegan Chocolate Cake
Vegan Vanilla Cake
Vegan Lemon Cake
Vegan Victoria Sponge Cake
Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes
Vegan Chocolate Donuts

Get the Vegan Red Velvet Cupcakes Recipe

Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out for you!
Leave a comment and star rating below and share a picture on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook with the hashtag #veggiedesserts.

Thanks for checking out my recipe! I love hearing from my readers. You all allow me to do what I love and write this food blog, sharing vegetarian recipes, vegan recipes, vegetable cake recipes, vegan cake and also easy vegan desserts.
Kate x

📖 Recipe

Vegan Red Velvet Cupcakes

Kate Hackworthy | Veggie Desserts

This one-bowl vegan Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting recipe makes cakes that are so moist, fluffy and delicious that nobody would ever guess that they're vegan. They're super quick, easy and dairy free.

4.86 from 14 votes

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 12

Calories 176 kcal

Ingredients

 

• 200 ml (¾ cup) soy milk (or almond, oat, rice milk etc)
• 4 teaspoon white vinegar (or apple cider vinegar or lemon juice)
• 75 ml (⅓ cup) vegetable oil (canola, rapeseed or other flavorless oil)
• 3 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoon red food colouring paste/gel *see note
• 200 g 1 ¾ cups plain (all purpose) flour
• 2 ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon bicarb of soda (baking soda)
• 150 g (¾ cup) sugar
• 2 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

Frosting

• 1 batch Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 180C (350F) and line a 12 cup muffin tray with paper cases.
• In a large mixing bowl, stir the soy (or other non-dairy) milk and vinegar together and set aside for 5 minutes to turn it into vegan buttermilk.
• Add the oil, vanilla and food colouring to the milk mixture and mix well.
• Sift in the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, bicarbonate of soda and baking powder and gently combine.
• Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cases until each is ¾ full, then bake in the oven for 15 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tray for 10 minutes, then carefully move each cupcake to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

Frosting:

• When completely cooled, decoratively frost with Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting

To decorate:

• For the pretty red crumbs (that classic red velvet look), you’ll need to sacrifice one of those precious cupcakes. Take one and use your fingers to rub the cake into crumbs. You won’t need the whole thing, so feel free to have a sneaky taste test with some of the sacrificed cupcake. I won’t tell anyone.

Notes

**Nutrition calculated without frosting** The nutritional information provided is approximate and is created with online calculators. Info will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Tips:

• You'll need to use gel food dye, rather than liquid. The color of liquid won't work as well.
• Be sure to check that your food dye is vegan. Most are nowadays, but glance at the ingredients list to be sure that it doesn't contain cochineal or carmine. 
• Keep them in an airtight container for up to 4 days. 
• Once frosted with my vegan cream cheese frosting, they should be kept in the fridge (for up to 5 days). 

Nutrition

Calories: 176kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 2gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 5gSodium: 36mgPotassium: 160mgSugar: 13gVitamin A: 65IUVitamin C: 1.2mgCalcium: 72mgIron: 1.1mg

The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors, so is not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietician for special diet advice.

Tried this recipe?Mention @kateveggiedesserts or tag #veggiedesserts! I love seeing your recreations.