These vegan red velvet cupcakes are soft and fluffy, just like from a bakery. Made even more delicious topped with a creamy and tangy vegan cream cheese frosting, these cupcakes are perfect for any occasion. You won’t even realise they are completely free from eggs and dairy!
Make sure to also try my vegan red velvet cake or my red velvet crinkle cookies!
Red velvet cupcakes have always been one of my favourite flavours. I think it’s because they feel a little bit more refined than just a simple vanilla cupcake.
This recipe produces cupcakes that are so light and fluffy plus they taste amazing. My non vegan taste testers all agreed it was one of the best cakes to come out of my kitchen and I guarantee you won’t be able to tell that these cupcakes are completely egg and dairy free.
They are also made with real ingredients and nothing fancy that you have to hunt down at the health food store and will probably never use again.
These cupcakes have a super soft and moist texture which is balanced out perfectly by a very generous amount of tangy cream cheese frosting. This frosting is so good I was eating it straight out of the bowl as it tastes just like cheesecake! It may easily become your go to for all desserts from now on.
So, what flavour is red velvet exactly?
The common question that is asked around red velvet cake is, is it a vanilla cake or chocolate cake? And the answer is that it’s both and it is neither.
A red velvet cake has the perfect sweetness of a vanilla cake balanced out with a rich undertone of cocoa. The balance here has to be just right otherwise one flavour dominates the other.
The other key to red velvet is the tang. Using a bit of vinegar in the batter creates not only a chemical reaction which results in a super soft cake, but also balances out the sweetness and again helps shape the flavour profile.
Key Ingredients
These vegan red velvet cupcakes are made with simple, easy to find ingredients that you may already have on hand in your pantry.
Note all ingredients and their quantities are laid out in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Dairy free milk – I usually use almond milk or oat milk when baking but you can use any dairy free milk you like.
- White vinegar – is added to the milk to create a dairy free buttermilk substitute which is essential for red velvet. You can substitute apple cider vinegar or lemon juice instead.
- Plain flour – also known as all purpose flour in the US. I haven’t tested these cupcakes with a gluten free flour blend, but if you do make sure to use a one to one blend that also contains xanthan gum for the best results.
- Cocoa powder – just a little bit gives a subtle chocolate flacour to the cupcakes. We’re using dutch processed cocoa powder.
- Vanilla – the other essential flavour of these red velvet cupcakes. Make sure to use a good quality vanilla extract for the best flavour.
- Baking powder – to give the cakes rise.
- Bicarbonate of soda – also known as baking soda in the US, this is going to react with our ‘buttermilk’ and create a soft, light texture.
- White sugar
- Canola oil – or any light tasting oil, this keeps the cupcake soft and moist.
Equipment & Tools
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- Cupcake / muffin tin – I always recommend using light coloured baking pans as they allow for a much more even heat distribution. My favourite is this USA Pan muffin pan.
- Paper muffin liners – these are the ones I use and honestly they are expensive but they are the best paper liners I’ve used. They will not stick to your cupcakes and are the perfect size giving your cupcakes that professional finish.
- Piping bags – I prefer to use disposable piping bags just to keep clean up super easy.
- Piping tip – you can use any piping tip you like to decorate your cupcakes.
A note on the red food colouring
Keep in mind that if you are vegan or making these for someone who is, that not all red food colouring is vegan as colourings often contain animal by-products. I love Americolor food gels as they are super concentrated and produce beautiful strong hues unlike a lot of others I’ve tried. This is the red gel colouring I use (affiliate link), which is also vegan.
To produce a really vibrant coloured cupcake, you will need to use more dye than you think as the cakes will darken as they cook and the brown colour from the cocoa powder will come through.
For this recipe I used a few drops of the red colour and then let the batter sit for about 5-10 minutes just to let the colour develop a bit so it was stronger. The colour really is only for looks however so if you don’t like the idea of using food dye, simply omit it.
Step-By-Step Instructions
These cupcakes are so easy to make! This recipe actually yields 14 cupcakes rather than 12 so you’ll need 2 muffin/cupcake pans or simply cook the final two after the first batch is done – either works.
Start by mixing the dairy free milk with the vinegar to create your dairy free buttermilk substitute and set aside. Next, combine the flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda in a bowl.
In a large bowl add in the sugar, vanilla and the oil and mix together. You can use a whisk or a hand held electric mixer.
Add the flour mixture a little at a time, alternating with the milk mixture, to the bowl, whisking completely between each addition.
Finally add in your food colouring and mix through until you reach the desired colour.
Add the batter into a prepared muffin tin lined with patty cases, making sure to only fill them up half way. You can use a spoon for this step or I find a cookie scoop makes this a less messy process.
Bake the cupcakes for about 20 minutes or until the tops spring back when lightly pressed. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.
Frosting and decorating: For a the traditional red velvet flavour combination, I am using a knife to spread the tops of the cupcakes with my vegan cream cheese frosting, however you can choose to frost these cupcakes with a vegan vanilla buttercream if you prefer. If you’re using the buttercream, I recommend adding a little lemon juice to give it a slight tang.
I also sacrificed one of the additional cupcakes to break into crumbs for decoration as it looks super pretty, however if you’d prefer not to do this you can use sprinkles for decorating as well. These tiny heart sprinkles (affiliate link) work really well if you’re making these for Valentines Day!
Storing and Freezing
These cupcakes will keep at room temperature for 2-3 days in a cool dry place. As I live in a hot and humid environment, I prefer to store my cupcakes in an airtight container the fridge instead, where they will last up to a week.
You can also freeze the cupcakes frosted or unfrosted for up to three months. Allow the cupcakes to thaw at room temperature or overnight in the fridge before serving.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! This amount of batter can be split between 3 6 inch pans to make a little layer cake which is perfect to serve about 6 people.
If you do make this recipe, please be sure to leave a comment and ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating below! And tag any of your creations on Instagram with @eightforestlane as I would love to see.
More vegan cupcake recipes:
Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes
Cookies and Cream Cupcakes (Vegan)
The BEST Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes
Vegan ‘Snickers’ Cupcakes
Vegan Red Velvet Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the cupcakes:
- 1 cup dairy free milk
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- 2 cups plain flour/all purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda/baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup white sugar/granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup canola oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon red gel food colouring optional
For the cream cheese frosting:
- 250 g vegan cream cheese softened to room temperature
- ¼ cup (60 grams) dairy free butter
- 5 cups icing sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C and line a muffin tin with 12 patty cases, and a second tin with 2 patty cases.
- In a small bowl combine white vinegar and dairy free milk. The milk may split which is fine. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder and salt.
- In a large bowl, whisk together canola oil, sugar and vanilla until combined.
- Slowly add the dry ingredients to the oil and sugar mixture, alternating with the milk until cupcake batter comes together, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
- Add the red food colouring to the batter, if using, and mix through, adjusting until you reach your desired colour. You can let the batter sit for 5 minutes for the red colour to develop further.
- Spoon mixture into patty cases ensuring they are only ½ full before placing them in the oven for 20 minutes or until lightly springy to touch. Let cool completely before frosting.
- Make the cream cheese frosting. Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment fitted, beat dairy-free butter, vegan cream cheese and vanilla for 1-2 minutes until creamy. Add in 2 cups of the icing sugar and beat on medium until combined. Add in the final cup of icing sugar and salt to taste and continue mixing until it reaches a smooth and creamy consistency.
- Place frosting into a piping bag with a round tip and pipe buttercream onto cooled cupcakes.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as a guide only and is calculated using automated online tools, therefore we cannot guarantee the accuracy. We encourage you to make your own calculations based on the actual ingredients used in your recipe.
Carly says
Would this work with apple cider vinegar instead of white vinegar? xx
Sally says
Hi Carly, yes that would work just fine!
Sarah says
Wow I can’t believe these are egg and dairy free, the look amazing! And a treat everyone can enjoy 🙂
Sally says
Thanks Sarah!
Robyn says
These are so beautiful, and what a great idea to make this classic into a vegan cupcake, so everyone can enjoy it!
Sylvie says
Such cute little cupcakes, I love that it is a vegan alternative to the classic red velvet ones! I have never tried a vegan cream cheese but Im really curious to know what it tastes like. Gonna have to give it a go!
Sally says
Thanks! Some brands are definitely better than others so you have to be cautious. The woolworths home brand is inedible, but the Sheese brand is pretty close to the real thing!