Vegan Red Velvet Cupcakes

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(from 41 reviews)
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Vegan Red Velvet Cupcakes

Hello friends, hope you all had a wonderful Christmas, happy New Year and a lovely Pongal! I know that I went missing again but back with a decadent vegan red velvet cake recipe! As I have mentioned before I'm trying to cut back on baking to get back on a healthy lifestyle. I have to do this because I completely lack self-control when it comes to sweets. So I have decided to cut it at the source itself!

Vegan Red Velvet Cupcakes

During Christmastime I got an order to bake some cupcakes. Initially, I was requested to make egg free red velvet cupcakes but I told them that I haven't tried it so far and will stick to vanilla and chocolate itself. Actually, I have been avoiding the red velvet cupcakes all these days because I'm not comfortable using food colors and that too this particular recipe uses so much of it.

Also, it is quite difficult to find a vegetarian red food color. But being the baking enthusiast that I am, I did not want to miss the opportunity to try something new. So I started searching the web for a vegan red velvet cupcake recipe and found this in Food.com.

The recipe is all over the internet and supposedly has featured in Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World too. This recipe is quite similar to the vegan chocolate cake recipe I have posted earlier, except that it does not use as much cocoa powder. These vegan red velvet cupcakes were crimson in color instead of bright red and looked more like beet cupcakes. When I try this recipe the next time for my family I'm going to use pureed beets instead of the food color.

This red velvet vegan cupcake recipe can also be used to make vegan red velvet cake. You can bake two layered cake. The recipe should be good enough to bake two 8 or 9 inch round cakes. What special way than to celebrate your special occasion with a vegan red velvet cake with vegan cream cheese frosting! Another interesting idea is to bake them in a mini muffin tin to make cute little red velvet vegan cupcakes. This size will be perfect if you are baking it for small children especially.

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Vegan Red Velvet Cupcakes Recipe

Prep TimeCook TimeMakes
20 Mins17 Mins12 cupcakes
AuthorCategoryMethod
CupcakesBaking
Vegan Red Velvet Cupcakes
4.9 from 41 reviews
Make your special occasions even more special by baking these vegan red velvet cupcakes. Frost it with your favorite frosting and add sprinkles to suit the celebration.
Ingredients:
  • 1 cup Non Dairy Milk (I used almond milk)
  • 1 teaspoon Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 1 1/4 cups All Purpose Flour
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons Cocoa powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon Baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon Baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon Salt
  • 1/3 cup Oil
  • 2 tablespoons Red Food Coloring (make sure that it's vegan)
  • 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon Almond Extract

For Frosting, Check this Vegan Butter cream Icing recipe

Procedure:
  1. Preheat the oven at 350F/180C for 15 minutes. Line a 12 cup muffin tin with paper liners and grease it lightly.
  2. In a medium size bowl, mix together the milk and vinegar allowing it to curdle. This will take about 5 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile in a large bowl sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir in the sugar too.
  4. Once the milk has curdled, stir in the oil, food color and the extracts. Whisk it well to combine.
  5. Make a well in the dry ingredients and slowly add the wet ingredients to it, stirring it until all the ingredients come together. Small lumps are okay. Take care to see that you do not over mix it otherwise you will not get fluffy cupcakes.
  6. Fill each muffin tin 3/4ths full of the batter.
  7. Bake it for about 16-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cupcake comes out clean or with very little crumbs is okay too. Mine were done after 17 minutes.
  8. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let it remain there for 5 minutes. After that remove the cupcakes from the pan and let it cool completely before you can frost it.
Taste:
  1. Since I have not tasted a regular red velvet cupcake before I have nothing to compare this vegan red velvet cupcake with, but I firmly believe that even those who have tasted the original version will love this vegan version too. It doesn't taste very "chocolaty" or doesn't have an overpowering vanilla flavor either. The original recipe uses some chocolate extract, which as the author suggests makes this cupcake stand out. I was not able to find it though.
My Notes:
  1. My red velvet cupcakes looked more like purple Velvet cupcakes. I think I should have used the entire bottle (28ml) of red food color instead of just the 2 tablespoons. The color of the cake depends upon the brand of food color you use. Mine looked more like cupcakes made with beets, which actually is a very good alternative for the red food color.
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Suggested Reading: Eggless Red Velvet Oreo Cake
Vegan Red Velvet Cupcakes

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207 COMMENTS

  1. Karuna Nair

    If I were to make this recipe in an 8 in cake tin how long should I bake it for?

    • Madhuram

      I’m thinking 23-25 minutes.

  2. Bummed Out BakerRecipe: Velvet Cake (Vegetarian)

    […] Adapted from Vegan Red Velvet Cupcakes Recipe. […]

  3. T. Hill

    Can you make the recipe without almond extract?

    • Madhuram

      Yes, of course.

  4. Archana Pradeep

    Hi Madhu,
    Earlier while i stayed in Germany, i was trying all ur recipes and enjoyed eating them. also posted comments too. now that we have moved to india, my baking has come down alot.. also noticed that my email id has not listed in ur website. however now wish to again retry this red velvet cake. could u please let me know the amount of beets to be substituted and in what form to be added?
    thank you.

    • Madhuram

      Yes, your name sounds familiar Archana. Thank you very much. Maybe you can try this vegan beet chocolate cake instead.

  5. Subasri

    Can I use butter instead of oil?

    • Madhuram

      Yes, you can.

  6. Lauren

    This recipe looks wonderful but what oil is best to use?

    • Madhuram

      Any neutral flavor oil of your choice, Lauren. Vegetable oil, sunflower oil, canola oil or avocado oil which is my choice.

  7. Shanah

    Was the all purpose flour bleached or unbleached and will it make a difference?

    • Madhuram

      It won’t make any difference Shanah.

  8. manu

    Can I substitute flour with whole wheat flour? Also how much will it take 2 bake it as a cake?

    • Madhuram

      You can try it with whole wheat pastry flour instead. Use the same quantity as the cupcakes but you will have to bake it as two 8/9 inch cakes or one 9×13 inch cake.

  9. Janhavi Deshpande

    I tried your recipe. I used regular milk though. It didn’t curdle, so I whisked yogurt and half of milk+vinegar mix. Still it came out pretty good. Thank you so much for wonderful recipe.

    • Madhuram

      You’re welcome Janhavi 🙂

  10. Ashley

    I make this recipe over and over! My friends and family love it!

    • Madhuram

      Thanks Ashley.

  11. Allison K

    What kind of food colouring did you use? Gel or the drop stuff? (yes I know, vegan/vegetarian)

    • Madhuram

      The drop one Allison.

  12. Ami

    How big a cake pan do you need to use the exact same recipe and get no left over or no need to make more?
    PS, I tried beet juice, but it didn’t work. How do you juice a beet to get the juice?

    • Madhuram

      A 9×13 inch pan or two 8-inch pans should work if my guess is correct. I once tried buying canned beets and blended it and used the puree. It doesn’t get red though. More like a dark violet cake.

    • Monica

      You have to purée it in a magic bullet or a juicer. If you juice it you’ll need to watch the liquid you add to the batter and trade out some of the water for it.

  13. Kiran

    Used the exact measurements and they came out perfect, thanks for the recipe !

    • Madhuram

      You’re very welcome Kiran.

  14. Ina Shah

    Can I use cow milk? If yes, with fat or without fat? And can I bake cupcakes in air fryer in silicon cups?

    • Madhuram

      Yes you can use dairy milk, fat or non-fat. What is air fryer? I have only baked in an electric oven. So not sure how it will turn out.

  15. Sheetal

    It’s been 10min my milk did not curdle so I added one more teaspoon apple cider vinegar still it did not curdle…

    • Madhuram

      Weren’t you able to see a different texture in the milk? It’s quite strange then.

      • Spela

        My milk never curdled either, and I have used this recipe a few times already (I tried cow milk, lactose-free milk and soy milk, one at a time of course). I asked my grandma what could be wrong and she told me that you have to heat up the milk and then add vinegar. I tried and it worked (with lactose-free milk), I just had to cool it to a room temperature after.
        Off topic: I LOVE THIS RECIPE, I just leave the red colouring out and make delicious brownies/cupcakes.

        • Madhuram

          That’s great to know Spela. Thanks for the tip too. But either way it should work because of the vinegar. 🙂

        • Sheetal Totloorker

          Yes you are right Spela, that is exactly what I did and it worked. Thanks

  16. Sheetal

    Can I use white distilled vinegar instead of Apple cider vinegar?

    • Madhuram

      Yes you may Sheetal.

  17. Jaya

    I have rice vinegar. Can I use it instead of apple cider?? Also can you suggest a replacement for Egg replacer powder. It’s not available here.

    • Madhuram

      I haven’t used rice vinegar before so not able to guess. The replacement depends upon the recipe and will vary accordingly.

  18. jacqueline bobcombe

    Awesome it comes out light and fluffy I did not believe there were no eggs, I tried one with eggs and this came out lighter, thanks

    • Madhuram

      Thanks Jacqueline.

  19. Marta

    Can I use normal dairy milk in the recipe? I only need it egg free for birthday party. The rest is fine.

    • Madhuram

      Yes you can Marta.

  20. gayathri

    As a cake what will be the baking timings?

    • Madhuram

      I’m thinking about 25-35 minutes. Test it as you go.

  21. Prachi

    Hi, I am planning to make this red velvet cake (not vegan though). I usually use King Arthurs cake flour to make cakes. Should I replace it with the same quantity or should i decrease it ?
    Or making it with all purpose flour is a better idea rather than the cake flour ?

    • Madhuram

      I think it’s better that you use all-purpose flour itself. Recently I baked the eggless plain vanilla cake with cake flour instead of all-purpose flour, which has vinegar too in the recipe like these cupcakes and the cake was too fluffy/crumbly. If you are planning to cut/decorate make it into fancy cake it might not hold it’s shape. It should be ok for straight forward filling and frosting.

  22. Bharat Jadav

    Hii Ma’am!
    I love these cupcakes! I make them quite frequently and all my friends at office loves it 🙂
    I am following your blog for 2-3 months and simply love it …Thanks a lot.

    • Madhuram

      You’re very welcome Bharat.

  23. Linda Nicholas

    This cupcake was the bomb – came out fantastic and tasted great

    • Madhuram

      Thanks Linda 🙂

  24. Kbuch

    My milk would not curdle, is this because I was using 2% milk?

    • Madhuram

      Probably. Maybe it needs more vinegar to curdle it.