Vegan Red Velvet Cake

This vegan red velvet cake has a super moist, subtle chocolatey sponge and sweet cream cheese frosting. Pleasing to the eye and super delicious, this plant based, dairy free cake will impress any guest, vegan or not!

Is Red Velvet Cake Still a Thing? 

The classic red velvet cake was first popularised in the southern US but is now adored just about everywhere. My partner said red velvet cake is dated, in his words it’s ‘so 2013’, whatever that means. Well I disagree, red velvet cake is timeless. I still enjoy the cocoa spiked sponge and it’s pleasantly contrasting sweet cream cheese frosting. And then of course you have that gorgeous colour! The bright crimson red is mildly hypnotic, and definitely fancy, which is what every good cake should strive to be. 

What is the difference between red velvet cake and chocolate cake?

Red velvet cake isn’t simply a chocolate sponge dyed red. The science is different. Yes, we’re going to get a bit technical. Chocolate cake is more dense and uses a lot more cocoa powder and/ or melted chocolate to really get an intense chocolatey taste. Whereas red velvet cake requires buttermilk and bicarbonate of soda. The acid reacts with the baking soda to form air bubbles, and this is what gives the cake it’s unique moistness. The cocoa powder actually acts as more of as softening agent, interesting right? Baking nerds rejoice. 

How do you make red velvet cake vegan?

To veganise the red velvet cake simply replace the butter with vegan butter and the buttermilk with a plant based milk and vinegar/lemon juice. Of course also omit the eggs. There really isn’t anything more fancy or complicated to it. Obviously the quantities of ingredients vary but I’ve done the hard work for you in my recipe below. You will want to add more fat and liquid to a vegan red velvet cake in the form of vegan butter and oat milk; this will ensure the final sponge is soft with a tight crumb. 

To achieve the startlingly red colour, use red food colouring gel and not just food colouring. The red in the water based variety will simply be baked away in the oven leaving you with a dull rust coloured sponge. 

Why did my cake not rise?

Having baking problems? Here are some general tips to help you get a perfect sponge everytime.

• Make sure you use enough baking soda and that is isn’t past its expiry date.  

• Use the right sized tin

• Cream the sugar and butter/ oil well to incorporate air 

• Gently fold the wet and dry ingredients when you combine them. You don’t want to knock out all the air you’ve just worked hard to incorporate. Do not overmix folks!

Leave a comment and let me know how you get on making these Vegan Red Velvet Cake. I would love to see your creations over on instagram! 

more vegan sweet treats 

vegan sticky toffee pudding

chocolate mousse 

vegan blueberry muffins

vegan chocolate orange brownie cookies

Print Recipe

5 from 2 votes

Vegan Red Velvet Cake

This vegan red velvet cake make has a super moist, subtle chocolatey sponge and sweet cream cheese frosting. Pleasing to the eye and super delicious, this dairy free cake will impress any guest, vegan or not!

Prep Time45 minutes mins

Cook Time22 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr 7 minutes mins

Servings: 8

Author: aveggiefeast

Ingredients

For the red velvet cake

• 350 g plain flour
• 300 g caster sugar
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2.5 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 375 ml oat milk unsweetened
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 140 g vegan butter melted
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp red gel food colouring approximately 30 grams *see notes

For the cream cheese frosting

• 200 g vegan cream cheese
• 120 g vegan butter *see notes
• 525 g icing sugar
• 5 tablespoons cornflour

Instructions

• Start by making the vegan buttermilk. Warm the oat milk, whisk in the apple cider vinegar and set to one side.
• Grease and line 3 x 20cm sandwich tins. Pre heat the oven to 200C/ 180C fan.
• In a mixing bowl, sieve the plain flour, caster sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda.
• Add the melted vegan butter, vanilla extract and red gel food colouring to the buttermilk. Whisk well.
• Add the wet ingredients to the dry. Fold the mixture gently until the mixture is just combined.
• Evenly distribute the mixture between the 3 baking tins. Place in the oven for 22-25 minutes. The cake is ready when it is well risen and pulling away from the sides of the tin. A toothpick inserted in the middle should come away with loose, moist crumbs.
• Leave the sponges to cool in their tins for 10 minutes, then carefully turn out onto wire racks and leave to cool completely.
• Meanwhile prepare the cream cheese frosting. Using a stand mixer or electric whisk, cream the vegan butter and vegan cream cheese. Add the sifted icing sugar in thirds, mixing for a minute in between each addition. Once well mixed and smooth, add the cornflour and mix for a further minute. Place in the fridge until you're ready to ice the cake.
• To assemble the cake, level off the 3 sponges with a serrated knife, if necessary. Place one sponge on a cake stand. Add approximately 3tbsp of cream cheese frosting. Spread over the sponge. Layer over the second sponge and repeat the spreading of the cream. Layer over the third sponge. Apply a thin layer of icing over the top and sides of the cake. Pipe over the remaining buttercream and decorate with freeze dried strawberries and red velvet dusting.
• Place in the fridge until ready to serve.

Notes

Use red gel food colouring not just red food colouring to achieve the bright crimson red.

Use a solid vegan butter/baking block, not margarine for the cream cheese frosting. Trex and Stork are brands found in most UK supermarkets and work well in vegan buttercream/ icing.