Small batch vegan red velvet cupcakes! These easy to make cupcakes are moist, full of flavor and made in one bowl. Finished off with a simple dairy free cream cheese frosting that is bound to satisfy your sweet tooth.
These vegan red velvet cupcakes are perfect any day of the year, but they’re obviously red which makes them especially cute for a Valentine’s Day or Christmas dessert!
These vegan cupcakes are so easy to make (hi one bowl recipe!), moist, fluffy with the perfect soft sponge texture. They’re finished off with a vegan cream cheese frosting which is 10/10 if you ask me.
The cupcakes themselves have hints of chocolate from the cocoa powder, vanilla and a *slight* tang from the vinegar, which replaces buttermilk since these cupcakes are completely dairy free and vegan.
They’re colored red with food coloring, but you can easily leave that out and they’ll taste the same. Try my matcha cupcakes or red velvet brownies next!
Ingredients & substitutions
SUGAR. I used regular white sugar, but any kind of granulated sugar will work. You can use coconut sugar for a refined sugar free option, but keep in mind the color and texture will be a bit different.
ALMOND FLOUR. In all of my gluten free and vegan baked goods, I always find that almond flour helps create a more fluffy texture!
For a nut free option, you can sub the almond flour for oat flour.
ALL PURPOSE FLOUR. I used gluten free all purpose flour, but if you are not gluten free, regular AP flour will do.
OIL. Any kind of neutral oil such as sunflower, refined avocado or any vegetable oil will work.
MILK. I suggest soy milk since the higher protein content will give these cupcakes more of a fluffy texture.
FOOD COLORING. You can use either gel or liquid food coloring. If you use gel, you won’t need as much since it is more concentrated.
You can opt to leave out the food coloring, they will taste the same, but will have a light brown color.
Beet root powder is often used as a natural red food coloring which you can use, but the color won’t be as bright.
How to make vegan red velvet cupcakes
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a cupcake tray with liners, this recipe makes 7 cupcakes. Set aside.
Add all wet ingredients (aside from the food coloring) to a large mixing bowl and beat together with an electric mixer.
Add in the dry ingredients, making sure to spoon and level the flour. For the all purpose flour, I find it easiest to measure 1 cup worth, then subtract 2 tablespoons (for 1 batch) which will equal 3/4 cup + 2 tbsp.
I of course used gluten free all purpose flour, but if you are not gluten free, regular will do! Don’t feel like you need to spend 10 dollars on a bag of flour, I wouldn’t if I didn’t have to!
Beat together just until combined but careful not to over mix. Finally, whisk in the food coloring until evenly incorporated.
Scoop into your prepared cupcake tray, filling each about 3/4 of the way full.
Bake for 23-28 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. 25 minutes is perfect in my oven, but all ovens are different.
Cream cheese frosting
To make the frosting, beat together the butter and cream cheese until well incorporated. Beat in the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time until smooth and creamy. Finally, beat in the salt and vanilla.
Once the cupcakes have fully cooled, pipe on the frosting and enjoy! I took one of the cupcakes and used my hands to make crumbs to decorate the rest.
You are welcome to make a regular buttercream frosting by replacing the vegan cream cheese with more butter, but cream cheese frosting is classic with red velvet!
How to store
Because of the cream cheese, frosting, these vegan red velvet cupcakes store best in the fridge. They will keep for about 3-5 days in the fridge.
Without frosting, the cupcakes will keep for 5 days or you can freeze them for up to 2 months. Just let them thaw, then frost and enjoy!
Other cupcakes to try!
Lastly, if you want more recipes straight to your inbox, be sure to subscribe to my email list. As always, tag me on instagram if you make this recipe so I can see your creation!
Vegan Red Velvet Cupcakes
by: claire cary
Ingredients
Wet
- ½ cup granulated cane sugar
- ½ cup soy milk
- 3 tablespoons oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 ½ tablespoons liquid red food coloring or about 1 teaspoon gel food coloring
Dry
- ½ cup blanched almond flour
- ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons all purpose flour I used gluten free
- 4 teaspoons cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
Frosting
- 4 ounces plain vegan cream cheese at room temperature
- ¼ cup vegan butter at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 1/2-2 cups powdered sugar
- pinch of salt
- 1-2 tablespoons non-dairy milk as needed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Line a cupcake tray with liners, this recipe makes 7 cupcakes. Set aside.
- Add all wet ingredients (aside from the food coloring) to a large mixing bowl and beat together with an electric mixer.
- Add in the dry ingredients, making sure to spoon and level the flour. For the all purpose flour, I find it easiest to measure 1 cup worth, then subtract 2 tablespoons (for 1 batch) which will equal 3/4 cup + 2 tbsp.
- Beat together just until combined but careful not to overmix
- Whisk in the food coloring until evenly incorporated.
- Scoop into your prepared cupcake tray, filling each about 3/4 of the way full.
- Bake for 23-28 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. 25 minutes is perfect in my oven, but all ovens are different.
- To make the buttercream, beat together the butter and cream cheese until well incorporated. Beat in the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time until smooth and creamy. Finally, beat in the salt and vanilla.
- Once the cupcakes have fully cooled, pipe on the frosting and enjoy!
kim says
You call for cream cheese and butter in the frosting recipe. What do you use to make the frosting vegan????
Claire Cary says
It’s just vegan cream cheese and vegan butter 🙂
Jess says
OK THESE ARE AMAZING
Technically you only need 1 bowl which is also amazing
The texture is incredible they come out with the perfect outside crisp and the inside is so almost doughy and smooth!
For some strange reason I didn’t have any baking soda so I swapped it for baking powder but tripled it and it worked just fine. I used raw sugar too I’m not sure if I was supposed to but it’s what I grabbed from the pantry. Also
Regardless these are the best red velvet cupcakes I’ve had and they were such a low maintenance process!!!
Claire Cary says
Perfect! So glad they worked without the baking soda! Raw sugar is usually more coarse than other kinds of granulated sugar, but if you didn’t notice that in the texture, then totally fine! So happy you enjoyed these!