Not sure if it’s because Valentine’s Day is around the corner, but this site has been getting lots of hits for vegan red velvet cupcakes this past week. There’s a recipe for red velvet cupcakes, and the word vegan floats around this blog a bit, but there is no recipe for vegan red velvet cupcakes here at the M&C…until now!I love vegans. I love red velvet cake. I love cupcakes.And I just hate to see people land on this site, and not find what they’re searching for. I guess that means I love you!
I compared the red velvet cake recipe in Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World to my Aunt’s recipe for red velvet cake, and the two are virtually identical.In the vegan version, vegetable oil replaces the shortening and eggs, and soy milk replaces the buttermilk. For the cream cheese frosting, margarine replaces the butter, and vegan cream cheese replaces regular cream cheese.Simple!
The resulting vegan cupcakes are super moist – almost a little too moist – due to the vegetable oil, and the frosting is just as good as non-vegan cream cheese frosting. I do prefer the lacto-ovo red velvet cupcakes to the vegan cupcakes, because I think the vegetable oil in the vegan cupcakes changes the original texture of the cake, but that’s not to say I didn’t scarf three of the vegan red velvet cupcakes the second they were frosted!
Vegan Red Velvet Cupcakes
Adapted from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World and my Aunt
Makes about 22 cupcakes
Update: Because some commenters are concerned about the vegan-ness of red dye, let me clarify: some, but not all red food coloring is made from insects. Cochineal/Carmine is made from beetles (sometimes labeled E120). Red #40 is derived from coal. If you’re concerned about ingredients in red dye being vegan or not, just read the label.
Cake
2 cups soy milk
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
4 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup vegetable oil
2 ounces red food coloring
4 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Add vinegar to soy milk, and set aside to curdle.
- Sift flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
- Add vegetable oil, food coloring, and vanilla extract to the curdled soy milk, and mix.
- Pour liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients, and mix.
- Fill cupcake liners ¾ full.
- Bake in a preheated 350° oven for 20 minutes or until done.
Frosting
½ cup margarine, room temperature
½ cup Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 cups confectioners sugar
- Cream margarine, cream cheese, and vanilla extract.
- Slowly mix the confectioner’s sugar into the creamed sugar, and then beat until smooth and fluffy.
- Frost cooled cupcakes.
42 comments:
You probably already know this trick, but you might try solving your texture problem by substituting a few tablespoons of unsweetened applesauce for a few tablespoons of the oil. Thanks for the recipe.
It is a red velvet day!!! I have red velvet on my mind as well--lovely recipe! One of my favorite books.
Gee, how did you ever get that cute little heart on top of the frosted cupcake? ;-) Very lovely looking, my dear!
Katie - Good reminder. I'd definitely try some applesauce next time.
Cakespy - It's red velvet week!
Jenn - Thanks. I cut a heart out of paper to make a stencil
I didn't know what I was looking for until I got here. That is, I thought, "Self, what's a perfect dessert for Valentine's Day?" Now I've found it! Now I just have to figure out the entree part.
Oh! My! Goodness! YUM! I have all the ingredients on hand! I can do that! Thank you! Thank you!
great recipe. I wished I had found it earlier. I recently made some vegan rhubarb cupcakes, but might have enjoyed these instead. I will definitely use the cream cheese frosting int he future.
Generally I've found that vegan cakes tend to go quite stodgy or dry out quite quickly (apart from a lemon drizzle cake that my mum made once - it was moist for days). Anyone know any easy solutions to fix this? This recipe sounds, and looks, amazing. I'm definitely trying these tomorrow, thank you!
This recipe looks fantastic. I am a sucker for Red Velvet cake. Thanks for providing this recipe. I linked it in my blog post, which mentioned Ellen & Portia's vegan red velvet wedding cake.
Keep up the fabulous work!
Cicely
Life Design Event Planning
These are absolutely amazing. Made them for Valentine's Day this past february- teeny tiny versions that I gave to some friends. They were a huge hit, and no one realized that they were vegan until I told them myself. They've been on my mind ever since and I'm making another batch today. Thank you! (:
Interesting! I've never made red velvet cakes before, I should try them!
This recipe was awesome. I was looking to make a cake, rather thank CUPcakes so I just greased two 8" pans, filled them half way, and baked them at 350* F for 30 mins. They turned out great!
I am a proponent of almond milk for baking rather than soy milk. Just a preference. No real above and beyond benefit. I make my own almond milk in the blender with blanched almonds and water. Worked just the same as the soy milk.
Again great recipe. Instead of the heart on the top of my cake, I will add some green color to sugar and do an evergreen silhouette for the holidays. :)
I am definitely going to make these for my daughters 5th Birthday party this month. One question....is their a good substitute for the "food coloring"? Something more on the natural side...beet juice, maybe?
Thanks again!
Shanna - Beet juice turns brownish. While I cannot attest to the redness of natural food colorings since I've never used them, I'd look into bottles of natural/vegan food coloring. While artificial food coloring is tasteless, natural food coloring may impart an unintended taste to the cake. Good luck!
Thank you so much for this recipe...I am one of those who Googled "vegan red velvet cake" because it's Valentine's Day. I've actually (being a lifelong vegetarian) never tasted red velvet cake...but I found these cute little balls http://bakerella.blogspot.com/2009/02/valentines-day-gift-box-of.html (originally they are from bakerella, but I saw them on the posting at Cake Wrecks), and now I am totally craving them... Hopefully I will do the follow-through and have the energy to try them this weekend:)
I made these for my boyfriend and I for Valentine's Day and we LOVED them!!!! They were super moist and delish! Thanks for posting this recipe. I will definitely make them again !!
hi, i made these yesterday for coworkers and they were 1) delicious and 2) a HUGE hit. thanks so much.
Ok, this was awesome. I made mine into a cake in a heart-shaped springform pan and had to bake it for about an hour. The frosting turned out great, too. Didn't have that strange taste that the Tofutti crm. chz. has- it was nice and buttery sweet. You'd really never know that you didn't need eggs or dairy in this.
Thanks for this post! I was trying to find a recipe online for vegan red velvet cake and this is the best one!
The recipe looks great, but I've now learned that (most) red food coloring is made from beetles. What red food coloring did you use?
I found a vegan alternative (http://tinyurl.com/bw9yym) and have ordered some to try out.
Andrew - Always check the ingredients on what you're using, if concerned. Cochineal *is* derived from bugs. Red #40 is derived from coal.
i just made these cupcakes! but without the red food coloring... they were AMAZING. i just have to go get some tofutti cream cheese to make the frosting now! thanks for the recipe (:
I made this a couple of weeks ago, and they were delicious! Thank you for sharing. I gave some to my friends and my Mom, and they all wanted more. I was told that I should bake 2 dozen as a birthday present for a friend. They are hilarious.
Instead of using liquid food coloring, I bought the red soft gel paste food coloring and added only a teaspoon (because it is very concentrated), which is also equivalent to 2 ounces or 1/4 cup.
I'm going to make another batch soon.
red food coloring isn't vegan...it is made out of beatles, you may want to look into that...
Marsilda - Some, but not all red food coloring is made from insects. Cochineal/Carmine is made from beetles (sometimes labeled E120). Red #40 is derived from coal. If you’re concerned about ingredients in red dye being vegan or not, just read the label.
Hi! I too have made this cake, versus cupcakes... it is amazing! so moist and creamy... i can't believe it's vegan! However, I found a really great addition to it that my friend showed me. You just chop up some glazed pecans and drizzle them along the outside of the cake.. or the top of the cupcakes. makes all the difference in the world!!
I made these cupcakes for my grandmother for christmas, she loved them! I also substituted some of the oil for the applesauce. I didn't used 2 ounces of the food dye, just one, but it turned out very bright red anyways. Thanks for the recipe!!
i want to make "blue velvet" cupcakes for a theme party. do you think this recipe would work with blue food dye?
Sophia - Yes, blue will work.
How much frosting does the recipe make? I made the vanilla buttercream and had way to much left over. Will there be a lot left over? Can't wait to try for a co-worker's party. Thanks
Not sure if this suggestion has already been posted, but you could also substitute one cup of ground flax seed for 1/3 cup of oil. I just made them with this substitution and they turned out delicious and with a little bit of a nutty flavor. Thanks for posting this recipe! It's awesome!
hi! i just found your blog and im following it as i post :D ive been ovo-veg& currently vegan since i was 13 (im 21 now) and i just love your blog!
i have celiac and also am sensitive to many dyes, sulpha, corn, processed sugars and dairy so- i am always looking fow ways to make extra tasty treats that both my meat/potatoes boyfriend & i can enjoy together.
Anyways, i wanted to suggest using coconut oil in place of the shortening, since it has zero liquid in it, it adds (virtually) the same amount of moisture as shortening. its also way healthy!
it might help the moistness a bit.
ive also used a few tricks for vegan baking (since i make edibles locally and cater to MM patients with diabetes or food allergies)
1: replace any egg with half a mashed banana ^_^ adds a great natural sweetness and moisture.
2:applesauce instead of oil or butter (when it calls for either of them. but i use coconut oil if it calls for strictly butter)(*just saw someone mentioned this already)
im excited to make this cupcake recipe for a friend birthday on... april 20th ^_^
You're fantastic and have earned a fan!
-Bri (cruelty free since 2003)
Marisilda said... "red food coloring isn't vegan...it is made out of beatles, you may want to look into that..."
John, Paul, George or Ringo?
They better start looking for another source. The supply is half gone.
Best cupcakes ever! I have made them twice now, they came out perfect each time. I didn't change a thing. Oh, and last year at x-mas I baked a cake from this recipe and made cake balls out of it. OMG, they were to die for. A lot of work though. Bake cake, make icing, chill icing, wait for cake to cool, mix cake and icing together, freeze mixture, roll balls, freeze balls, melt dark chocolate, dip balls in chocolate. It's a lengthy process but so worth it.
these are incredible! they can also easily be made gluten free with a few tweaks (http://cookmarked.com/recipe.aspx?eID=kjl7*hBKJLKJ).
will def be making them again. my little cinnamon hearts didn't look nearly as cute as yours though. lol.
Hey Taylor,
Thanks for the recipe.. Can't wait to try it out now after reading all the rave reviews!
One thing I was a little unsure about was the amount of powdered sugar in the frosting.. It seems like quite a bit.. Is that the amount you still use when you make it??
Thanks in advance!
Rachel ;)
I have the Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World cookbook and I cannot find a recipe for Red Velvet! I have searched through it for months looking for one. Am I bind?
Thanks for posting this!
Found them! Under Crimson Velveteen - I am blind lol
I'm not a vegan but a vegetarian and I've been looking for an easy eggless red velvet cake recipe. This was AMAZING. One of the best cakes I've ever had. The only modifications I made were to use regular milk instead of soy and red wine vinegar instead of apple cider because that's what I had on hand. The cake came out very moist, rich, and held together nicely. Way better than what I had at Sprinkles!
Taylor, I admire your patience in continually answering everyone who keeps saying all red food coloring is made from beetles.
Anyways, I ended up following your aunt's recipe instead of this one and just substituted vegan shortening (they make one out of palm oil. You can find it at the health food store) for the regular shortening, soy milk for the buttermilk, and flax seed and water for the eggs (1 tbsp flax seed + 3 tbsp water = 1 egg). The texture turned out great! Thanks! They were very yummy!
I made these with coconut milk. Also did half the red food coloring and it still was beautifully red. I just did 2 tablespoons. Very very yummy!
These cupcakes are so good! I'm eager to bring them places for others to try.
I used almond milk instead of soy milk. Just my preference. And I didn't have any margarine on hand for the frosting, so I used vegetable oil. Needless to say, the frosting turned out a bit on the runny side, but it sufficed.
I discovered this blog post almost a year ago when, like others, I wanted to make a vegan Valentine's Day cake. My 3 year old son is milk protein intolerant... I even made it into a Lightening McQueen cake for his 3rd birthday this summer (left out the red dye and added more cocoa for a chocolate cake base - it took 2x the recipe to make the whole thing!). My most recent alteration was this: left out the cocoa entirely and added about 1/4 c almond meal to replace it and added about 1/3 c "jimmies" - those ice cream sprinkles - to make it a "confetti cake." It made two 8x8 cakes which I cooked for about 32 minutes. I brought them to a New Year's party and, as usual, they were devoured by the milk-allergic and the non-milk-allergic equally...
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