This vegan red velvet cake is rich, moist, vibrantly red and topped with a delicious tangy lemon buttercream frosting.
Red velvet cake is not just cake dyed red. It’s a lot more than that.
It’s a mix of subtle flavors: vanilla, chocolate, buttermilk. All these flavors are represented gorgeously, and subtly.
It’s like you can’t quite put your finger on it, is that vanilla I’m tasting? Oh wait no, it’s chocolate.
Paired with a tangy lemon buttercream frosting this is a cake to remember!
Perfectly moist, dreamy and decadent, not to mention absolutely gorgeous with that glorious red color.
This cake is ideal for birthdays or other special occasions and it definitely stands out from the crowd.
It’s also really versatile and can be adapted for different size cake pans.
And if you love red velvet then also check out our vegan red velvet cupcakes and vegan red velvet cookies. You’ll also love our vegan blue velvet cake and vegan blue velvet cupcakes.
Ingredients You’ll Need To Make This Cake:
Ingredient Notes
- Red gel food color – our favorite brand is Americolor Super Red. Gels are much more concentrated than liquid food colors, so you can use much less and still get a very rich vibrant color.
- White vinegar – distilled white vinegar does two things in this cake recipe. It reacts with the baking soda and the acid in the vegan buttermilk and causes the cake to rise. It also helps to strengthen the color.
- Canola oil – can be switched for vegetable oil if you prefer.
- Vegan buttermilk – we make a homemade vegan buttermilk by mixing lemon juice and soy milk. You can also make vegan buttermilk with almond milk but I prefer soy milk as it creates a thicker, richer buttermilk.
How To Make Vegan Red Velvet Cake
You will find full instructions and measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of the post. This is a summary of the process to go along with the process photos.
- Sift all purpose flour and cocoa powder into a mixing bowl and add the sugar, baking soda and salt. Mix together.
- Prepare the vegan buttermilk by adding 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to a measuring jug and then adding soy milk up to the 1 cup (240ml) line. Let it curdle into buttermilk.
- Add the vegan buttermilk, oil, vinegar, vanilla extract and red gel food color and mix it into a batter. Don’t overmix.
- Divide the batter between three 6-inch round cake pans (sprayed with non-stick spray and lined with circles of parchment paper along the bottom) and smooth down.
- Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of one of the cakes comes out clean.
- Let the cakes cool in the pans for a few minutes and then transfer them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.
- If your cakes have domes, then use a sharp knife to level them.
- When the cakes are completely cooled, frost and decorate.
The Frosting
We used our vegan lemon buttercream frosting recipe to frost this cake. The tangy lemon is a perfect complement to the flavor of red velvet.
A more common pairing for red velvet is a cream cheese frosting and our vegan cream cheese frosting also works great.
About That Color!
A note about the color. I used red food dye.
Initially we made this cake with a liquid red food color but have since switched to a red gel color (Americolor is our favorite brand) and it works wonderfully and is confirmed to be cruelty free.
From my research it seems that most red food dye is vegan these days. The non-vegan ingredients – cochineal or carmine – are not usually seen anymore.
I did try using beet juice to dye previous versions of this cake, and…. I did not manage to make that work – to put it nicely.
It was the worst I have ever made and the whole thing went straight into trash, to put it more bluntly.
First off – it tasted like beets! Yum. Or rather, not yum at all!
All that and the red color did not hold.
The chemical reactions that take place while baking stripped that red color right out of it and it was a not terribly appealing shade of reddish brown. But way more brown than red.
I’ve heard of beets being used successfully but it might be out of my purview, so red food dye it is!
Red food dye enabled this cake to come out beautifully, with the color holding absolutely perfectly.
Baker’s Tips
- Weigh your flour or spoon and level. If you have a food scale then I highly recommend weighing out the flour for perfect accuracy. If you don’t have a food scale, then spoon and level the flour. Spoon it into your measuring cup and level off the top with the back of a knife. Don’t pack it into the cup and don’t scoop the flour.
- Don’t overmix the batter. Overmixing the batter can result in a dense cake. Mix it with a spoon or a hand whisk (don’t use a stand mixer) and mix it until just mixed.
- Don’t let the batter sit for too long before baking. As soon as your batter is mixed, divide it between your cake pans and then bake right away. Don’t let it stand too long or it can affect the rise.
- Level the cakes. If the cakes have domed on top then it’s best to level them with a sharp knife. If I’m making a two layer cake I seldom do it, but for a three layer cake it helps to level them. Serious Eats have a great tutorial on how to level cakes with a knife.
Recipe FAQ
The flavor of vegan red velvet cake is a gorgeous blend of vanilla and chocolate, with a hint of tanginess from the vegan buttermilk.
For a gluten-free red velvet cake try a gluten free all purpose baking blend to replace the regular flour, in the same quantity. We like Bob’s Red Mill brand.
This recipe makes a perfect 12 cupcakes! Bake for 20 minutes. Or just check out our vegan red velvet cupcakes.
Storing and Freezing
Keep it covered at room temperature where it will stay fresh for a few days (3-4) or keep it covered in the fridge where it will stay good for up to a week.
It is also freezer friendly for up to 3 months.
More Vegan Cake Recipes
- Vegan White Cake
- Vegan Banana Cake
- Vegan Carrot Cake
- Vegan Vanilla Cake
- Easy Vegan Chocolate Cake
- Vegan Lemon Cake
Did you make this recipe? Be sure to leave a comment and rating below!
Vegan Red Velvet Cake
Ingredients
For the Red Velvet Cake:
- 2 cups All Purpose Flour (250g)
- 1 Tablespoon Cocoa Powder Unsweetened
- 1 cup White Granulated Sugar (200g)
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 1 cup Vegan Buttermilk (240ml) 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice + Soy Milk up to the 1 cup (240ml) line
- ½ cup Canola Oil (120ml) or Vegetable Oil
- 1 Tablespoon Distilled White Vinegar
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
- 1 teaspoon Red Gel Food Color
For the Frosting:
- 4 cups Powdered Sugar (480g)
- ½ cup Vegan Butter (112g)
- 2 teaspoons Lemon Extract
- 2-3 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Spray three 6-inch cake pans (*see notes for different pan sizes) with non-stick spray and line the bottoms with circles of parchment paper.
- Sift all purpose flour and cocoa powder into a mixing bowl and add the sugar, baking soda and salt. Mix together.
- Prepare the vegan buttermilk by adding 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to a measuring jug and then adding soy milk up to the 1 cup (240ml) line. Let it curdle into buttermilk.
- Add the vegan buttermilk, oil, vinegar, vanilla extract and red gel food color and mix it into a batter. Don't overmix.
- Divide the batter between the three prepared cake pans.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of one of the cakes comes out clean.
- Let the cakes cool in the pans for a few minutes and then transfer them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.
- While the cakes are cooling, add the powdered sugar, vegan butter, lemon extract and 2 tablespoons lemon juice to the bowl of your stand mixer and starting at slow speed gradually increase speed until the frosting is thick and smooth. If needed add more lemon juice (see notes*).
- If your cakes have domes, then use a sharp knife to level them.
- When the cakes are completely cooled, frost and decorate.
Notes
- Measure the flour correctly using the spoon and level method – spoon the flour into a measuring cup and then level off the top with a knife – don’t scoop it and don’t pack the flour into the cup. Alternatively weigh it on a food scale.
- Vegan buttermilk can also be made with almond milk. Other non-dairy milks may not curdle as well as soy or almond milk but could still be used.
- Red gel food color. We used Americolor brand and highly recommend it.
- Level the cakes. If the cakes have domed on top then it’s best to level them with a sharp knife. If I’m making a two layer cake I seldom do it, but for a three layer cake it helps to level them.
- Frosting – the amount of lemon juice you need for your frosting will depend on the brand of vegan butter you use. Stick style vegan butter has a much lower water content than a soft tub style vegan butter. Only use as much lemon juice as you need to get a thick but spreadable frosting.
- Baking pan sizes. This cake can adapt as follows:
- Three 6-inch round cake pans – bake for 20 minutes
- Two 7-inch round cake pans – bake for 25 minutes
- Two 8-inch round cake pans – bake for 20 minutes
- One 9-inch round cake pan – bake for 30 minutes
- One 9×9 square cake pan – bake for 25 minutes
- Cupcakes – This recipe makes a perfect 12 cupcakes. Bake for 20 minutes.
- Gluten-Free – if you’d like to make this cake gluten-free then I recommend using a gluten free all purpose baking blend to replace the regular flour.
- Storing and freezing – store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. The frosted or unfrosted cake is freezer friendly for up to 3 months.
- This recipe has been updated with new photos and lots of extra tips, but the recipe itself is the same.
Alex says
This recipe is great for my mother who is allergic to eggs- she’s never been able to have a red velvet cake, and finally knows what she has been missing! As she is not allergic to dairy, we just used plain buttermilk, but I have a question about consistency. It’s very, VERY thick, almost like a very gluggy brownie. Should it be this thick, or do I need to add extra oil/buttermilk?
Alison Andrews says
Hi Alex, no it should not be super thick. The best thing to do here is to weigh the flour, without weighing the flour it’s very easy to use too much. Also, I’m not really sure how using regular buttermilk would affect this, perhaps buttermilk is much thicker than my homemade vegan version? Not sure, but that could also be a contributing factor. All the best with it!
Sarah says
Hi Alison,
A few days ago, I made a wedding cake for my sister, using your recipe. It turned out wonderfully!
Thanks
Sarah
Alison Andrews says
Great to hear Sarah! And I responded to your other query via email. All the best! 🙂
Iris Santos says
I tried this with my boyfriend the other day (who’s not vegan) and his family went completely nuts over the cake!
We added a bit more cocoa powder because they like chocolate, and it was still absolutely amazing.
5/5!
Alison Andrews says
Yay! That’s fantastic! Thanks for posting Iris! 🙂
Louise says
mine turned out disastrous!! i will have to try again. the icing sugar was a mess it was too runny and I didn’t even add soy milk to it…..
Alison Andrews says
Hi Louise, that’s a pity! If you try again my advice would be to weigh your flour, the accuracy of the flour measurement is where most people go wrong. And then for the frosting, if it’s ever too thin, just add more powdered sugar. All the best!
Kobe Lenjou says
Hi Alison,
Thanks for the recipe! I have one question however what brand of vegan food coloring are you using? I only found one based on concentrated beetroot (E162) and the result is not as vibrant red as yours.
Tasted great however!
Alison Andrews says
Hi Kobe, I don’t have one on hand now to check the brand. It’s not a specifically ‘vegan’ brand, but most red food dye these days is vegan. I have not found beetroot coloring to be successful as once it bakes the color strips out of it. The ingredient you want to avoid is carmine, which is what red food dyes used to contain years ago, but these days they seldom do.
Karina says
Would you happen to have a bottle of vegan red food colouring in your cupboard now you could check the name of please? I’ve made this cake 3 times now and the first two were amazing – however I then realised the food colouring wasn’t vegan. The third time I made it I used sainsbury’s own vegan red food colouring and it was a disaster! The colour was a browny purple, and not vibrant at all so would love to know the one you used to get your amazing redness!
Alison Andrews says
I’ve used a few different ones at various times – the ingredient to avoid is carmine or cochineal, neither of which are vegan. You’ll likely find this useful: http://www.isitvegan.com/2012/02/21/is-red-food-coloring-vegan/
Jess says
Hi,
I’m wanting to have a go at this cake, looks yummy. When you say All-purpose Flour, is that the same as Self Raising or plain? (sorry if that may sound a little dumb)
Alison Andrews says
Hi Jess, no it’s not the same as self raising. It will usually say on the package ‘All Purpose Flour’. However, I know in some countries things are named differently, you’d have to find out what the equivalent would be for wherever you’re based if you don’t have one easily available that’s called ‘All Purpose’.
Blair says
This cake looks so amazing and I am beyond excited to make it, but for the cake batter do I use granulated or powdered sugar? Thank you!
Alison Andrews says
Hi Blair, definitely granulated sugar for the batter. 🙂 Hope it comes out great!
Anya says
For a fan oven will it need to be 160°C?
Alison Andrews says
Hi Anya, the temperature stated is for a standard oven, I believe that in the case of a fan oven the temperature should be reduced by 20 degrees celsius, so in this case yes, that would be 160 degrees celsius, but to ensure accuracy, check your manufacturers instructions as ovens do differ.
Kimberly says
I made this into cupcakes for my vegan daughter. The batter tasted excellent. I did use almond milk instead of soy. Thank you for this recipe. Today is her birthday. Red velvet is her favorite. Sweet sixteen today!
Alison Andrews says
So cool! Hope she loves them! Thanks for posting! 🙂
Teresa says
How does your cake stay together without a binder like flaxseed or applesauce? Does it crumble easily?
Alison Andrews says
Hi Teresa, not at all. The gluten in all-purpose-flour binds pretty well on its own. If I were making a gluten-free version I would be more concerned about a binding agent.
DW says
This cake looks wonderful! I have a few questions. I would like to bake this as cupcakes. Would the temperature affect the moisture of the cupcake? Do you any suggestions? Also, could coconut oil be used in lieu of the olive oil? Have you tried using coconut oil in this recipe before? If so, how was it?
Alison Andrews says
Hi there! The temperature won’t affect it, and would stay the same, but you would bake it for less time. Cupcakes are usually cooked in around 20-25 minutes. I can’t give you an exact number as I haven’t tested this yet. I would check them after 20 minutes and if a toothpick inserted into the center doesn’t come out clean then put them back in and check every few minutes thereafter.
Pauline says
Hi,
Thank you so much for this lovely recipe! The cake looks absolutely grate (and tastes even better 🙂 )
I did make one adjustment though, because I find 450 gr of powdered sugar a little bit too sweet for my taste. So instead i used 200 gr of powdered suger and 60 gr of powdered coconot milk. I turned out great, still tastes really sweet and the consistency is also perfect. , so next time I might use even less sugar and a little bit more powdered coconot milk.
But thanks again!!!
Pauline says
Cake looks Great, not grate 😉
Alison Andrews says
Awesome Pauline! Thanks so much for commenting! So glad it turned out well. 🙂
Patricia L. says
Hello! Lovely recipe 🙂
I was just wondering if tou could use Rice flour instead of all-purpose flour…
Thank tou!
Alison Andrews says
Hi Patricia, thank you! I have tried doing a straight swap on one of my cake recipes and using rice flour instead and it flopped. It simply did not hold together. I tried again with a gluten-free all purpose flour blend and that worked, and with a few adjustments tasted great. I wrote about it on my post: https://lovingitvegan.com/gluten-free-chocolate-cake-with-chocolate-ganache-frosting – the gist of it is, gluten-free flours absorb more moisture, so increasing the oil in the recipe is also a good idea. 🙂
Patricia L. says
I was told it works better if you increase the “wet”, yes, so maybe I’ll try that. Thank you so much!
Gaby says
Do you have to use soymilk? Can you use any other non-dairy milk?
Alison Andrews says
Hi Gaby, you absolutely can switch it out for any non-dairy milk of your choice 🙂
Isabelle says
Hi!
Beautiful recipe, beautiful cake.
I just made it, but I’m afraid my pans were too big… My cake don’t look as “tall” as yours. I ended up making the cake again and having four layers in order for it to look good. I admit, it doesn’t look good, it looks a-ma-zing. But it may just be that I’ll be eating Red Velvet for the next year!
What size of cake pan do you use? (I used 8 inches round.)
Thank you!
Alison Andrews says
Hi Isabelle! So glad it came out so beautifully! I can just imagine 4 layers of gorgeous red velvet! Yum! Okay good question, I just took a measuring tape to my cake tins as I wasn’t entirely sure. They measure 7 inches round. So yes, they are pretty small! Thanks so much for commenting, I’ll update the recipe and remember to include my cake tin sizes in future recipes 🙂