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    Home » Cakes and Cupcakes

    Vegan Red Velvet Cupcakes

    Published: May 8, 2021 Updated: Jul 31, 2022 by Alison Andrews This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe
    Vegan Red Velvet Cupcakes

    Light and fluffy vegan red velvet cupcakes topped with a red velvet frosting. Perfectly moist, vibrantly red and crazy delicious!

    Vegan red velvet cupcakes in a row.

    Have you ever seen such gorgeousness as these vegan red velvet cupcakes? Or is that just me blowing my own trumpet since I made them and all.

    Well I was mighty impressed with how these turned out. 

    They are light, fluffy, moist and simply perfect!

    And if you love simply perfect cupcakes (who doesn’t?) then you’ll also love our vegan strawberry cupcakes, our vegan funfetti cupcakes and our vegan carrot cake cupcakes. Our vegan blue velvet cupcakes are just like these, but blue!

    And for more red velvet try our vegan red velvet cake and our vegan red velvet cookies.

    Ingredients You’ll Need:

    Photo of the ingredients needed to make vegan red velvet cupcakes.

    Ingredient Notes

    • White vinegar – distilled white vinegar reacts with the baking soda in these cupcakes causing them to rise. It also helps to strengthen their color.
    • Canola oil – can be replaced with any vegetable oil.
    • Vegan buttermilk – we make a homemade vegan buttermilk by mixing soy milk with lemon juice (full instructions in the recipe card). You can also use almond milk to make a vegan buttermilk but I prefer soy milk as it makes a thicker, richer buttermilk. Other non-dairy milks may not curdle, but you can still use them in this recipe.
    • Red gel food color – we initially made these cupcakes with liquid red food coloring but then moved to a red gel food coloring (we used Americolor brand) and it works so well and holds up beautifully in baking. So I highly recommend you use a gel color as well. It also means you can use much less as it’s more concentrated than a liquid food color. 

    The Frosting

    Photo of the ingredients to make vegan red velvet frosting.

    Frosting Ingredient Notes

    • Soy milk – can be replaced with any other non-dairy milk.
    • Red gel food coloring – we used Americolor brand. You only need to use a very small amount to get a strong color for the frosting.
    Vegan red velvet cupcakes on a white cake stand.

    How To Make Vegan Red Velvet Cupcakes

    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 into your mixing bowl and add white granulated sugar, baking soda, salt and cocoa powder. Mix together.
    Two photo collage showing dry ingredients added to mixing bowl and mixed together.
    • Prepare your 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 sit for a minute to curdle into buttermilk.
    • Add the vegan buttermilk, vanilla extract, oil, vinegar and red gel food coloring and mix into a batter. Don’t overmix.
    Two photo collage showing wet ingredients added to dry in mixing bowl and mixed into a batter.
    • Divide the batter evenly between 12 cupcake liners.
    • Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of one of the cupcakes comes out clean.
    • Let the cupcakes cool in the tray for a few minutes and then transfer them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
    Collage of two photos showing red velvet cupcakes before and after baking.
    • Prepare your frosting by adding vegan butter, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, soy milk and red gel food coloring to the bowl of your stand mixer. Start at slow speed, gradually increasing speed until the frosting is thick and smooth.
    Two photo collage showing frosting ingredients added to stand mixer and mixed into frosting.
    • When the cupcakes have cooled completely pipe on the frosting and serve.
    Two photo collage showing cupcakes on wire cooling rack and then frosted on a white cake stand.

    Recipe Success Tips

    Use the spoon and level method to measure the flour. The correct way to measure flour is to spoon it into your measuring cup and then level off the top with a knife. Don’t scoop the flour or pack it into the cup. If you have a food scale then it’s best to weigh the flour on your food scale for perfect accuracy.

    Make them gluten-free. To make these cupcakes gluten-free simply swap the all purpose flour for a gluten free all purpose flour blend. We like the Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour.

    Frosting. The red velvet frosting on these cupcakes complements them perfectly. It isn’t just frosting dyed red, it has that signature red velvet flavor with the hints of vanilla and chocolate.

    Other frosting options that would pair wonderfully with these cupcakes are our vegan buttercream frosting, our vegan chocolate buttercream frosting and our vegan cream cheese frosting.

    Vegan red velvet cupcakes.

    Storing and Freezing

    Keep them covered at room temperature where they will stay perfect for 2-3 days, or covered in the fridge where they will last for up to a week, but they’re most delicious when fresh.

    They are also freezer friendly for up to 3 months. You can freeze them either frosted or unfrosted. Thaw overnight in the fridge and bring to room temperature before serving. 

    Vegan red velvet cupcake with the liner pulled down.

    More Vegan Cupcakes

    1. Classic Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes
    2. Vegan Lemon Cupcakes
    3. Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes
    4. Vegan Banana Cupcakes
    5. Vegan Blue Velvet Cupcakes
    6. Vegan Coffee Cupcakes
    Vegan red velvet cupcake cut in half.

    Did you make this recipe? Be sure to leave a comment and rating below!

    Vegan red velvet cupcakes in a row.

    Vegan Red Velvet Cupcakes

    Light and fluffy vegan red velvet cupcakes topped with a red velvet frosting. Perfectly moist, vibrantly red and crazy delicious!
    4.87 from 29 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Cupcakes, Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Diet: Vegan
    Prep Time: 20 minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes
    Total Time: 40 minutes
    Servings: 12
    Calories: 448kcal
    Author: Alison Andrews

    Ingredients

    For the Red Velvet Cupcakes:

    • 2 cups All-Purpose Flour (250g)
    • 1 cup White Granulated Sugar (200g)
    • 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
    • ½ teaspoon Salt
    • 1 Tablespoon Cocoa Powder Unsweetened
    • 1 cup Vegan Buttermilk (240ml) 1 Tbsp Lemon Juice + Soy Milk up to the 1 cup (240ml) line
    • 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
    • ½ cup Canola Oil (120ml) or Vegetable Oil
    • 1 Tablespoon Distilled White Vinegar
    • 1 teaspoon Red Gel Food Color

    For the Red Velvet Frosting:

    • ½ cup Vegan Butter (112g)
    • 4 cups Powdered Sugar (480g)
    • 1 Tablespoon Cocoa Powder Unsweetened
    • 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
    • ¼ teaspoon Red Gel Food Color *See Notes
    • 2-3 Tablespoons Soy Milk
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a cupcake tray with cupcake liners. Set aside. 
    • Sift the flour into a mixing bowl. Add the sugar, baking soda, salt and cocoa powder and mix together.
    • Prepare the vegan buttermilk by adding 1 Tbsp lemon juice into a measuring jug and then adding soy milk up to the 1 cup (240ml) line and allowing to sit for a minute to curdle into buttermilk.
    • Add the vegan buttermilk, vanilla extract, oil, vinegar and red gel food color to the mixing bowl and whisk briefly with a hand whisk to combine into a batter. Don’t over-mix. 
    • Divide the batter evenly between the cupcake liners.
    • Place into the oven and bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of one of the cupcakes comes out clean.
    • Allow to cool completely before frosting.
    • Add vegan butter, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, red gel food coloring and 2 Tbsp soy milk to the bowl of your stand mixer. Starting at slow speed, gradually increase speed until the frosting is thick and smooth. If needed, add the extra soy milk. 
    • Pipe the frosting on top of your completely cooled cupcakes and serve.

    Notes

    1. Measure the flour correctly. Either use the spoon and level method – spoon the flour into your measuring cup and then level off with a knife – don’t scoop it and don’t pack it into the cup, or weigh it on a food scale.
    2. Vegan buttermilk. The homemade vegan buttermilk can also be made with almond milk. Other plant milks can also work for this, even if they don’t curdle as well as soy milk or almond milk.
    3. Red gel food coloring. We initially used liquid red food coloring for this recipe but have changed our recommendations to use a red gel food color. We used Americolor red gel which works wonderfully in this recipe. 
    4. Frosting color. If you want your frosting to be super red (as per our photos) then you’ll need ½ to 1 teaspoon red gel food coloring. For a more subtle dusky color (really gorgeous) use ¼ teaspoon. 
    5. Gluten-Free: If you want to make these cupcakes gluten-free simply swap the all purpose flour for a gluten free all purpose baking blend.
    6. Storing: Keep them covered at room temperature where they will stay perfect for 2-3 days, or covered in the fridge where they will last for up to a week, but they’re most delicious when fresh.
    7. Freezing: They are also freezer friendly for up to 3 months. You can freeze them either frosted or unfrosted. Thaw overnight in the fridge and bring to room temperature before serving. 
    8. This recipe was first published in September 2016. It has been updated with new photos and extra tips. 

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1Cupcake | Calories: 448kcal | Carbohydrates: 74g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 262mg | Potassium: 72mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 57g | Vitamin A: 447IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 1mg
    DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? Rate it & leave your feedback in the comments section below, or tag @lovingitvegan on Instagram and hashtag #lovingitvegan
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    About the Author

    Hi I'm Alison Andrews, I'm the voice and cook behind Loving It Vegan. I love making delicious vegan food and creating vegan versions of all your old favorites, so that you’ll never feel like you’re missing out. Find out more about me here.

    Loving It Vegan is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. This site may contain some of these links to Amazon.com. If you make a purchase through one of those links, Loving It Vegan will receive a small commission from the purchase at no additional cost to you.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Teresa says

      November 24, 2022 at 2:38 pm

      I’ve been baking cupcakes for years, vegan and non vegan, and these are the best I’ve ever made, absolutely delicious and so moist, I’m not even going to start about the frosting because I’ll just drool all over my screen 🤤🤤🤤🤤5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        November 25, 2022 at 10:51 am

        Yay! That’s so awesome Teresa, thanks for the amazing review!

        Reply
    2. Toby says

      September 01, 2022 at 3:48 am

      Can I use vinegar to curdle the milk instead for the buttermilk?

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        September 01, 2022 at 10:18 am

        Yes you can!

        Reply
    3. Anish says

      July 26, 2022 at 9:05 pm

      Hi, can I use white malt vinegar instead of white vinegar? I’m struggling to find pure white vinegar.

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        July 27, 2022 at 9:54 am

        I don’t know if that will be acidic enough for this. Distilled white vinegar works best.

        Reply
    4. Ariana says

      March 12, 2022 at 12:21 pm

      This has to be a dumb question, but after having some red dye ruin some frosting for Valentine’s day, I wanted to ask if the dye you linked affects the taste at all? I assume it’s a dumb question because you put it in your recipe, but I need to ask 😅

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        March 12, 2022 at 1:41 pm

        Hi Ariana, it can ruin the taste if you use too much of it. The one we’re using is so concentrated so you only need a small amount and you won’t taste it at all in the final result. 🙂

        Reply
    5. Elaine says

      December 20, 2021 at 3:01 pm

      Perfect. Easy recipe that yields a beautiful cupcake. Almost too pretty to put frosting on top of……but of course I did.5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        December 21, 2021 at 9:07 am

        Awesome! Thanks so much Elaine!

        Reply
    6. Mimi says

      December 02, 2021 at 1:22 am

      Planning to make this soon, looks yummy! Can I replace vinegar with lemon juice? Thanks!

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        December 02, 2021 at 9:47 am

        Hi Mimi, vinegar is better as it also helps to keep that color nice and strong.

        Reply
    7. Fany says

      November 27, 2021 at 12:06 am

      What can I use instead of white vinegar?

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        November 27, 2021 at 12:34 pm

        You could use apple cider vinegar, but it’s not as ideal for red velvet as the white vinegar also helps to hold the color.

        Reply
    8. Sue Humphreys says

      October 02, 2021 at 2:44 pm

      Hi Alison, made these cupcakes a couple of weeks ago, everybody loved them. Now about to make them again with my granddaughters help for my son’s birthday but in blue!!! She thought her dad would love them in a different colour!! Have you please a recipe for a vegan sponge cake?
      Thanks, Sue

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        October 02, 2021 at 3:14 pm

        Hi Sue, that’s awesome! These are great in blue! We have a recipe for a vegan Victoria sponge. 🙂

        Reply
    9. Archita Anand says

      July 09, 2021 at 7:04 am

      One of the tastiest cupcake recipes I’ve ever made. I made them thrice in two days and each time they came out perfect. Just added a few choco chips in the batter.5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        July 09, 2021 at 11:41 am

        That’s wonderful Archita, thanks so much for sharing and the awesome review!

        Reply
    10. Andrea says

      May 09, 2021 at 4:20 pm

      Can I substitute apple sauce for the oil? When I do that it tastes fine but the consistency is gummy. Any thoughts? Thank you.

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        May 10, 2021 at 9:54 am

        Hi Andrea, it’s not a perfect swap and will work better in some recipes than others. You could try baking a few minutes longer and see if that helps.

        Reply
    11. Vivian says

      April 15, 2021 at 9:35 am

      Hi,
      Can I use olive oil or coconut oil instead of canola or vegetable oil?
      Thanks

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        April 15, 2021 at 9:54 am

        Yes you can!

        Reply
    12. Audrey says

      March 28, 2021 at 3:27 pm

      Absolutely amazing cupcakes! Perfect first try!! They stayed soft and moist for 2 days… couldn’t keep them any longer coz they were so scrummy! Thank you for this recipe5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        March 29, 2021 at 10:27 am

        Thanks so much Audrey!

        Reply
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