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4.95 from 20 votes

Vegan Red Velvet Cupcakes

Fluffy vegan red velvet cupcakes topped with a tangy cream cheese frosting. They come together in one bowl and use only common pantry ingredients. The cupcakes can also be made gluten-free and without food dye.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Cuisine: American, Vegan
Servings: 12 cupcakes
Author: Anthea

Ingredients

Dry ingredients

Wet ingredients

Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting (note 3 for tips and alternatives)

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.

Make the cupcakes:

  • Add all the dry ingredients to a large mixing bowl and whisk until there are no lumps. Add all the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. If desired, add more food coloring or beetroot powder and gently mix until the batter is your desired color. Keep in mind that the color may fade when baked.
  • Use an ice cream scoop or a large spoon to divide the batter between your cupcake liners. Each cupcake cavity should be two-thirds full.
  • Bake the cupcakes for 20-25 minutes. They are ready when you insert a toothpick in the center of a cupcake and it comes out with no wet batter on it (a few crumbs are fine).
  • Cool the cupcakes in the tray for 5 minutes then transfer them to a wire rack.

Make the frosting:

  • Add the cream cheese and butter to a large bowl (if using a hand mixer) or stand mixer (with the whisk or paddle attachment). Beat until just combined. Add the sugar and beat until just combined. If you overmix the frosting, it will become loose and may not hold up. Add more powdered sugar for a firmer frosting. Chill until needed.
  • When the cupcakes have fully cooled, use a spatula or piping bag to frost the cupcakes. Decorate as desired.
  • Serve the cupcakes immediately. Alternatively, store the cupcakes in an airtight container in the fridge up to 3 days. The cupcakes can be frozen up to 1 month but it's easiest to freeze the cupcake seperately from the frosting. Allow them to come to room temperature before serving.

Notes

  1. For gluten-free cupcakes, replace the flour with 1 cup (160g) gluten-free all-purpose flour and ¾ cup (75g) almond flour. Some 1:1 gluten-free flour blends will work but I don't recommend using Bob Red Mills 1:1 flour by itself because it makes these cupcakes gummy.
  2. All brands of food coloring and beetroot powder vary in color and intensity so you may need to adjust accordingly. If you use liquid food coloring (not gel), you'll need around 1-2 tablespoons. If you use beetroot powder, add it with the dry ingredients rather than the wet ingredients.
  3. If you don't have vegan cream cheese, I recommend making a classic buttercream. Simply omit the cream cheese and add some lemon juice to taste. The lemon flavor mimics the tanginess of the cream cheese.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 cupcake without frosting | Calories: 195kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 7g | Sodium: 134mg | Potassium: 28mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 17g | Calcium: 87mg | Iron: 1mg
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