I love baking vegan cakes like my Vegan Bundt Cake, Vegan Apple Cake, or Vegan Birthday Cake for birthdays and especially for the holiday season. For this occasion, I created this vibrant red velvet cake filled with dairy-free cream cheese frosting that brings out some amazing Christmas vibes.
Ingredients and Substitutions
You need some simple ingredients, no egg replacer, only wholesome ingredients:
All-Purpose Flour – or white spelt flour. The recipe won’t work with almond flour. Unsweetened Cocoa Powder – You can also use sweetened cocoa and reduce the amount of sugar accordingly. White Sugar – You can use unrefined sugar if you want to, such as coconut sugar. Baking Soda – To give the cake a good rise. Baking Powder – Baking powder contributes to the fluffy crumb of the cake. Almond Milk – or any other light plant-based milk such as oat milk or cashew milk. Canola Oil – You can alternatively use melted coconut oil or light olive oil. Vanilla Extract – For more flavor. Apple Cider Vinegar – This brings the acidic element to rise the cake. Red Food Coloring – Not all red food dyes are cruelty-free. Some are made from animal sources like cochineal. Always pick a red food coloring tagged as plant-based or vegan. Another option is to use beet powder. It has a vibrant pink-red color that goes very well in red velvet cake.
For the cream cheese frosting, you will need:
Icing Sugar – Or sugar-free alternatives. Vegan Cream Cheese – There are many cashew-based or coconut based vegan cream cheese options. Vegan Butter – or margarine. Vanilla Extract – for flavor. Almond Milk – or any other plant-based milk.
How To Make Vegan Red Velvet Cake
A red velvet cake is usually made with eggs, butter, and cream cheese. To make it vegan, you need to twist the original red velvet cake recipe a little, and here’s what you need. First, preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line the bottom of three 6-inch cake pans with parchment paper and spray the pans with cooking spray. Set them aside.
Frosting The Cake
You can make a vegan cream cheese frosting or simply a vegan buttercream frosting if vegan cream cheese is not available in your store. You can also top the cake with vegan whipped cream! In a large mixing bowl, add the softened vegan butter and softened vegan cream cheese and beat until creamy and fluffy using the stand mixer’s paddle attachment. Or, you can use a hand mixer with a beater attachment. Then, add powdered sugar and vanilla extract and beat on medium-high speed until incorporated. In the end, add a splash of almond milk to thin out the frosting and stop until the cream cheese frosting is light and creamy. Place the first cake layer on a cake stand and add a third of the frosting in the center. Use a long, flat tool or spatula to spread the frosting all over the surface of the first cake layer. Then, add the second cake layer, repeat, and finally, repeat with the last cake layer. As you spread the frosting, it falls on the sides of the cake layers. Use the spatula to spread the frosting all around the cake layers, turning the cake stand simultaneously to help spread the frosting evenly. Decorate the top of the cake with the leftover cake crumb you cut out before.
Storage Instructions
Store the cake in an airtight cake box in the fridge for up to 4 days. Cutting the cake just before serving is preferable to keep it moist and fresh. You can also freeze leftover red velvet cake slices in an airtight container for up to 1 month. Thaw it in the fridge the day before.
Allergy Swaps
Gluten-Free – I haven’t tried to make a vegan, gluten-free red velvet cake yet, but some all-purpose gluten-free flour can be used as a 1:1 swap to all-purpose flour with excellent results. To my knowledge, the cake crumb is always coming out a bit more gummy or dense with this option. Apple Cider Vinegar – You can swap vinegar for lemon juice or white vinegar. Nut-Free – Use soy milk or oat milk instead of almond milk.
