Vegan Red Velvet Cake: A Healthier Alternative

With its distinct red coloring, and combination of tangy cream cheese frosting between layers of moist cake, it’s not hard to see why red velvet cake is one of the most popular cakes in the US. We’re going to show you a twist on the classic with our vegan red velvet cake recipe!

The original version of the cake got its name from the color that appeared during the chemical reaction between the natural cocoa powder, baking powder, and buttermilk. However, most red velvet cake you find today uses dutch processed cocoa powder, which doesn’t have the same reaction. That’s why many people rely on using food coloring to get that iconic shade of red. It’s worth noting that most food coloring you’ll find in stores is vegan – but it’s easy enough to rely on all natural ingredients (like beets) to get a similar color. Let’s take a look at how to make vegan red velvet cake!

Vegan Red Velvet Cake Recipe

Ingredients 

• 2 cups organic sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• ¾ cup vegetable oil
• 2 cups vegan buttermilk (oat milk + 2 tbsp lemon juice)
• 2 tbsp vegan egg replacer
• 3½ cups flour
• ½ cup organic beet powder
• 4 tbsp natural cocoa powder
• 1 tbsp baking powder

Instructions

1. Combine sugar, salt, vanilla extract, oil, plant based milk, and egg replacer in a large mixing bowl. Whisk until batter is nice and smooth.
2. Sift in the flour, beet powder, cocoa powder, baking powder together, then add to the liquids in the mixing bowl.
3. Whisk until the batter is nice and smooth, then divide the batter evenly between three 8 inch greased baking tins.
4. Bake at 350F for 25-30 minutes, or until they are springy to the touch.
5. Cool the cakes in their pans until you can safely handle them, and then move to a cooling rack to cool down to room temperature.

Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

Ingredients

• 8 oz of homemade vegan cream cheese 
• ¼ cup vegan butter (store-bought has the best consistency for this recipe)
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• ½ tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Place the vegan cream cheese into a mixing bowl along with the vegan butter, sifted powdered sugar, and vanilla extract.
2. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, start at a slow speed and gradually increase until the frosting has no lumps and is nice and thick.
3. Place the frosting in the fridge to allow it to firm before using.
4. Once the consistency is to your liking, you can ice your cake!

Tip: The iced cake will stay fresh for two days at room temperature, or up to a week when stored in the fridge!

Read More:

• Homemade Hot Cocoa: Recipe and Important Tips
• Kladdkaka: Swedish Chocolate Cake Recipe
• Healthy Coconut Oatmeal Cookies: A Simple Recipe