Vegan Red Velvet Cake

5 from 1 vote

This Vegan Red Velvet Cake is super moist and tender and is topped with dairy-free cream cheese frosting! This classic cake is surprisingly easy to make and is the perfect dessert to make for the red velvet lover in your life.

Prep Time40

Cook Time30

Cooling Time1

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings: Servings

Calories: 477kcal

Author: Megan Calipari

Cost: $7

Equipment

1 Large Mixing Bowl
1 Whisk
1 Rubber Spatula
2 8 Inch Round Cake Pans
1 Hand Mixer or Stand Mixer with paddle attachment
1 Cake Stand, Large Plate or Cake Board
1 Offset Spatula

Ingredients

For the Cake Layers

1 ½ Cup Non-Dairy Milk
2 tablespoon Lemon Juice or apple cider vinegar
2 ⅔ Cup All-Purpose Flour
2 tablespoon Cocoa Powder, sifted
1 tablespoon Baking Powder
¼ teaspoon Baking Soda
¼ teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 ½ Cup Sugar
9 tablespoon Vegan Butter, melted and cooled
1 tablespoon Vanilla Extract
2 ½ teaspoon Red Gel Food Coloring see note

For the Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting

8 tablespoon Vegan Butter, room temperature
8 Ounces Tofutti Vegan Cream Cheese
4 Cups Powdered Sugar, sifted
¼ teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Instructions

Bake the Cake Layers

Preheat oven to 350* F. Grease two 8-inch round cake pans and insert a parchment circle into the bottom of each pan for east removal.
In a large bowl, combine non-dairy milk and lemon juice to make a vegan buttermilk. Mix and set aside.
1 ½ Cup Non-Dairy Milk, 2 tablespoon Lemon Juice
In a medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk to combine and set aside.
2 ⅔ Cup All-Purpose Flour, 2 tablespoon Cocoa Powder, sifted, 1 tablespoon Baking Powder, ¼ teaspoon Baking Soda, ¼ teaspoon Kosher Salt
Into the large bowl with the non-dairy milk mixture, add sugar, melted vegan butter, vanilla and red gel food coloring. Whisk well to ensure the food coloring is completely mixed. Then add the dry ingredients and whisk to form the batter.
1 ½ Cup Sugar, 9 tablespoon Vegan Butter, melted and cooled, 1 tablespoon Vanilla Extract, 2 ½ teaspoon Red Gel Food Coloring
Divide the cake batter between the two prepared 8-inch round cake pans. If you are weighing, it will be about 20 ounces per pan. Then, bake in a 350* oven for 26-29 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cake comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool completely before frosting. (See Note)

For the Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting

In a large bowl using a hand mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the vegan butter until completely smooth. Then, add the Tofutti vegan cream cheese and use a rubber spatula to fold it into the creamed butter by hand.
8 tablespoon Vegan Butter, room temperature, 8 Ounces Tofutti Vegan Cream Cheese
Add the powdered sugar and use either the hand mixer or stand mixer to mix until combined. Then, add the vanilla and mix until smooth. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for an hour before frosting the cake. (See note)
4 Cups Powdered Sugar, sifted, ¼ teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Stack and Frost the Cake

Once everything is completely cool and chilled, place a cake layer upside down on a large plate, cake board or cake stand. Top the layer with about ¾ cup of frosting. Use an offset spatula or a butter knife to spread the frosting all the way to the edge of the cake.
Then, top with the remaining cake layer, upside down again, and use the remaining frosting to frost the outside of the cake. Garnish with anything you like. I use a little bit of shaved chocolate. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Notes

I used this Red Gel Food Coloring by Ann Clark. It's vibrant red and certified vegan!

If you are a beginner at stacking cakes, turn the cakes out of the pan onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze them for 30 minutes before stacking and frosting. This will make the cakes more sturdy and it will be easier to stack and frost them.

You need to chill the Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting so it will firm up! Don't try to frost the cake immediately- it will be too soft.

Be sure to store the cake in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve it!

Nutrition