RedVelvetCupca the Rejwa

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

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


🧁 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a cupcake tray with cupcake liners. Set aside.

🧁 2. Sift the flour into a mixing bowl. Add the sugar, baking soda, salt and cocoa powder and mix together.

🧁 3. 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.

🧁 4. 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.

🧁 5. Divide the batter evenly between the cupcake liners.

🧁 6. 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.

🧁 7. Allow to cool completely before frosting.

🧁 8. 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.

🧁 9. Pipe the frosting on top of your completely cooled cupcakes and serve.


🧁 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.

🧁 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.

🧁 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.

🧁 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.

🧁 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.

🧁 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.

🧁 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.