Red Velvet Cupcakes

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Red velvet cupcakes are one of those things we genuinely never thought we'd be able to make vegan, and then we did, and honestly we haven't stopped making them since. That deep crimson sponge, the satisfying lift when you peel back the case, and then that cloud of creamy frosting on top make a total showstopper. The flavour is subtle chocolate with a slight tang that makes them really moreish, and the texture is so soft and light you'd never guess there's no eggs or dairy involved. Whether you're baking for a birthday, Valentine's Day, or just because it's Tuesday and you fancy something special, these are the ones.

Cook: 40 min
Serves 12

Before You Start

  • Preheat oven to 180°C
  • 12-hole muffin tray with cupcake liners
  • Food processor
  • Wire cooling rack
  • Small bowl
  • Small pan
  • Large mixing bowl
  • Plant-based butter at room temperature

Ingredients

  • 225ml oat milk
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 75g plant-based butter - plus extra for greasing
  • 1 tbsp cacao powder
  • 200g golden caster sugar
  • 250g white self-raising flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 tsp plant-based red food colouring
  • 100g plant-based butter - at room temperature
  • 500g icing sugar
  • 125g plant-based cream cheese
  • 1 tsp vanilla essence
  • 10g freeze-dried raspberries - or a handful of fresh strawberries

Method

1

Prepare the ingredients

  • In a small bowl, mix together the apple cider vinegar and oat milk, leave to one side until needed
  • Place the plant-based butter into a small pan over a medium heat and melt
  • Once completely melted, leave to cool to room temperature before making the cake
2

Make the cake

  • Spoon the sugar, flour, baking powder, cacao powder and salt into a large bowl and mix well until there are no lumps
  • Pour the cool plant-based butter and oat milk into the batter and mix well until a thick, smooth batter forms
3

Colour the cake

  • Add ½ teaspoon of red food colouring and mix through the batter - if the colour is not a really bright and vivid red, add another ½ teaspoon and mix through
4

Bake the cake

  • Divide the batter evenly between the cupcake liners and pop them into the tray
  • Bake for 20 minutes, or until the cakes are cooked through (a knife inserted in the middle should come out clean)
  • If not, place back in the oven for another 5-10 minutes
  • Once the cupcakes are cooked, remove from the oven and leave to sit in the tray for a few minutes
  • Once cooled a little, pop them onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely
5

Make the frosting and decorate the cupcakes

  • Place the plant-based butter, icing sugar, vegan cream cheese and vanilla essence into a food processor and blend until smooth
  • Use a spatula or the back of a spoon to spread the frosting over the cupcakes
  • If using freeze-dried raspberries, crush and sprinkle over the top of the cupcakes
  • If using fresh strawberries - cut the strawberries in half and place the halves on top and serve

Tips & Variations

  • Get the colour right: The red in red velvet traditionally comes from a reaction between cocoa and buttermilk, but we boost it with a good quality red food colouring or gel. Gel gives you a more vivid result without adding too much liquid to the batter.
  • Nail the frosting: We love a classic cream cheese frosting here using plant-based cream cheese and butter. Make sure both are at room temperature before you start or you'll end up with lumps, which is never a good look.
  • Don't overmix: Once you bring the wet and dry ingredients together, mix until just combined. Overdoing it makes the cupcakes dense and a bit sad, and nobody wants a sad cupcake.

Why This Works

The trick here is the apple cider vinegar mixed with oat milk. It creates a vegan buttermilk that reacts with the baking powder to give you that gorgeous lift and a really tender crumb. The cacao powder adds just enough depth without making these taste like a chocolate cupcake; that's exactly what you want from a proper red velvet. Trust us on this one: letting the melted butter cool before you mix everything together makes a real difference to the final texture.