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A favorite all-American cake gets a makeover: introducing my easy vegan gluten-free red velvet cake! It is moist, delicious, & decadent.
I love a blog post that requires little explanation, and this is just such an instance.
Hence, an über-brief overview in place of prose. May the photos and recipe (largely) speak for themselves!
Friend, in need of cake recipe:
- Longing for grandmother’s red velvet cake
- But…need a vegan version
- Gluten-free, if possible?
- Birthday cake! Needs to be special.
- Please??? Is it even possible???
Me:
- Yes! (Wait…I think it is…)
- Here goes nothing
- OMG
- Best red velvet cake ever!
Recipe Benefits
- Vegan (egg-free, dairy-free)
- Gluten-free
- Made in 1 bowl (easy!)
- No artificial food coloring
Ingredients
The exact amounts of each ingredient are indicated in the recipe card at the end of the post. Toggle between US Customary (volume) and Metric (weights) for preferred measurement option.
- all-purpose gluten-free flour blend (or regular flour, if not gluten-free)
- natural cane sugar (or granulated sugar)
- unsweetened cocoa power
- baking soda
- salt
- plain nondairy milk
- vegetable oil (e.g., melted coconut oil, avocado oil, safflower oil)
- vanilla extract
- white or cider vinegar
- natural red food coloring (use natural, like Chefmaster made from plant extracts)
How to Make the Cake
Note that the complete directions are also in the recipe card below.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180C). Grease and flour (with some additional GF flour) two 9-inch (22.5 cm) round cake pans. Tap out the excess flour.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the GF flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.
- Add non-dairy milk, oil, food coloring, and vanilla to flour mixture and stir until just blended. Whisk in vinegar until just blended.
- Immediately pour batter into prepared pans.
- Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack.
- Run a knife around edge of pans, then invert cakes onto rack to cool completely.
- Place one cake layer, flat side up, on a cake plate or platter. Spread 3/4 cup of the frosting evenly over bottom layer. Top with the second cake layer, flat side down.
- Spread the remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. If desired, arrange berries decoratively on top. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.
Easy-peasy. The batter is mixed and in the pans in about 5 minutes flat. Take that, Betty Crocker! Nickster loved the batter. He asked if I was making blood cake. Is it wrong that I said “yes”? (I did qualify it: robot blood. Nick proclaimed this as very silly. Indeed.)
This recipe produces particularly uniform, crumb-free layers, making them a breeze to frost (no experience required)
These layers came out so perfectly; makes me blush with pride 🙂
Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting
The frosting is simple, too. Use a good-quality dairy-free vegan cream cheese and plant-based butter. It is extremely simple to make and spread.
Happy baking!
More Delectable Vegan Cakes to Try:
- Vanilla Almond Flour Cake {oil-free}
- Chickpea Flour Chocolate Layer Cake
- Easy Cashew Cheesecake
- Vegan Coconut Flour Cupcakes
- Gluten-Free & Vegan Vanilla Bundt Cake
- Vegan & Grain-Free Vanilla Layer Cake
- Chickpea Flour Gingerbread Bundt Cake
- Pumpkin Hemp Heart Cheesecake
Vegan Gluten-Free Red Velvet Cake
Ingredients
- 2 and 3/4 cups all-purpose gluten-free flour blend, see notes for options
- 2 cups natural cane sugar, or granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa power
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 and 3/4 cups plain nondairy milk
- 1 cup vegetable oil, e.g., melted coconut oil, avocado oil, safflower oil
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons white or cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup red food coloring, use natural, like Chefmaster made from plant extracts
- Vegan Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 2 and 1/2 cups confectioners’, icing sugar (certified GF)
- 2 8- oz containers/packages Vegan Cream Cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup 1 stick plant based butter, softened (I recommend Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups assorted berries, optional
Instructions
- Cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour (with some additional GF flour) two 9-inch (22.5 cm) round cake pans. Tap out the excess flour.
- Add non-dairy milk, oil, food coloring, and vanilla to flour mixture and stir until just blended. Whisk in vinegar until just blended.
- Immediately pour batter into prepared pans. Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack. Run a knife around edge of pans, then invert cakes onto rack to cool completely.
- Place one cake layer, flat side up, on a cake plate or platter. Spread 3/4 cup of the frosting evenly over bottom layer. Top with the second cake layer, flat side down. Spread the remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. If desired, arrange berries decoratively on top. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.
- Frosting: In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat confectioner’s sugar, cream cheese, margarine and vanilla until smooth and creamy (do not overbeat). Use immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
| Is there anything better than a homemade birthday cake? |
This was amazing and delicious, I followed this recipe using the supermarket brand of all purpose gluten free flour and it came it out perfectly! It was for my daughter’s birthday and everyone commented on how nice it was.
Thank you for a great recipe!
Wonderful, Cat! I am so glad the cake was a success for your daughter’s birthday!
Hey, can I use plain gluten free flour for this instead of all purpose? Thank you
Hi Luke! Just need to clarify what you mean by “plain gluten-free flour.” Do you mean a single grain or nut flour (e.g., chickpea flour, coconut flour, almond flour, cassava flour)? Let me know . Cheers.
It’s a flour blend of rice, potato, tapioca, maize and buckwheat
Hi Luke,
I think that should work fine. I would love to know how it turns out!
Absolutely delicious! How would you adjust the temp and time for cupcakes and 6in cakes??
Thank you so much for this recipe ! The cake is excellent and so easy. Very popular with my gluten-free guests !
I am so glad that the cake was a success, Sarah!
Hi. I tired this recipe today I followed every direction but my cake didn’t fully bake I left it for over an hour and It was still raw in the center I even tried different molds to see if I can make them into baked doughnuts but they where also raw any idea what went wrong? I did triple checked my measurements and everything 🙁
Hi Lucy,
I’m so sorry you had issues with cake. I’m not sure how the cake could still be raw when baked so long, even in small donut molds…unless the oven temperature is way off. Is your oven fairly consistent? Is there a chance it was not set properly, or the temp is off?
delicious! I used beet powder to enhance the color and chocolate flavor.
What gluten-free flour bled did you use? Is says “see notes”, bu I saw no mention of the brand and type you used. There is a huge difference in a rice flour based blend versus a quinoa-flour based one.
Hi Lily,
It is important to use an all purpose blend, as mentioned, that is meant to be used in a wide range of recipes . I typically use Bobs red mill or King Arthur flour all purpose gluten free flour:)
I love this cake xx i make it heaps🤪❤
I am so glad it’s a keeper, Laura!
So I need to ask what size cake pans you used and how you “prepared” the pans, as it does not specify. I had trouble getting them out of the pan. I’ve made this cake before, it’s delicious, but it’s trouble to get out.
Apologies, Vanessa. I have added the information.
I made the actual cake soooo many times! I like to play around with fillings and omitted food coloring, reduced the sugar amount a little too, but other than that it is such a good base recipe to play around with. Thank you so much, I really am grateful!
Thank YOU, Erika! 🙂
This looks delicious! Think I’ll make it for my birthday. There’s just one thing I’m wondering, what brand of all purpose GF flour did you use? The blends can be so different, and I really want it to turn out!
I am a fan of King Arthur measure for measure Gluten-Free flour 🙂
This was delicious!! Thank you so much!
Yay, so glad it worked out, Ashley!
Not sure why, but mine tastes like cornbread I followed the recipe
Hi James,
I am sorry the cake did not work for you. I really do not understand how the cake could taste like cornbread given that it has 2 cups of sugar (to 2 and 3/4 cups flour, plus 1 cup oil–close to the ratios of a rich pound cake). Also, cocoa powder and 2 tablespoons of vanilla.
Hi! I’ve made this recipe before & it came it wonderful! My daughter has a dairy allergy & for her first birthday I’m making her cake myself, but I want to make the color purple instead of red for her cake smash. I was wondering if you think it would turn out the same if I used a different food coloring other than red?
Hi Janequa! So glad you enjoyed it! Yes, you could use any other food coloring. I am not sure how deep the color would be–you might want to cut back on the cocoa a little bit if you want the color to be more vibrant 🙂 Let me know how it turns out!
wow! it was the best vegan chocolate crumb cake I have ever ate.
thank you so much.
As other comments here I used 1 tsp baking powder (instead of the baking soda) , 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 3/4 cup beet mashed (that was in Boiling water) although the cake became at the end bround and not red.
Hi
This is a fab recipe! Only thing is that it didn’t turn out as red as the original red velvet recipe comes out as….think I’ll have to reduce the amount of cocoa powder…but would I need to increase something else to compensate?
Thanks Shilpa
Hi Shilpa,
I might just be a difference/variation in the brand of food coloring. I know the natural ones vary a lot in terms of color intensity!. Decreasing the cocoa would make it more red, too.
I have to say I made this cake over the weekend, and it was fabulous. It’s delicious and moist and my non-vegan boyfriend loved it and said it was the best red velvet he’s ever had. I was afraid of the food coloring and didn’t put enough in, so it wasn’t quite as red as yours but it was still clearly a red velvet cake. I did use a different frosting, though. Just a basic vegan buttercream with Earth Balance sticks and confectioner’s sugar. Thank you for sharing your recipe!
I’m thrilled to pieces that it was such a success, Tina! I understand about the red color; the first time I made a red velvet cake I held back on the coloring, too 🙂
can you use cake flour?
yes! 🙂
Thank you so much for this amazing recipe! I bought all the ingredients today and I’m going to bake it for my vegan boyfriend’s birthday in a few days. I’m really excited to make it.
wonderful, Ella!
Hi,
I really love the taste of this cake, but I can’t make it rise more than an inch(have tried four times).
Any ideas why that keeps happening? Cake comes out moist and well cooked, but no high.
Notes: took off from recipe, one cup of sugar and also live in central Mexico.
Please help, should I add more baking soda?
Hi Susan,
So sorry the cake did not rise! I would strongly advise against adding more baking soda–it will change the taste and texture of the cake in an unpleasant way. Do consider getting new baking soda if it is more than 3 months old; it could be a bad batch.
I am almost 100% certain, however, that the culprit is the dramatic decrease in sugar. The sugar in the recipe is doing far more than adding sweetness. When sugar molecules meet water molecules, they form a strong bond. This union of sugar and water affects the texture (keeping the cake soft and tender) and moist (the bond between sugar and water allows sugar to lock in moisture so that the cake is not dry) .
But it also dramatically affects leavening (especially in vegan cakes where there are no eggs to help the rise). When you mix up the cake batter and beat sugar into fat and other liquid ingredients, the sugar crystals cut into the mixture, creating thousands of tiny air bubbles that lighten the batter. During baking, these bubbles expand and lift the batter, causing it to rise in the pan.
When you cut the sugar dramatically, you need to tinker with all of the other proportions (i.e., lots of testing and experimenting) to get the texture, flavor, and leavening right.
Hope this helps! 🙂
Such a moist cake! Was a total hit, even with my non-vegan friends. I’ll use this recipe again and again!
So happy to hear it, Taylor! 🙂
You wrote:
Hi Elizabeth,
Glad you liked the cake! Yes, changing the leavening and other ingredients will majorly affect the rise of the cake. You will have to play around to get the proportions where you want them. Baking soda reacts with acid, so if you want to go all baking powder, leave out the lemon juice (acid) for a better rise.
But what about the cider vinegar ?
I am going to make this cake this weekend and I really want to avoid using food coloring.
I stumbled upon this recipe thanks to Google. I am a vegan who loves to bake but never dared to try red velvet as i assumed it had tons of food coloring which i didn’t care for. I used your recipe with a few modifications – reduced the cocoa a bit, used apple cider vinegar and went to wholefoods and got them to make me a cup of fresh beet juice which i used instead of the food coloring. The cake was a HUGE hit at a July 4th party consisting entirely of non-vegans (except for me). So wanted to take the time to write and say THANK YOU! and for those hesitant to use Beet juice – hesitate no further 🙂 there was no smell of beets and the color was rich
Thank you so much for the feedback, Paddy! 🙂
Hi! I want to make this cake for my vegan teacher but I only want one layer. Would I just have to cut all the measurements in half? Or is there a different recipe? Thanks it sounds great!
Hi Thalia–that should work!
Hi! I want to make this cake for my vegan teacher but I only want one layer. Would I just have to cut all the measurements in half? Or is there a different recipe?
I made this cake for my boyfriend’s birthday (who is not vegan, but some of our friends are). I did not feel like spending $20 on natural food coloring at whole foods, so I opted to try beet juice instead. After a LOT of research (how to keep the cake red! but not make it taste like beets! but still have it be vegan
!!), I made a couple alterations to this recipe.
I used baking powder instead of baking soda. And I added about a 1/2 cup of raw beet puree w/ raspberry and lemon juice. I shredded the beet raw and then blended it in a high quality blender. I used raw beet because I read that I’d get better color. I added the lemon and raspberry juice to the puree until it tasted less earthy.
So the cake TASTED amazing. The color was not BRIGHT red but definitely red enough for me. And I honestly think the beet puree improved the flavor, everyone kept asking “omg what is IN this?!?”
My only complaint was that the cake didn’t rise as much as a I wanted it to because of the baking powder substitution but I had read that baking powder would kill the red color. Any suggestions for next time? Am definitely making this again the next time I want to make a cake!
Hi Elizabeth,
Glad you liked the cake! Yes, changing the leavening and other ingredients will majorly affect the rise of the cake. You will have to play around to get the proportions where you want them. Baking soda reacts with acid, so if you want to go all baking powder, leave out the lemon juice (acid) for a better rise.
Thank you for the recipe. I did a blind taste test with my friends last night. I am trying to find the best recipe for his 3rd birthday. I can’t even begin to tell you how challenging it was 6 years ago finding dairy free recipes, let alone dairy free and egg free recipes. And to combine that with his peanut allergies-OMG. So needless to say finding a plethora of recipes was awesome. I put your recipe with the oh so famous Isa’s recipe and a tweaked version of a traditional recipe. The texture on your cake is imcredible. I loved the crumb! I made it as a cake for today as well as cupcakes. It was hands down better than Isa’s recipe, and fought pretty hard against the tweaked traditional recipe. That recipe used coffee as the liquid. I think I am going to sub out the water for coffee when I make it for grown ups. Thank you for such an awesome recipe and for the time it takes to experiment and get it right. You rock!
Kim, I may run outside and start dancing in the street, all do to your generous comment. I am so happy you loved the cake!!! 🙂
I am not much of a baker, but a few weeksago when my soon to be four year old specifically asked for “a red cake with chocolate on top and candles” for his birthday, I set out in search of a red velvet recipe for my vegan birthday boy. I am so glad I found this easy peasy recipe! We had it today and it was awesome. We used a premade vegan frosting (which we won’t do next time, it was more like a glaze), and decorated with chocolate chips and star candles. Wonderful recipe…thanks!
Oh, I am thrilled it worked out for your little guy! 🙂
This is the second time I attempted to make a red velvet cake. My cupcakes turn out amazing and so do all the other amazing baked treats a make. But the two times I have tried to attempt to make red velvet cake something always goes bad. The first time and not this recipe my cake boiled over this time with this recipe it boiled and gooed up. I followed the instructions and used the right ingredients. Why does this keep happening to my red velvet cakes?
I made this recipe a few weeks ago to see how well I could do it turn out wonderfully, today I will make it for my husband’s surprise birthday party. So thankful you have this recipe posted because other homemade recipes I have tried have been super dense and just bland.
I am sooo happy you had success with it, Rene!!! I am sure your husband will be overjoyed to have a homemade red velvet cake from you! Camilla 🙂
I LOVE red velvet cake! I’m trying to go the vegan route on most things as it is healthier (and I’m not much of an egg person). I was looking around the web and stopped when I found yours. I’m definitely going to try it this weekend after a trip to Fairway. Thanks!
just want to say this cake is amazing!! i made it for my bday party n didnt hav time to trial making it and it turned out delicious! everyone loved it even tho they arent vegan/vegetarian. i used Hoppers veg food dye as im in aus n ordered it off the net n it worked well!
Oh, how awful! I am not familiar with americolor…but will avoid it! I have had many a cake disaster in my day (including a gray cheesecake)– it’s no fun!
I just made this cake.. it rose wonderfully and was moist. Unfortunately, I used some Americolor powdered food color I had in the house and the aftertaste is terrible. I am going to have to throw the whole thing out. : (
Holy wow right back at you, Molly! So so happy the cake was made, eaten and enjoyed by you!
Holy wow, this really is the best red velvet cake ever. Made it for my vegan best friend’s birthday, and it was an unqualified success — not just good for being vegan, but so good as to ensure I’ll never have to find another red velvet recipe again. Thank you!
So excited to try this! My husband is allergic to eggs, so I am always on the lookout for egg-free versions of his favorites! Thanks!
~K
Beet juice was used a lot here in the southern US during the Civil War to make this cake. I’ve made the cake both ways and have never had it taste “beety”
Apple Cider vinegar also makes for a much better cake in my personal opinion.
You are so welcome, Corinne!
Rainyday: I’ve heard of the beets option, too, but have never tried it. I’d love to know if you give it a try. I love beets, but was also wondering if the cake might end up tasting beet-y. I also saw a dried beet powder on amazon that was intriguing…may have some experimenting ahead 🙂
I’ve never tried red velvet cake but on a recent trip to the US I was very tempted to when I saw how gorgeous it looked. Not liking eggs, I decided to wait till I could find a recipe to try at home – this looks like the perfect recipe! Thanks Camilla!
I’ve heard of using pureed beets instead of red food colouring but have been hesitant to try in case it alters the taste. Might just give it a go though, and this recipe looks fantastic!
Bryanna: All modesty aside, it was so good! It would be perfect at Christmas 🙂
Shivani: Welcome! So glad you “found” me. I agree about the food and love comment 🙂
Wow, I just discovered this blog. It is awesome!
I love food which is prepared with love – you even can taste it.
This looks fantastic, Camilla– I’m going to try it at Christmas for a change of pace. This looks better than most I’ve seen so far.