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Red Velvet Cupcakes

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43 min

Dessert

Freezer-friendly
Red velvet cakes can range in colour from red, red-brown, or deep crimson. When red velvet cakes were first invented, the colour of the cupcakes was a result of a reaction between the cocoa powder and the acid used in the batter. Nowadays, though, most recipes use food colouring to achieve the colour. We took a natural approach and added beet juice to add a very subtle red hue to these cupcakes. These cupcakes are fluffy, light, and have a light chocolate flavour. A tangy vegan cream cheese frosting is the literal icing on the cake.

cupcakes

Total

43 min

Prep

10 min

Cook

18 min

Cool

15 min

Contains

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gluten

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soy

Free from

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peanut

Treenut symbol

tree nut

Sesame symbol

sesame

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What others say

Kiley - April 11, 2025, 7:56 a.m.

I used raspberry puree instead of beet juice and topped with fresh raspberries 10/10, my friends all loved them

Hanneke - Jan. 20, 2025, 6:13 a.m.

Loved this recipe! That buttercream was amazing 👏 Just a small thing: I think the 5 minute timer in step 1 is supposed to be in step 2.

PUL small logo PUL Team - Jan. 20, 2025, 9:31 p.m.

So glad that the recipe was enjoyed, Hanneke, and thanks for the heads up! We've just fixed the timer 💛

Marta González Fernández - Aug. 24, 2024, 10:45 p.m.

It was a complete success! ! I made them for my non-vegan friends for my birthday and they loved them.

Nicole Mostofa - July 18, 2024, 12:32 a.m.

Instead of beet juice, I used the water leftover from boiling beets. Needless to say, they didn't turn red. Cupcakes were good. The outsite was papery even when fresh. I feel like it will stay papery later too. I used regular milk and apple cider vinegar. Also put a frozen pitted cherry in the middle of some of them and it worked really well. Didn't make frosting. 🍒🧁

PUL small logo PUL Team - July 18, 2024, 5:55 a.m.

Hey Nicole, aw indeed using beet water instead of beet juice can dilute the colour, which will impact the colour. The papery texture might be due to moisture levels or baking time. The cherry addition sounds delicious though🍒✨

SJ - Feb. 18, 2024, 3:09 p.m.

These are INCREDIBLE, loved the icing!

Bethan - Feb. 12, 2024, 11:08 p.m.

Is it okay to use caster sugar instead of granulated sugar? I've always tended to use caster sugar in baking, is it better to use granulated, and why?

PUL small logo PUL Team - Feb. 12, 2024, 11:52 p.m.

Hey Bethan, there shouldn't be an issue using caster sugar instead of granulated sugar! Go by the weight of the sugar and not the cup amount though. Due to its fine texture, caster sugar tends to dissolve more easily, resulting in a smoother texture. It ultimately depends on personal preference and what's more accessible. For us, granulated sugar is easier to find than caster sugar 🙂

J - Jan. 15, 2024, 4:35 p.m.

Hi, I'd like to make this into a cake! Do you think it will work or what would I need to change ? The cake tin is 24cm in diameter and I just want to make one layer.

PUL small logo PUL Team - Jan. 15, 2024, 7:30 p.m.

Hey J, we haven't tried but imagine you can use this recipe to make a cake. 12 cupcakes usually equals an 8 - 9 inch (20 - 22 cm) diameter pan. Your pan is a bit bigger, so the cake will be a bit thinner, but should work! The baking time might also change so just be sure to keep a close eye on it. When a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean the cake is done. Let us know how it goes! 🤗

J - Feb. 13, 2024, 9:04 a.m.

Hi, just wanted to update before I forgot completely, just in case someone else wants to try it. It went very well! The cake was the perfect thickness to be one layer in a tiered cake. I also tried it with margarine and it went just as well as with coconut oil. Baking time was around 16 minutes, I think. Thanks for the help ! :)

PUL small logo PUL Team - Feb. 13, 2024, 9:18 p.m.

Woohoo! Thanks for the update, J 🙌

Katie Snyder - Sept. 10, 2023, 6:42 a.m.

Cupcakes always seem daunting to me but these were so easy to make and worth it!

Dominique - July 20, 2023, 11:49 a.m.

Made these for a birthday party and they were a huge hit!!

PUL small logo PUL Team - July 25, 2023, 12:31 a.m.

So honoured they were part of the festivities, Dominique, thank you!