Gluten-Free Vegan Red Velvet Cake - Rhian's Recipes (2024)

Last updated - ; Published - By Rhian Williams 93 Comments

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This Gluten-Free Vegan Red Velvet Cake is moist and fluffy, naturally colour and healthier than the traditional version! It has a balance ofsweet,salty,sourandchocolatey flavours and is covered in atangy vegan cream cheese frosting. It's also refined sugar free and super easy to make!

Gluten-Free Vegan Red Velvet Cake - Rhian's Recipes (1)

Traditional Red Velvet Cake is made usingbuttermilk, but it's really easy to make a vegan "buttermilk".

How do you make vegan "buttermilk"?

1. Mix almond milk with vinegar in ameasuring jug.
2. Let it sit for 10 minutes.

Tip: This trick works with any kind of non-dairy milk, as the vinegar curdles the milk so that it resembles buttermilk.

How do you make naturally coloured Red Velvet Cake?

To create a red colour without food colouring, I usedbeetroot powder.

You can buy beetroot powder inlocal health stores, as well as online.

If you can't get hold of it, it's not a problem if you leave it out - you'll just end up with a slightly differently coloured cake, but the taste will be the same and still delicious!

How to make the cake

Scroll down to the bottom of the post for thefull recipe.

Gluten-Free Vegan Red Velvet Cake - Rhian's Recipes (2)

Tip: Line the baking tins with greased baking paperto make the sponges easier to remove afterwards.

Gluten-Free Vegan Red Velvet Cake - Rhian's Recipes (3)
  • Bake in the oven for15 minutes.
Gluten-Free Vegan Red Velvet Cake - Rhian's Recipes (4)
  • Place the sponges on a cooling rackuntil completely cooled before applying the frosting.
Gluten-Free Vegan Red Velvet Cake - Rhian's Recipes (5)

How to make the vegan "cream cheese" frosting

  • Placecoconut cream,lemon juice,maple syrupandvanillain a bowl and use anelectric whiskto whip up until fluffy.
Gluten-Free Vegan Red Velvet Cake - Rhian's Recipes (6)
Gluten-Free Vegan Red Velvet Cake - Rhian's Recipes (7)

How long does this Red Velvet Cake keep for?

This Red Velvet Cake is best enjoyed fresh, but keeps covered in thefridgefor up to afew days.

Substitutions you can make

  • You can use any type of oil: coconut oil, olive oil or vegetable oil.
  • You can use any type of plant-based milk: almond milk, rice milk, soy milk, cashew milk, oat milk etc.
  • You can use any type of liquid sweetener: maple syrup, agave syrup, brown rice syrup etc.
  • You can replace thevinegarwithlemon juice.
  • You can replace the ground almonds (almond meal/almond flour) with ground walnuts.
  • For a nut-free version: replace the ground almonds (almond meal/almond flour) with ground sunflower seeds or use 30g (¼ cup) coconut flour instead of 150g (1 ¼ cup) ground almonds.
  • You can use plain flourinstead of the gluten-free flour if you’re not gluten-free.
  • You canomit the beetroot powder - it's used for adding red colouring but the recipe still works without it.
Gluten-Free Vegan Red Velvet Cake - Rhian's Recipes (8)

More gluten-free vegan cake recipes

  • Tropical Carrot Cake
  • Chocolate Truffle Cake
  • Tropical Carrot Cake
  • Lemon Blueberry Cake
  • Cherry Bakewell Cake
  • Chocolate Cake
  • Black Forest Cake
  • Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake
  • Lemon Blueberry Layer Cake
  • Lemon Pound Cake
  • Orange Drizzle Cake

If you try out this recipe or anything else from my blog,I’d really love to hear anyfeedback! Please give it a rating, leave a comment, or tag a photo @rhiansrecipes #rhiansrecipes onInstagram! Thank you.

Watch how to make this recipe

Gluten-Free Vegan Red Velvet Cake - Rhian's Recipes (9)

Gluten-Free Vegan Red Velvet Cake

ThisGluten-Free Vegan Red Velvet Cake is moistandfluffy,naturallycolouredandmuch healthier than the traditional version!

4.16 from 76 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: gluten-free red velvet cake, refined sugar free red velvet cake, vegan red velvet cake

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes minutes

Servings: 8

Calories: 400kcal

Author: Rhian Williams

Ingredients

For the cake:

  • 200 ml ( cup) unsweetened almond milk (or any other plant-based milk)
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (ensure gluten-free if necessary)
  • 60 g (¼ cup) coconut oil (or sub olive or vegetable oil)
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar (ensure gluten-free if necessary)
  • 8 tablespoons maple syrup (or sub any other sweetener)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Pinch salt
  • 150 g (1 ¼ cup) ground almonds (almond meal) *
  • 150 g (1 ¼ cup) gluten-free flour blend (or sub plain flour if not gluten-free)
  • 2 heaped teaspoons baking powder (ensure gluten-free if necessary)
  • ¼ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
  • 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
  • 3 teaspoons beetroot powder (optional - adds red colour but not completely necessary for the recipe to work)

For the frosting:

  • 400 g (14 oz) tin of full-fat coconut milk **
  • 2 tablespoons (2 tablespoons) lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup (or sub any other sweetener)
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

For the cake:

  • Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit).

  • Measure out the milk and, leaving it in the measuring container, add the tablespoon of vinegar and stir - leave to sit for around 10 minutes, while you make the rest of the cake.

  • Place the coconut oil in a large bowl and melt over a saucepan of boiling water or in the microwave (skip this step if using any other oil).

  • Once melted, add the teaspoon of vinegar to the same bowl along with the maple syrup, vanilla, salt and ground almonds.

  • Sift in the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, cocoa powder and beetroot powder.

  • Add the milk and vinegar mixture and mix well, adding a tiny splash more milk if it’s looking too dry.

  • Divide mixture between two greased baking tins lined with baking paper (I used two 7inch/18cm baking tins).

  • Bake in oven for around 15 minutes until risen slightly and an inserted skewer comes out clean.

  • Once out the oven, transfer cakes from baking tins onto a wired rack to leave them to cool completely before applying the frosting.

For the frosting:

  • You’ll need to keep your tin of coconut milk in the fridge overnight for the rich creamy bit to separate from the watery bit at the bottom. Make sure it is full fat coconut milk, otherwise this separation won’t happen and you won’t be able to make this cream!

  • Open the tin upside down – the coconut cream will be at the bottom and you can just pour off the watery liquid (save this for adding to soups or smoothies).

  • Place the thick, creamy part into a bowl.

  • Add the lemon juice, maple syrup and vanilla extract.

  • Use an electric whisk (or a manual one and a lot of elbow grease) to whip up the coconut cream until light and fluffy.

To frost and decorate the cake:

  • Place one half of the cake onto a plate or cake stand, and spread just less than half of the frosting onto it.

  • Place the other half of the cake on top of that and use rest of the frosting to spread on top.

  • Decorate with freeze-dried raspberries and cacao nibs if desired.

  • Keeps covered in the fridge for up to a few days.

Video

Notes

*You can alternatively usealmond flour.

**You can alternatively use 200g (7oz) coconut yogurt.

Nutrition Facts

Gluten-Free Vegan Red Velvet Cake

Amount Per Serving

Calories 400Calories from Fat 252

% Daily Value*

Fat 28g43%

Saturated Fat 16g80%

Sodium 76mg3%

Potassium 201mg6%

Carbohydrates 35g12%

Fiber 3g12%

Sugar 16g18%

Protein 6g12%

Vitamin C 2mg2%

Calcium 127mg13%

Iron 3mg17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Made the recipe?Tag @rhiansrecipes on instagram and use the hashtag #rhiansrecipes!

Disclosure: This posts contains affiliate links to Amazon. If you purchase any of these products, a small percentage will come to me with no extra cost to you! This income will go towards the running of this blog – thank you.

More Baking & Dessert Recipes

  • Gluten-Free Vegan Raspberry Madeleines
  • Gluten-Free Vegan Raspberry Muffins
  • Gluten-Free Vegan Raspberry Cake
  • Gluten-Free Vegan Orange Poppy Seed Muffins

Reader Interactions

Comments

    Leave a Reply

  1. Lisa .

    Will eithe Teff flour or millet flour be good substitutes for the almond flour?

    Reply

    • Rhian Williams

      I don't know as I haven't tested it, so I can't say. Would love to hear how you get on if you try it, though!

  2. Ines

    Hi Rhian, I love your cakes! Thank you so much for sharing. I will try this cake on the weekend but I can’t find any ready to buy gluten free flour mix, can you please advise a home blend? I hav almond flour, coconut flour, rice flour at disposable. Many thanks for your help and will definitely share the result! Cheers from Portugal 🙂

    Reply

    • Rhian Williams

      Thank you so much! Instead of gluten-free flour, you can use 140g rice flour and 10g tapioca flour. I hope that helps!

  3. Parth

    Gluten-Free Vegan Red Velvet Cake - Rhian's Recipes (14)

    Reply

  4. Stu Hayes

    I have 3 - 6 inch pans. How do I adjust for the baking time in the oven? Thanks.

    Reply

    • Rhian Williams

      sorry do you mean that you have 3 pans that measure 6 inches each, or pans that are between 3 to 6 inches?

  5. Tia

    can I use fresh beets? I have some in the fridge that I want to use up.

    Reply

    • Rhian Williams

      No sorry! The texture won't be right. But if you want to use up fresh beets, you can use them to make my Beetroot Brownies! https://www.rhiansrecipes.com/beetroot-brownies/

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Gluten-Free Vegan Red Velvet Cake - Rhian's Recipes (2024)

FAQs

How do you keep gluten-free cake moist? ›

Add extra liquid: Gluten-free flours tend to absorb more liquid than regular flour, so you may need to add more liquid to your recipes to compensate. This can help to keep your baked goods moist and prevent them from becoming dry and crumbly.

What is a substitute for cream cheese in red velvet cake? ›

If you can't find cream cheese easily (and note that in the UK it may be labelled as "white soft cheese" but is likely to be the same product) then you could use mascarpone as an alternative. However it is easy to beat macarpone too much, causing it to curdle, so be careful how you handle the mascarpone.

Why is my gluten-free cake rubbery? ›

Gluten-free batters need a longer bake time.

Because gluten-free batters contain more liquid than traditional versions, they typically take longer to bake. If you remove them from the oven too soon, you may develop a gummy, mushy texture.

Is Duncan Hines red velvet cake vegan? ›

Since most boxed cakes require that you add eggs, milk and butter after, most major brands such as Duncan Hines or Betty Crocker are already vegan!

What gluten-free flour is best for cakes? ›

What's the best gluten-free flour for baking? Bob's Red Mill gluten-free 1-to-1 baking mix is my favorite gluten-free all-purpose flour blend for baking. It has a mild texture and plenty of "stick" thanks to a blend of sweet rice flour, brown rice flour, and sorghum flour, plus some starches and xanthan gum.

Should I let my gluten-free cake batter rest before baking? ›

One of the most common gluten-free baking tips is “let your batter rest”. Letting the batter rest gives the gluten-free flours and starches more time to absorb the moisture. In theory, it will turn your dry, crumbly cakes into delicious, moist masterpieces.

What is a vegan substitute for cream cheese in baking? ›

If you're looking for a vegan cream cheese substitute, silken tofu holds up well and doesn't alter your food's flavor. Silken tofu is already popular in vegan recipes, especially dairy-free cheesecakes and custardy desserts like pumpkin pies.

What makes red velvet cake taste different? ›

Chocolate cake is flavored with cocoa powder, chocolate chips, or melted chocolate. On the other hand, though red velvet cake has cocoa powder that gives it a slightly chocolatey flavor, the buttermilk and vinegar add a tart edge making it different between the two.

Is buttercream or cream cheese frosting better for red velvet? ›

Cream cheese frosting is the classic choice for red velvet cake! Its tangy flavor complements the sweetness of the cake layers.

Can I just replace flour with gluten-free flour? ›

If the original recipe calls for 260 grams of all-purpose flour, substitute with 260 grams of your blend. Beat the batter more. Because gluten-free flours provide less structure than all-purpose, the batter or dough you make with them may require more beating than that which you are accustomed.

Is there a trick to baking with gluten-free flour? ›

Mix Batters Longer

While conventional wisdom has taught us not to overmix our batters, we've found most gluten-free batters simply need to be stirred for longer. If you're worried this will turn your muffins and cakes rubbery, have no fear. Gluten-free recipes need to have more structure.

Can you overbeat a gluten-free cake? ›

More mixing produces a tougher colloid. As many gluten-free recipes use xanthan gum as a binder, this will indeed be a problem with overmixing. If you are using a pre-made gluten free flour, you have to read the ingredients. If these are pure starches only, you can't overmix.

Is Betty Crocker red velvet cake mix vegan? ›

Is Betty Crocker cake mix vegan? Technically yes, although it is not explicitly marked as such. The mixture itself doesn't contain animal products but the box will tell you to add milk and eggs. However, it's super easy to veganize Betty Crocker cake mix.

Which boxed cake mixes are vegan? ›

  • Tastefully Simple.
  • Annie's Homegrown.
  • Judee's Gluten FreeJudee's Gluten Free.
  • Good Dee's.
  • My French RecipeMy French Recipe.
  • Simple Mills.
  • Krusteaz.
  • Iya Foods.

Is King Arthur gluten free cake mix vegan? ›

This product has 3 ingredients that may not be vegan.

Why are my gluten-free cakes so dry? ›

Some gluten free flours will produce a cake which is on the dry side. This might be due to the lack of gluten but can be for many other reasons. Lots of gluten free flour is rice based and this can result in a dry and slightly gritty texture.

How do you increase moisture in gluten free baking? ›

Honey and agave as a sugar substitute can enhance moisture as well, but be aware that you should cut down slightly on the other liquids you are using in the recipe, as honey and agave are not solid ingredients. Adding an extra egg or oil can also help, but use caution.

What can I put on my cake to keep it moist? ›

The simplest version of simple syrup, or soak, is nothing more than equal parts granulated sugar dissolved into water. The basic soak alone will do great things for your cake, especially in terms of moisture.

How do I make sure my cake stays moist? ›

Adding a tablespoon or two of sour cream to your cake batter can help make it more moist. Sour cream's creamy and light texture can help keep your cake from becoming dense and dry. Sour Cream Coffee Cake is a great example of how sour cream can enhance the flavor, texture and moisture of a cake.

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