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Who does not love an awesome vegan red velvet cake recipe? Over the years I have seen this concept transform into many different vegan recipes. I’ve seen ,cupcakes, cake pops, etc.; we will get into ideas later. Basically, what I am getting at is, this cake is unique because it was really supposed to be a trend, but it is still loved almost 100 years later.
This is a very deceiving cake; its color throws you off;it makes you wonder what it is made of. Then you find out its just a chocolate cake with food dye. That really blew my mind.
After a little more digging, I found that this cake has a mysterious past. Many claim to be the originators of this masked pastry, and all of them may be right.
You may be thinking, “How can multiple people invent the same thing?”. Well this cake has evolved so much in a quick time that one place may have invented a form of this cake, and another person created a different version. Therefore, generating multiple claims to the rights of the red velvet cake.
History
Red velvet cakehas extensive history. Many believe the history of the red velvet cake started in the Victorian era.It became during the 1800’s that recipes would frequently name for the usage of cocoa for luxury desserts. They would name the cakes “velvet” cakes and serve them at fancy dessert parties. The term “velvet” was essentially a marketing term for the cake, describing the soft texture of this pastry. In turn, the devil’s food cake also became popular during this era.
The use of cocoa powder is the key in this recipe. In early times, cocoapowder was used to help break down the coarse flour that was available. The cooks at the time quickly realized that the resultof using the cocoa was a soft velvety.Let us not forget the subtle chocolate flavor from the cocoa.
Some human beings argue that the purple color comes from a chemical reaction. A chemical reaction between the cocoa and acid supply the cake it is purple color. Natural cocoa has several acidities and works well with the baking soda and buttermilk.
Fast forward to the 1900s, the use of cocoa as the main element in their cakes began to surface rapidly. People had been locating recipes for cocoa velvet cakes, purple cocoa cakes and other “cocoa” styles of desserts.There is not any written file of the cake, no lineage of who first dreamt it into existence, who first published it in a cookbook, and how it got here to be so broadly cherished across all the states. This is what makes it origins such a mystery. From historians to professional foodies, and a multitude of research, it is safe to say that no has any idea where it came from.
The south adopted this drifting recipe and embraced it flavor. This recipe wandered its way through kitchens and cooks in the 20s – 30s, and the red velvet changed once again. The south is where the red velvet cake acquired one of the most iconic southern ingredients, buttermilk. The addition of this ingredient elevated the cakes tanginess and acidity, one can also assume that buttermilk has positive effects on the texture.
In the 1930s, the Waldorf-Astoria, commenced serving crimson velvet cake.The Waldorf-Astoria is a reputable hotel in New York City, this hotel is also credited for the infamous Waldorf salad. Indeed, it is credited with the introduction of the cake, but the cake was already widely known at this time.
John A. Adams, a businessman who made his livelihood promoting meals-grade extracts and dyes, turned into searching out a product he could sell in World War II-era America, when meals ration limited alternatives for plenty goods. During this time cocoa was not always available, so cooks were turning to beet juice to achieve this red coloring. Adams saw this as a marketing opportunity and created a similar recipe for red velvet cake, but his coloring agent was red food dye.
What is Vegan Red Velvet Cake
Red velvet cake is not just a chocolate cake. It is quite unique because it’s a vanilla cake with a hint of chocolate. A red velvet cake should also be buttery and a little tangy. Overall, the flavor of this red velvet cake mix is rich and exciting.
Due to the texture of the cake, it is a particularly good candidate for a layer cake. The recipes I will be featuring below are all layer cakes. The red velvet layer cake is a center stage kind of cake, that most people know and love. So, adding this to your menu at a party or family gathering is a great idea for overall satisfaction.
Red velvet cake is a versatile concoction, in which ingredients can be switched out for similar results. For this reason, I really like these recipes, because they can be tailormade to your individual needs or simply from what you have on hand. I think this is what makes it so appealing to chefs and cooks. You do not necessarily have t go out and shop for these ingredients, chances are you already have them on hand.
How Do You Make Vegan Red Velvet Cake?
This cake is simple to make, you spend more time baking then you do throw it together. Please note this is a basic way of making a vegan red velvet cake recipe. The recipe ill be showing will differ in a few ways.
Essentially,you begin mixing the dry ingredients. Depending on the recipe, this includes items like your choice of flour, salt, cocoa powder (mandatory), baking powder and baking soda, etc. Sifting these ingredients Is best practice when making this cake.
Next, we utilize the creaming method. This is when you combine sugar with butter or eggs. For us vegan/vegetarians, we utilize vegan butter and flax eggs or unsweetened apple sauce. One was done creaming; we add the rest of the ingredients.
Once fully combined it is time to incorporate the wet into the dry. It imperative not to over mix the batter. Mix until just combined, to avoid a dense cake. You should end up with a beautiful vegan red velvet cake mix.
To bake, you will need cake pans of some sort. Always grease the inside of your cake pans, and you can always dust the greased pans with the optional sugar granules. Now, you just pour the batter in and bake as your recipe calls for.
This can be an amazingly simple process, but sometimes simple is not better. I will show you a simple recipe, a natural recipe, and a top-notch restaurant quality recipe below.
Vegan Red Velvet Cake Pro Tips
Substitutions
Most ingredients in these recipes are easily substituted. Do not feel constricted to have to use certain things. Vegans and vegetarians basically live of substitutions, right?
You can make your own butter milk if you do not have any. All it takes it 1 cup of non-dairy milk and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Mix and set aside for ten minutes. That is it! If you want a more in depth synopsis of vegan buttermilk, check out this post here!
Substituting flours can get a little tricky but overall, easily done with a bit of research. If you are gluten free, I would try using bobs 1 to 1 gluten free flour. Honestly, use whatever flour you want, just check conversions.
If you like a particular recipe but do not want to use food dye or beets, you are going to have to play around a little bit. If you have beet powder instead of dye, then switch them out!
Sifting Dry Ingredients
To ensure your cake has no clumps or inconsistencies, be sure to sift your dry ingredients. The proper tools would be to use a sieve or a sifter, but if those are not available to you then you can always use a whisk and a mixing bowl.
Creaming
If your recipe calls for vegan butter, flax eggs, or unsweetened applesauce; you will probably be utilizing the creaming method. The creaming method is simply whisking sugar into eggs, in our case, or egg substitute. This process can be done in a stand mixer, with a hand mixer, or with whisk.
Temperature
To ensure these recipes work properly, make sure all your ingredients are room temperature. This takes some planning be it is necessary in making vegan red velvet cake recipes. Just plan to take all your ingredients and leave them out and hour or two in advance.
Incorporation
Incorporating the wet with the dry ingredients is not hard, it just takes a little technique. Nothing Serious.
If your recipe doesn’t call for buttermilk, then just add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in increments. Doing this will, again, prevent clumps and overmixing.
If your recipe does call for buttermilk (which I prefer), then the process is just a little different. You will add the dry ingredients in small increments (1/3 -1/4 of dry goods) at a time. You will also add your butter milk in small increments at the same time. Basically, you add a part of your dry mix and part of buttermilk and mix. Do that 3 -4 times.
Leveling
Its important to follow this tip when going to layer your cake. Naturally cakes develop a crest when baking. The crest it is the highest point on top of the cake. This can obviously pose to be a problem when layering your cake. A simple fix to this obstacle is to take a bread knife or another long knife you have on hand and to slice it off! See not that difficult. You obviously do not have to level the top section unless you want too.
Icing
The icing is an important factor in these recipes. It cannot be too thin because it will just run off the cake. It can’t be too thick or it wont spread easy and possible damage your cakes. Also, too much icing it very pleasant to eat either. I have formulated a nice basic icing below with variations.
Layering
Some say this goes without saying, but I had to learn the hard way. Layering the cakes require a touch of skill and patience. Be sure to use a light amount between the layers for structural and flavor purposes. Also be aware of the amount of icing going in between layers because you will probably be putting someone the outside.
Equipment needed
If you need any of these items, I have researched and found the best products on amazon! The links are below! Just keep in mind they are affiliate links, if you click on them and make a purchase; I will make a profit at no cost to you.
1 whisk
1 rubber spatula
1 mixing bowl
measuring cups
measuring spoons
toothpicks
parchment paper
pan spray
Other Recipes for this Vegan Red Velvet Cake
Delicious Vegan Red Velvet Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 Cups Cake Flour or Bobs 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Flour
- 1 Tbsp Cornstarch or Arrowroot powder
- 2 Cups Coconut Sugar
- 1 tsp Baking Powder
- 2½ Tbsp Cacao Powder
- 1 tsp Baking Soda
- ¼ tsp Sea Salt
- ½ cup Vegan Butter melted
- 1 ½ cups Non Dairy Milk
- 1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
- 2/3 cup Unsweetened Applesauce
- ¼ cup Vegan Yogurt
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 2 Tbsp Beet Powder
- 1 qt Vegan Buttercream Frosting see notes below
Instructions
- First things first, preheat your oven to 350 F (180 C). While the oven is preheating, lightly spray your cake pans with pan spray and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
- Next make your vegan buttermilk. Do this by adding 1 Tbsp of lemon juice to 1 cup soy milk. Set aside for 15 minutes to let permeate. Or you can just buy vegan butter milk. Whatever works for you.
- Next sift all dry ingredients (Cake flour, cornstarch, baking powder, cacao powder, baking soda, sea salt) in a mixing bowl and mix thoroughly.
- In a stand mixer or using a stand mixer, beat the vegan butter and coconut sugar on medium speed. The butter should look fluffy.
- Now mix in the remaining ingredients (unsweetened applesauce, vegan yogurt, vanilla extract, beet powder) into the creamed butter. Mix until combined.
- Now its time to add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk. Do so, a little at a time alternating between each into the stand mixer on low speed. Do this until combined, do not over mix.
- Divide the cake batter into your cake pans. It should be even for all three pans. Then bake in oven for 40-45 minutes. Once thy are baked, check the doneness of your cakes by sticking a toothpick in the center. If you pull it out and the toothpick is clean, they are done. If not, cook and extra couple minutes.
- Transfer the cakes to a cooling rack and cool down completely.
- Once cakes are cool. It is time to level the cakes. With a long bread knife slice the crest (highest point) of the cake off the top to make it level. You do not have to do this for the top cake.
- Now it is time for icing, Spread icing over the top and sides of one cake. Be sure to go easy with frosting, you got two more layers. Now take the second cake and place on top of the frosted cake. Repeat this process until cakes are done and frosted!
Notes
Delicious Vegan Red Velvet Cake Standardized Version
Perks: Dairy-free, Soy-free, Gluten-free
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
3 Cups Cake Flour or Bobs 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Flour
1 Tbsp. Cornstarch or Arrowroot powder
2 Cups Coconut Sugar
1 tsp Baking Powder
2½ tbsp. Cacao Powder
1 tsp Baking Soda
¼ tsp Sea Salt
½ cup Vegan Butter, melted
1 ½ cups Coconut or OatMilk
1 Tbsp. Lemon Juice
2/3 cup Unsweetened Applesauce
¼ cup VeganYogurt
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
2 tbsp Beet Powder
1 qt Vegan Frosting
Instructions
- First things first, preheat your oven to 350 F (180 C). While the oven is preheating, lightly spray your cake pans with pan spray and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
- Next make your vegan buttermilk. Do this by adding 1 Tbsp of lemon juice to 1 cup soy milk. Set aside for 15 minutes to let permeate. Or you can just buy vegan butter milk. Whatever works for you.
- Next sift all dry ingredients (Cake flour, cornstarch, baking powder, cacao powder, baking soda, sea salt) in a mixing bowl and mix thoroughly.
- In a stand mixer or using a stand mixer, beat the vegan butter and coconut sugar on medium speed. The butter should look fluffy.
- Now mix in the remaining ingredients (unsweetened applesauce, vegan yogurt, vanilla extract, beet powder) into the creamed butter. Mix until combined.
- Now its time to add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk. Do so, a little at a time alternating between each into the stand mixer on low speed. Do this until combined, do not over mix.
- Divide the cake batter into your cake pans. It should be even for all three pans. Then bake in oven for 40-45 minutes. Once thy are baked, check the doneness of your cakes by sticking a toothpick in the center. If you pull it out and the toothpick is clean, they are done. If not, cook and extra couple minutes.
- Transfer the cakes to a cooling rack and cool down completely.
- Once cakes are cool. It is time to level the cakes. With a long bread knife slice the crest (highest point) of the cake off the top to make it level. You do not have to do this for the top cake.
- Now it is time for icing, Spread icing over the top and sides of one cake. Be sure to go easy with frosting, you got two more layers. Now take the second cake and place on top of the frosted cake. Repeat this process until cakes are done and frosted!
If you like this vegan red velvet cake recipe, check out some of my other vegan cake recipes!
Gluten Free Vegan Chocolate Cake
Also check out some other blogs with the solid vegan red velvet cake vibes!
You can check out some more of my content below!
- BBQ Rub Recipes for The Best BBQ
- # 1 Perfect In Season Fruits and Vegetables Guide: What produce is in season? May
- #1 Best Vegan Hoppin’ John Recipe: You Have to Try!
- #1 Summer Produce Guide: The Best June Vegetables in Season & June Fruits in Season
- 10 Best Vegan Protein Powders for 2021
- 2 Amazing Vegan Pot Pie Recipe: Perfect for Holiday Dinners
