Red Velvet Cupcakes With Salted Buttercream Frosting
Joann MacDonald of Woman in Real Life
I don’t need fancy jewelry or expensive perfume for Valentine’s Day. Sweet treats are the way to my heart! The gift of food is an expression of love, and these homemade vegan red velvet cupcakes say it best. They are light, moist and delicious, with a just-sweet-enough salted buttercream frosting.
These scarlet-colored, slightly chocolatey cupcakes are in keeping with the traditional Valentine’s Day color scheme. Top them with cute candy hearts and red sprinkles to up your love day game. You could also add a few drops of red food coloring to the prepared frosting for a celebratory pink hue.
Traditional red velvet cupcake ingredients include flour, butter, cocoa, buttermilk and vinegar. This vegan version of the classic recipe calls for vegan buttery sticks and a “buttermilk” made with non-dairy milk and vinegar. A combination of vegan butter and light oil makes for moist yet buttery cupcakes. The “eggs” in this case are healthy flax “eggs,” made by combining ground flax and water.
In the early days, the acidic vinegar and buttermilk in red velvet cake recipes apparently reacted with non-Dutched cocoa to create a reddish hue. Of course, today we mimic the process with the easy addition of red food coloring. (Source vegan food coloring to avoid animal-derived ingredients.)
Red velvet cupcakes are often paired with cream cheese frosting. For this recipe, I went with a salted buttercream frosting at the request of my teen daughter (who also frosted the cupcakes you see in these photos). You can use this vegan cream cheese frosting recipe if you prefer. The tanginess of the cream cheese frosting complements the red velvet cupcakes nicely too.
These cupcakes are soft and velvety - putting the velvet in red velvet - with a hint of chocolatey goodness. Surprise your sweetheart (or any friend or loved one who could use a treat) with a homemade baked red velvet cupcake (or two) this Valentine’s Day!
Red Velvet Cupcakes With Salted Buttercream Frosting
(12 cupcakes)
Ingredients
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
¾ cup almond (or other non-dairy) milk, mixed with ½ tablespoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 flax “eggs” (combine 2 tablespoons ground flax with 6 tablespoons warm water and allow to sit for at least 5 minutes)
¼ cup vegan butter, softened to room temperature
¼ cup vegetable oil
½ tablespoon white vinegar
2 tablespoons liquid red food coloring
For the salted buttercream frosting
½ cup vegan butter (buttery sticks)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ¾ cups organic powdered confectioners’ sugar
1 to 2 teaspoons soy or other non-dairy milk
⅛ teaspoon salt
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners.
In a large mixing bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking soda, salt and cocoa powder.
Add the “buttermilk” mixture, vanilla, flax “eggs,” vegan butter, oil, vinegar and red food coloring and whisk until smooth.
Divide the batter between the 12 muffin cups (about ⅔ full per cup).
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.
To prepare the frosting
Add vegan butter and vanilla to a large bowl. Using a handheld or stand electric mixer, beat until fluffy (30 seconds or so).
Add the powdered sugar a half cup at a time while continuing to mix on low. Add the soy milk, one teaspoon at a time, until desired consistency is reached. If the mixture becomes too thin, add more powdered sugar.
Add the salt and beat at medium speed until combined and fluffy.
Pipe frosting onto cupcakes or smooth on with a knife or spoon.
Store cupcakes in a tightly covered container in the fridge to keep frosting from melting.
