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Muffin liner being removed from a Vegan Red Velvet Cupcake with Bourbon Vanilla Buttercream.
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5 from 14 votes

Vegan Red Velvet Cupcakes + Bourbon Vanilla Buttercream

No better way to enjoy the holiday season than with these delicious Vegan Red Velvet Cupcakes + Bourbon Vanilla Buttercream!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time18 minutes
Total Time28 minutes
Course: Dessert
Keyword: baked, bourbon, cake, chocolate, christmas, classic, cupcakes, dairy-free, dessert, easy, fall recipe, healthy, holidays, homemade, indulge, plant-based, recipe, red velvet, soft, southern, sweet, traditional, vanilla, vegan
Servings: 12 Cupcakes
Calories: 228kcal
Author: Shanika

Ingredients

CUPCAKES:

  • 1 ½ cups organic all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup organic cocoa powder  (You can also use Cacao powder as well!)
  • 1 ½ tsps baking powder
  • ¾ cup organic cane sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
  • Pinch of ground cinnamon
  • ¼ cup organic canola oil (See Notes!)
  • 1 cup Dairy-free "buttermilk" (See Notes!)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 5-6 drops organic red food coloring, vegan-approved (See Notes!; the more drops, the bolder in color the cupcakes look)

BOURBON VANILLA BUTTERCREAM:

  • 5 cups organic powdered sugar, sifted
  • ½ cup vegan butter, softened at room temp.
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2-3 Tbsps bourbon (I like Jim Bean; optional---you can omit the bourbon if desired!)
  • 1-2 Tbsps Almond milk (You can use your fave plant-based milk)
  • Pinch of sea salt

Instructions

TO MAKE THE CUPCAKES:

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and prep the 12-cavity cupcake pan with liners + spray.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, sugar, cinnamon, and sea salt. Set aside.
  • Add the "buttermilk", oil, red food coloring, and vanilla to the dry ingredients and using a hand-mixer on medium-speed, mix everything until combined (and smooth) and no lumps are visible. NOTE: DO NOT OVER-MIX!
  • Scoop the batter into each cupcake cavity ( about ¾ full) and bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for the FIRST 5 minutes. Then reduce temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and continue baking for another 11-13 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean in the center.
  • Once done, turn the oven off and keep cupcakes inside with the oven door slightly open for about 2 minutes before taking them out. NOTE: This keeps the cupcakes from "deflating" from the sudden change in temp.
  • Let them cool COMPLETELY before frosting.

TO MAKE THE BUTTERCREAM:

  • Simply beat the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer (or using a hand-mixer) on medium-high speed, until smooth and pale. Add in the powdered sugar, vanilla, bourbon, and milk, continuing to mix on medium-speed until you reach the desired consistency----smooth and fluffy. NOTE: Add more milk (1 tablespoon at a time if too thick) or powdered sugar (for more thickness).
  • Add buttercream to a piping bag and pipe onto cooled cupcakes. Repeat until all cupcakes are frosted.
  • Bon Appetit!

Notes

  • STORAGE: Best kept if stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days (unfrosted) and 3-4 days when frosted. Also, can be frozen for up to 6 months when unfrosted and thawed.
  • RED COLOR: If you chose to opt out of red food coloring, you can always naturally dye your cupcakes by using pureed beets. For this, you would need 1 cup of pureed beets; In addition, ensure that you only use ½ cup of Almond milk + ½ teaspoon of Apple Cider Vinegar when using this option instead of recipe measurements.
  • MAKE AHEAD: You can always bake these cupcakes the night or day before and let them cool, tightly wrap, and refrigerate until ready to use. The buttercream frosting can also be made prior and tightly wrapped and stored in the fridge as well. When ready to serve, let cupcakes sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to an hour, frost, and enjoy!
  • OIL: If you want to substitute the canola oil, you can always use melted vegan butter,  vegetable or coconut oil.
  • GLUTEN-FREE VERSION: To make these cupcakes GF, I recommend using a GF Flour Blend (Bob’s Red Mills has a great version!). **NOTE: If the cupcake mixture is too ‘thin + runny’, simply add additional GF flour, ¼ cup at a time.**
  • EQUIPMENT: Here, I’ve curated a list of cooking + baking essentials that I use to achieve my favorite baked goods or cooked meals, especially with these Vegan Red Velvet Cupcakes. Everything from my fave cupcake pans, mixing bowls, hand-mixers, wooden spoons, and more. SEE THEM HERE!

Nutrition

Calories: 228kcal | Carbohydrates: 79g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 2mg | Sodium: 183mg | Potassium: 78mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 33IU | Calcium: 59mg | Iron: 1mg