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super easy vegan red velvet cupcakes recipe

Super Easy Vegan Red Velvet Cupcakes with Vanilla Frosting

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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Servings 15

Ingredients
  

Vegan Red Velvet Cupcakes

  • 1 box red velvet cake mix I used Duncan Hines
  • 1/2 cup applesauce You may need more or less, depending on the cake mix you use. This is to replace the eggs.
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil

Vegan Vanilla Frosting

  • 1 cup vegetable shortening Room temperature
  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 Tbsp coconut milk from a can Or your preferred non-dairy milk
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla

Instructions
 

For Cupcakes

  • Preheat oven to the temperature specified in the instructions on your cake mix box. Mine was 350° F. Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.
  • Prepare your red velvet cake mix according to the instructions. Swap out eggs for applesauce (About 1/4 cup per egg. Please see my notes above about this) and dairy milk for a vegan alternative (My cake mix didn't call for milk, but some might.)
  • Pour your vegan red velvet cupcake batter in the prepared liners. I like to use a 1/4 cup measuring cup for my cupcake batter so they all end up being the same size.
  • Bake your cupcakes according to the instructions on your box. **Note: You may need a couple minutes more due to the absence of eggs and depending on your oven. I usually start a couple minutes under the range given on the box, and then check every 2-3 minutes until I know they're done just to be sure.
    You know they are done when they hold their shape and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
  • Let cupcakes cool completely before frosting.

For Vanilla Frosting

  • In a large mixing bowl, with an electric mixer or a stand mixer, beat all of your ingredients together until they form a smooth mixture. There should not be any lumps of sugar or shortening.
  • Put a piping tip in a piping bag (I like the 1M Wilton tip for cupcakes) and pipe frosting on to cooled cupcakes.