This easy and soft better than Starbucks red velvet cake is so delicious. I can't wait for you to try it. It takes less than 30 minutes to make and is honestly one of the most moreish dessert recipes that I have ever made!
Red velvet is one of my favorite kinds of cake.
This one has crunchy Oreos as a topping, as well as cake being generously covered with a creamy vanilla buttercream frosting. Who wants a slice?
I often like to serve this cake with a cold and fresh dairy-free single cream which soaks into the cake beautifully.
Dairy-free custard is another delectable option which I opt for very often, depending on my mood and how my tastebuds are communicating with me that day.
If you like all things red velvet just like I do, you'll also enjoy my vegan red velvet white chocolate sheet cake bars, vegan red velvet white chocolate cookies and vegan red velvet slices too.
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Why You Will Love This Cake
- The Best Color - I used red gel food coloring for this recipe, as opposed to liquid coloring and the results were incredible. The color of the cake itself turns out to be the brightest red, instead of a dull brown which cheaper colorings give you.
- Delicious Texture - This loaf cake turned out to be the softest and I think you'll adore it. The consistency combined with the creamy frosting makes the most gorgeous combination just like it is in my vegan snickerdoodle cake and vegan black forest cake.
- So Moreish - Like I previously mentioned, this cake is moreish. It's one of the most snackable cakes that I've ever made in terms of it's popularity with my family. It honestly gets eaten within a couple of days!
- Allergy Friendly & Plant Based - This better than Starbucks red velvet loaf recipe is entirely vegan and dairy free.
Ingredient Notes
- Apple cider vinegar - Simply stir this into the soy milk to create a vegan 'buttermilk'. This will then react with the leavening agents to create an airy cake texture.
- Cocoa powder - Red velvet cakes only require a little cocoa powder as they have a subtle taste of chocolate. Some other recipes that feature elements of chocolate include my vegan chocolate mug cake, vegan oreo cake and vegan chocolate mousse. You will enjoy them all.
- Red gel food coloring - Please make sure that your vegan red food coloring is a gel food coloring. These are the ones which give the optimal red color to the cake.
- Oreos - This will be used as the cake topping. The crunch really enhances the cake texture.
- Dairy-free butter block - Use this for the buttercream frosting. Make sure that you use a dairy-free block butter instead of a dairy-free margarine/spread which won't create a frosting that is thick enough.
See recipe card for full information on individual ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- The Oreos which are used as a topping for the loaf cake can be left out if that is your preference. It is just a small, additional touch which many people enjoy. You can even replace them with something else such as, chopped nuts like I used for my vegan almond raspberry cake and vegan carrot walnut cake.
- Once you have taken away the Oreos, it is also much easier to make this red velvet cake gluten-free. The only other ingredient which then needs to be swapped out is the all-purpose flour for a gluten-free all-purpose flour, which is 1:1 and baking-specific.
How To Make A Better Than Starbucks Red Velvet Loaf
For the full method, please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
1: Combine all of the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
2: Next, pour your curdled 'buttermilk' into the mixture.
3: After you have poured the vegan 'buttermilk', add the remaining wet ingredients.
4: Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients to form a red velvet batter.
5: Equally, pour your folded mixture into two pre-greased loaf pans. Bake inside your preheated oven.
6: Remove the two cakes from the oven and allow them both to cool fully. After that, decorate with the buttercream frosting.
Expert Tips
Make vegan buttermilk instead of adding ingredients separately - The soy milk should be mixed with the apple cider vinegar and left to curdle. Even dairy-free buttermilk possesses a high level of acidity which gives a vegan cake an airy texture.
Each oven is different - Ovens will heat up to at different speeds and to slightly different temperatures. Due to this fact, a good way to test whether your red velvet loaf cakes are ready, would be to stick a skewer into them. If it comes out clean, they're done.
Recipe FAQs
Red velvet cakes have mild cocoa undertones. They contain less cocoa powder than standard chocolate cakes, placing them somewhere in between standard sponge cakes and chocolate cakes.
This may be because you've added too much baking soda. This will leave a bitter taste on your baked treats.
This issue is usually down to the quality of the red food coloring that you're using for the red velvet cake. Always use a good quality gel food colouring if you want a nice red color for your cake.
Red velvet cake batter generally contains a small amount of cocoa powder, leading to a more subtle taste of chocolate in comparison to general, standard chocolate cake recipes. Many chocolate cakes also don't contain buttermilks and therefore, the flavor will turn out to be much richer.
I highly recommend that you store this red velvet cake inside an airtight container at room temperature or inside the fridge for up to three days.
More Vegan Baking Recipes
If you tried this Better Than Starbucks Red Velvet Loaf Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you go in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you!
Better Than Starbucks Red Velvet Loaf (Oreo Topping)
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 200 ml soy milk
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 190 g all-purpose flour sifted
- 1 Tablespoon cocoa powder
- 150 g granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 0.5 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 50 ml canola oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon red gel food coloring* see notes
For the buttercream frosting:
- 225 g vegan butter block
- 240 g powdered sugar
For the topping:
- Crushed Oreos to taste
Instructions
Preparation:
- Firstly, preheat your oven to 177 Celsius (350 Fahrenheit), then grease two 20cm x 10cm cake tins with vegan butter and set aside until you need them.
- Make your vegan buttermilk by stirring the apple cider vinegar into the soy milk. Let it curdle for 7-8 minutes and measure out the other cake ingredients in the meantime.
Making the red velvet loaves:
- To a mixing bowl, add the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix well.
- Next, pour the curdled soy milk, oil, vanilla and the red gel food coloring into the bowl. Fold the batter together until there all the pockets of flour are gone.
- Equally, pour the cake batter between the two greased cake tins and bake inside the oven for 20 minutes. A skewer will come out clean when they are ready.
- Remove your two cakes from the oven and let them cool in the tins for 15 minutes, before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool fully. Don't apply any decorations to the cakes until they have completely cooled down.
Vegan buttercream frosting:
- Add your vegan block butter to a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or use a large bowl and a wooden spoon. Cream on a medium-high speed or by hand for 2 minutes continuously.
- Next you need to pour in half of your powdered sugar. Beat the buttercream mixture until it is completely combined. Add the rest of the powdered sugar and beat again until your buttercream frosting is thick and creamy.
- Spread half of the buttercream frosting in between the cake halves and spread the other half on top of the loaf. Also sprinkle the crushed Oreos over the top of the buttercream frosting. Slice and serve.
Video
Notes
- The soy milk should be mixed with the apple cider vinegar and left to curdle. Even dairy-free buttermilk possesses a high level of acidity which gives a vegan cake an airy texture.
- Ovens will heat up to at different speeds and to slightly different temperatures. Due to this fact, a good way to test whether your red velvet loaf cakes are ready, would be to stick a skewer into them. If it comes out clean, they're done.
- If you want your red velvet cake to have a nice color which isn't brown, always use a red gel food coloring. These give your cake a brighter red and ultimately, your red velvet cakes look much more appetizing as a result.
Jenny says
So good! Me and the family loved this one.
Vegan Treats Blogger says
🙂