Vegan Red Velvet Cake

Red velvet isn’t just a buttery crimson coloured cake. Its key ingredients are cocoa powder, vinegar and buttermilk, which gives the cake a slight tart taste along with flavours of vanilla with a hint of chocolate.
The moist yet fluffy and buttery sponge is what gives the cake a velvet-like texture.
The overall flavour note comes from the cream frosting, a delicately sweet and airy frosting that is slathered in between the layers of cake.

INGTREDIENTS:-

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 cup soy milk
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil or vegan butter
• 1 tsp white vinegar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp red food colour or beetroot powder

(For the frosting)

• 1 cup coconut cream or vegan cream cheese
• 1 cup vegan butter
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

INSTRUCTIONS:-

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. To a large mixing bowl, sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and baking soda.
3. To make the vegan buttermilk, add the soy milk and lime juice in a small bowl and mix well. Let it rest at room temperature for about 10 minutes or until it curdles.
4. To the large mixing bowl of dry ingredients, add the buttermilk and the remaining wet ingredients and stir until well-combined.
5. Fold in the food colouring and mix evenly into the batter.
6. Grease and flour 2 baking pans.
7. Pour the batter and spread evenly into the prepared baking pans.
8. Bake for 25 – 35 minutes or until it passes the toothpick test. Allow to cool for about 10 minutes before removing the cake from the pan. Transfer to a cooling rack and let it cool completely.
9. To make the frosting :  In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together (add sugar in parts to avoid formation of lumps).  Add the remaining frosting ingredients and beat together with a hand mixer or a stand mixer until light and fluffy.
10. Spread the frosting on top of the cakes and place them on top of each other. Frost the sides and refrigerate until ready to serve.