Grain-Free Red Velvet Cake

There is something so elegant yet classic about a red velvet cake, and this Grain-Free Red Velvet Cake is going to blow you away! 

Perhaps it’s the name or that beautiful, bold red color, but slicing into a Red Velvet Cake just makes you stop for a moment and stare. This Grain-Free Red Velvet Cake recipe is made from scratch for the best flavor and a moist, tender crumb that pairs wonderfully with a tangy, sweet cream cheese frosting. I am obsessed with cream cheese frosting, and this cream cheese frosting is easily made dairy-free if you are someone looking for a delicious dairy-free and grain-free red velvet cake. 

Now, typically a red velvet cake has a few layers, but I admittedly don’t love the added stress of a layered cake and am more of a “snack cake” kinda gal. What are snacking cakes, you ask? Uh, just about the best way to cake. As their name suggests, snacking cakes are not for birthdays or elegant celebrations. They are more for baking on a whim and consuming casually. You know, like whenever the heck you want some dang cake. However, while I might casually whip this up on a Wednesday, I will also proudly serve this “snacking” cake on a special occasion. It’s a gem of a recipe. All the deliciousness with way less work.

Now…what makes a Red Velvet Cake red? Traditional recipes do not use food coloring, with the red color due to non-Dutched, anthocyanin-rich cocoa. However, a lot of modern recipes use some red food coloring to give it the right hue. But, it’s important to use a red food color gel as opposed to the liquid dye. The taste and texture won’t change a bit, but if you use liquid food color it definitely turns more purple than red. 

Looking for more recipes like this? Try a few of my favorites:

Grain-Free Carrot Cake

Grain-Free Strawberry Snacking Cake 

Paleo Cosmic Brownies

Grain-Free Red Velvet Cake

Serves: 12

Print

5 from 2 votes

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time25 mins

Cool Time35 mins

Total Time1 hr 15 mins

Ingredients

For the Cake:

• Nonstick cooking spray
• 2 cups superfine almond flour
• 1 cup tapioca flour
• 3 tablespoons cacao powder
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 3 large eggs at room temperature
• ½ cup avocado oil
• ½ cup maple syrup
• 2 tbsp coconut sugar
• ¼ cup unsweetened coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
• 1-2 teaspoons red food color gel see note

For the Frosting:

• 4 ounces cream cheese room temperature (sub dairy-free cream cheese for dairy-free; I use Kite Hill brand)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature (sub vegan butter for dairy-free)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 ½ cups powdered sugar
• ¼ cup chopped pecans optional for topping

Instructions

Make the Cake:

• Preheat the oven to 350℉. Coat a 9x9 square baking pan with avocado or coconut oil spray and place a parchment sling into the pan for easy removal. Set aside.
• In a medium bowl, sift together the almond flour, tapioca flour, cacao powder, and salt. Set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, or a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add the eggs. Beat on medium-high for 3 to 4 minutes until they are pale yellow and fluffy. Mix in the avocado oil, maple syrup, coconut sugar, coconut milk, vanilla extract, vinegar, and baking soda. Beat on medium to combine.
• Adjust the mixer speed to medium-low, and working in increments, slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. Mix for 1 to 2 minutes until everything is well combined. Add the red food gel and mix once more.
• Tip the batter into the prepared baking pan. Transfer to the oven and bake until the top is lightly browned and when pricked with a cake tester it comes out clean, about 25 minutes. If the top starts to get overly browned, place a sheet of foil over the top, but do note this is a darker cake.
• Remove from the oven and allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then use the parchment sling to carefully transfer the cake to a wire rack until completely cooled before you frost..

Meanwhile, Make the Frosting:

• In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment add the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla extract. Beat on medium for 2 to 3 minutes until light and fluffy. Next, slowly add the powdered sugar, beating on low at first to get it combined. Continue to increase the speed and beat on high for 2 to 3 minutes until well combined. Transfer the icing to the fridge until your cake is completely cooled.

Notes

To get the true ‘red’ color that you want in a red velvet cake, I recommend using food color gel instead of traditional liquid food coloring. I have made this cake with the traditional liquid food coloring and while the flavor of the cake is still great, it did not turn out ‘red’ and actually looked more purple. 

Note, red food gel can vary in color based on the brand you purchase so you may need more or less food coloring depending on the brand you get. Usually, 1 ½ teaspoons of the gel creates a rich, beautiful red color.