Red Velvet Brownies with Cream Cheese Frosting + Video

Experience pure bliss with Red Velvet Brownies. These fudgy chocolatey treats are a true delight for the senses with cream cheese frosting – just like the traditional cake, but in a brownie. And see the step by step video below.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

One of my biggest gripes with anything red velvet is that it tastes like watered down chocolate. Or like it just walked by a chocolate bar and waved politely without making prolonged direct eye contact. I need a bit more! And damn do these red velvet brownies deliver! 

There is a level of indulgence in these not found in other red velvet cake recipes. They are deep and fudgy brownies, and actually use melted chocolate, along with a hint of cocoa powder to achieve a rich chocolate flavor for this brownie recipe. 

The original basis for this recipe is from Sarah Kieffer‘s 100 Cookies White Chocolate Red Velvet Brownies. To get that extra boost of chocolate flavor, I did switch out the white chocolate chips for semi-sweet chocolate chips. By all means, I endorse keeping the white chocolate chips for these as well. The cocoa butter in them is a must. But if you’re feeling extra deviant, use dark chocolate chips for an two extra sinful variations. 

These are perfect for any time of year, these are particularly perfect in time for Valentine’s Day! 

Ingredients

The ingredients are quite simple, which is great. But there are a couple of extras that can take these over the top, namely the red food color (this is important), and adding in a few extras to make them ultra decadent.

Red Velvet Brownies

• All Purpose Flour
• Baking Powder
• Large Eggs, room temperature
• Granulated Sugar
• Brown Sugar
• Salt
• Canola Oil, or Vegetable Oil
• White Vinegar
• Red Gel Food Coloring
• Vanilla Extract
• Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
• Unsalted Butter
• Dutch Processed Cocoa Powder

Cream Cheese Frosting

• Butter
• Cream Cheese
• Vanilla Extract
• Salt
• Powdered Sugar
• Heavy Cream

Instructions for Red Velvet Brownie Recipe

This is how you will get perfectly chewy brownies with the deep red color of red velvet we have come to know and love. 

Red Velvet Brownies

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place the rack on the middle position. Grease and line a 9×13 inch baking pan, or lasagna pan (which is my favorite) with parchment paper.
2. In a  large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cocoa powder. Set aside. 
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together the eggs, granulated sugar, and brown sugar, and salt until completely combined and light yellow, about 4 minutes. With the mixer on low, add in the oil, vinegar, white vinegar, vanilla, and red food coloring. Stir until combined and the color has blended all the way through the mixture. 
4. To melt the chocolate, you can combine the butter and chocolate in a heavy bottom saucepan, and stir with a rubber spatula, or silicone spatula, over medium low heat. Remove the chocolate ganache when the chocolate is about 80% melted and continue to stir off the heat using the residual heat from the pan to completely melt the chocolate. You can also melt the chocolate in the microwave with a microwave safe bowl, at half heat for one minute, and then at 30 second intervals, stirring in between interval until smooth and combined. 
5. Pour the chocolate ganache into the batter with the mixer on low, until just combined. 
6. Slowly with the mixer on low speed, add in the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. A couple of flour streaks may remain. 
7. Pour the brownie batter into the prepared lasagna pan, or prepared baking pan, and place into the oven to bake for 30-35 minutes. Test the doneness of the brownies with a toothpick inserted into the center of the pan. The brownies should have several moist crumbs on the toothpick. Set the pan on a wire rack to cool completely, before frosting.

Light and Airy Cream Cheese Frosting

Cream Cheese Frosting

1. In a clean bowl of a stand mixer, with a paddle attachment, beat together the unsalted butter and softened cream cheese until completely combined and smooth. Beat in the vanilla and pinch of salt. 
2. To ensure that the frosting is smooth, use a flour sifter, or fine mesh strainer, to pass the powdered sugar through and remove all the clumps. Press through any clumps that remain. 
3. Add the powdered sugar to the cream cheese and butter, with the mixer set on low speed. When it is completely incorporated, add in one tablespoon of heavy cream. Turn the mixer up to a medium speed and whip the frosting until light and fluffy, doubling in size. If the frosting is too thick, add in additional heavy cream until it reaches the proper consistency.
4. Remove from the mixer, and spread evenly over the top of the brownies. Don’t forget to save a spoonful of the tangy cream cheese frosting for yourself. 😉 

Frequently Asked Questions about Red Velvet

What kind of cocoa powder is best?

The old school way of processing cocoa powder gave way to a reddish hue, only further amplified by the acidification process of the batter with the addition of white vinegar. Nowadays, the red isn’t as pronounced in most cases, but if you get dutched cocoa powder, you will find it has a different hint of “red” than most. 

My favorite all around cocoa powder is Ghirardelli’s Majestic, which has a great butter fat content, and all around attributes I use in all my recipes. Even that hint of red. 

Does the red food coloring matter in red velvet?

Yes, it can.  Using too much red food coloring can create a bitter and “off” taste to baked goods. Thankfully when using it in cakes, it is mostly masked by other flavors, but I still steer clear of some suspect types of red gel food coloring. Wilton has a “no taste” red food coloring that doesn’t have an overly bitter taste. In this recipe though, I used their burgundy dye to create that extra deep red chocolate look. 

What is the difference between chocolate cake and red velvet cake?

Well the biggest difference is the amount of chocolate, along with the addition of the vinegar that gives it a kick. Red velvet typically only includes a small amount of cocoa powder into the mixture, where a chocolate cake will typically include both cocoa powder, and melted chocolate to ramp up the chocolate intensity. 

More Inspired Homemade Recipes To Try

Peppermint Bark Red Velvet Cake

Peppermint Red Velvet Oreos

Red Velvet Cinnamon Rolls

Peanut Butter Brownie Cookies

Red Velvet Beet Cake

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