Red Velvet Brownie Recipe | How Sweet It Is

Red Velvet Brownies with White Chocolate Frosting.

March 3, 2011

This recipe has been a loooong time coming.

Like, it seems as if it has taken me forever to perfect it.

Note the dramatic-ness. Mr. How Sweet says I’m too dramatic. I can’t not share my dramaticness with you.
I’ve been attempting to make a red velvet brownie from scratch for months. It is quite the feat since red velvet isn’t technically “just chocolate” and isn’t just a chocolate cookie, cake or cupcake dyed red. True red velvet connoisseurs know that red velvet treats have just the slightest hint of cocoa. That’s what I finally mastered – a chewy, dense brownie with a hint of chocolate!

I adapted my oooey, gooey brownie recipe (also used for brownie cupcakes) for red velvet success – after about 30 failed attempts. And I added chocolate chips because, well… I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t add additional chocolate and calories.
Or top it off with even more chocolate.

That would be white chocolate buttercream.

That would be my livelihood.

That would be my soul in bowl.

That would also be a surefire way to gain ten pounds.
You know how you guys always ask me what happens to my baked goods? Well, I’ll tell you what happened on Saturday. My brother, his girlfriend, and my cousin came over Saturday afternoon just as I was finishing up some baking. Which meant that within minutes, I plopped down two pans of chocolate chip cookie cinnamon rolls, a 9 x 13 baking dish full of pierogi casserole, and this big square of red velvet brownies… that were still warm. Can you spell GLUTTON FEST?

Mr. How Sweet came home, and in true Mr. How Sweet fashion decided he was on a plain chicken, egg whites, and diet Coke diet. After about six hours of nagging, I convinced him to try a red velvet brownie, then I watched him promptly hit the floor in ecstasy. I’m such a good influence.
But I ended up giving the rest to my brother to take home the next day, because red velvet brownies aren’t exactly on the plain chicken and egg whites and diet Coke diet. Right?

Wrong. Mr. How Sweet had a mini tantrum that I gave said brownies away. That man gives me more mixed signals now than he did when we first met and he talked with his hands, wore only Dolce & Gabbana and knew more about fashion than I did.
He asked me to make the brownies again this weekend, so guess what I’m doing?

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Red Velvet Brownies

1/2 cup butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons cocoa powder

2 tablespoons red food coloring

2/3 cups chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat oven to 350.

Butter and flour an 8 x 8 cake pan.

In a small bowl, combine cocoa powder, red food coloring, and 1 teaspoon vanilla to create a paste.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, then add remaining teaspoon of vanilla. With the mixer on medium speed, add in cocoa powder mixture. Beat until batter is completely red. (If at this time your batter is NOT red, you can add a little more food coloring if desired. Color will depend on brand.) Add flour and salt, mixing until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips.

Spread in the 8 x 8 pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool completely before frosting.
White Chocolate Frosting

1 stick of butter, at room temperature

2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 ounces white chocolate, melted (I used Lindt)

1-2 tablespoons milk (or more if needed)

Cream butter in an electric mixer until fluffy, then add vanilla. Slowly add in powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time with the mixer on low speed. Add in melted white chocolate and beat until incorporated. To reach desired consistency, add in milk 1 teaspoon at a time with mixer on low speed. If frosting becomes too liquidy, simple add additional sugar.

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