Red Velvet Brownies with White Chocolate Frosting.
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?
Red Velvet Brownies
Ingredients
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
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
Instructions
Red Velvet Brownies
- 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
- 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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I appreciate you so much!
Is it gluttony week around here or something? Sure seems like it.
327 Comments on “Red Velvet Brownies with White Chocolate Frosting.”
Well I know what i’m making this weekend.
You made me laugh and you made me hungry. AND you made me want to bake. Job well done. I know what I’m doing Saturday :)
These look great! I love red velvet, and I like the idea of a white chocolate buttercream! Tastay tastay!
Ohmygoodness…. I think I just hit the floor in ecstasy just reading this! Can’t wait to try it!!
mmm…Soul in a bowl. Now that is something to seek.
Um. Wow. That’s all I can say. This is seriously like the best thing I’ve ever heard of.
Whoa. These look incredible. You are a genius! I think we may have to partake in a gluttonous weekend here.
I’m so impressed by how many recipes you develop – I don’t know where you find the time! These look great :)
Oh these look amazing! And dangerous. I could see myself cutting tiny piece after tiny piece (because obviously small pieces have no calories) until there were no more brownies. Where did they go?? I hardly ate any!
Been there.
Just when I thought this week couldn’t get better after the cinnamon rolls!! That buttercream…good gosh. I’d make this ASAP if spring break weren’t so nearby.
These look amazing!!!! I need to bake a thank-you gift for someone this weekend and this is definitely what I am going to make. Thanks for the inspiration!!
I am trying to lose weight, yet I read your blog every day. It’s like an alcoholic window shopping at a liquor store.
LOL, I love that comparison.
HAHA I feel the same way! I can’t help myself!
I might have to re-prioritize my baking this weekend after seeing these! AMAZING!!!
I have a REALLY important question- Thoughts on using a cream cheese frosting instead??
Definitely can be done! It will be delicious – I always have cream cheese frosting with red velvet which is why I tried something different this time.
I hope you don’t think I’m trying to undermine your amazing recipe- I just don’t have white chocolate in the house, and happen to have cream cheese :)
Oh goodness… not at all girl! Use what you have!
I love red velvet! It’s 7 in the morning and I want to make these!
That’s baking time to me! :)
30 tries at making something always seems ok when you get it perfected! I’m going to try these at some point soon. They look so yummy!
Simply amazing, as usual.
In all seriousness….you need your own cooking show. stat.
I think this is the blog post that took me from just loving you to wanting to be you. Yep, it is.
why is it that red velvet things just look all that much more appealing!!??
delish, as usual : )
OH MY!!! I have been looking for a yummy Red Velvet Brownie recipe. I heart anything Red Velvet. Thank you for all your failed attempts to get the perfect recipe. I love everything you post!!!
Thanks Melanie!
Girl…you need to write a cookbook. Your recipes and pics are the bomb dot com! :)
Wow. Just wow. These look unreal. And I love that they are true red velvet :)
GOOD LORD! A must try! I have everything to make them too.
I love Red Velvet!! I really like Red Velvet cheesecake from Cheesecake Factory and my hubby brought me a Red Velvet DingDong last month that I’m still dreaming about!
We love that red velvet cheesecake too!
I love all things red velvet and brownies happen to be one of my biggest weaknesses. This is SO AWESOME. Thank you for the recipe!!!
I’m digging that frosting. RV cake is usually not my thing, but I’m pretty sure I’d stuff my face with these!
You can make regular brownies and top them with the frosting. :) Or just eat the frosting plain…
Your recipes always leave me salivating! Ah I want to make this and bring them to work on Saturday night (I work at a restaurant and usually bring in a treat for the Saturday night dinner rush). This is a surefire way to get a job in the kitchen! Thanks!
Definitely making these next week! Just made your cake batter rice krispie treats last night–between me and my two roommates, they are almost gone! Yum! Thank you for your amazing recipes!
Thank you for reading!
wow.
How do you do it? This is once again a wonderful recipe. So so great I am almost crying tears of joy.
Glad you have lots of people to share you baking with. I usually end up having to eat everything I make. Therefore, I don’t get to bake as often as I would like (which would be everyday).
I just saw an old episode of Throwdown with Bobby Flay where he had to make a red velvet cake, and it reminded me that I hadn’t had it in a while. This is reminder #2, which means I should probably just whip myself up a batch of these.
Agreed!
Does/did Dolce & Gabbana make sleeveless shirts? Like tanks tops? haha. =)
LOL!! This may be my most favorite comment ever.
YES
they look beyond sinful. you must try my mini red velvet cupcakes for one, where i use mama pea’s secret of beets to make the red velvet well, red.
:)
IS it gluttony week? I mean, you posted about chicken yesterday, so I’m thinking it could be a lot worse. These do look pretty freakin’ awesome, though. :)
I think you’re right. Not so gluttonous. I posted VEGETABLES!
i’m lusting after your buttercream. thank you!!
Funny news. I showed my co-worker your site and she instantly became addicted. We stopped working. She made your double fudge oreo crunch cookies and brought them to work. Heavenly. My boss told me I could continue not working and looking at your recipes if I continued to influence people to make your food and bring it to work. Thank you for that. =)
Thank YOU for that! :) Made my night.
I have literally never had red velvet cake! But these look great! Are they more cakey or fudgey? Either way, the frosting wins! I can’t resist a good buttercream!
Fudgey! And you must try some red velvet.
omg that story is amazing. I am pretty much obsessed with your style of writing. it really makes your food come to life :) oh and id like a brownie…now
Thanks girl!
Luv red velvet….must try this one. Thanks!
Bring ON these brownies – red velvet cake is my FAVORITE CAKE EVERRRR!!! These look amazing.
How funny! You and Angela read my mind way too much lol. Today at work I was daydreaming of red velvet desserts :P
Oh my. Yes. Yes. Yes. For me!
Every day is gluttony for me! I wish!
Totally gotta try these babies :)
So I’m trying to lose weight for my wedding, and then I come to your blog, and I want to make everything … and your damn red velvet cookies were so good (I threw in white chocolate chips, FYI) … omggggg!
These look beyond fantastic! I could eat the whole batch LOL
Sounds delicious and oh-so-decadent!
I would like you to know that I used to have a hatred for red velvet and the world’s sudden obsession with it. But I think I understand now, especially with this recipe… I just made this and the fudgy brownie texture really feels like the way red velvet should be to me. And the buttercream… holy wow! My fiancee kept sneaking into the kitchen during dinner to steal finger-fuls of it off the bowl. He said it was the best frosting he’d ever had. And I second that!
I am so glad you liked it! Thanks for the feedback.
oh my gosh? did you come up with this?! you must a genius or a baking scientist! thanks for sharing! and i love how you respond in the comments! makes us commenters feel special :)
Hahah thanks Connie – and yes, I did develop this recipe.