Easy Red Velvet Cake Bars Recipe: This Southern Dessert Melts In Your Mouth by 30Seconds Food

What is it about red velvet cake that makes some people go weak in the knees? Red velvet cake was developed at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City, though many consider it a southern dessert. The south loves their red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting! 

Red velvet cake is flavored with cocoa powdered, so it is considered a chocolate cake. The frosting of choice is usually cream cheese. These red velvet cake bars are a twist on the traditional layered cake. These easy cake bars melt in your mouth and take no time at all to mix up and bake.

To make these moist red velvet cake bars you will need flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, baking soda, butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla extract and red food coloring. For the cream cheese frosting you will need not only cream cheese, but butter, powdered sugar and vanilla.

Serve these sweet, indulgent red velvet bars for dessert or as a snack with your tea or coffee.

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Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 16

Ingredients

Bars

• 3 cups flour
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• large pinch of salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• red food color

Frosting

• 2 boxes (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
• 3 - 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract 

Helpful Products

• Electric Mixer
• Measuring Cups
• Measuring Spoons
• Whisk
• Rubber Spatula
• Mixing Bowl
• Nonstick Cooking Spray
• Stand Mixer
• Parchment Paper
• Airtight Containers
• 13x9-inch Baking Pan

Recipe Notes

• For garnish, sprinkle the tops of the bars with crumbs left in the pan after removing the bars. You could also dust with a little cocoa powder.

• Store the bars in an airtight container.

Here's how to make it: 

1. Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder and baking soda in a mixing bowl. 
2. In another bowl, beat together the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix well. Add desired amount of red food coloring and mix.
3. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.
4. Spread the batter into a 13x9-inch pan that's been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray and lined with parchment paper. 
5. Bake in a preheated 350-degree F oven for about 15 to 18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool. 
6. To make the frosting, beat together the butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, a little at a time, until combined. Add the vanilla and beat the frosting for about 2 minutes or until creamy and spreadable. Spread on the cooled bars. 

Nutrition Facts Per Serving

Calories: 271

Total Fat: 12.5g

Saturated Fat: 7.6g

Cholesterol: 51mg

Sodium: 129mg

Total Carbohydrate: 37.9g

Dietary Fiber: 1.2g

Total Sugars: 19g

Protein: 3.6g

Vitamin D: 10mcg

Calcium: 26mg

Iron: 1mg

Potassium: 95mg

Recipe cooking times, nutritional information and servings are approximate and provided for your convenience. However, 30Seconds is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe, nor may you have the same results because of variations in ingredients, temperatures, altitude, errors, omissions or cooking/baking abilities. This recipe has been analyzed by VeryWellFit. However, any nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and it is up to the individual to ascertain accuracy. To ensure image quality, we may occasionally use stock photography.

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