Calling all red velvet fans, this red velvet hot chocolate is for you! Why not eat your cake and drink it too? This red velvet hot cocoa is super easy to make and tastes like liquid cake. All you need are a couple of ingredients, less than 15 minutes, and you’ll have a cafe-quality hot cocoa that’s beautiful and delicious!
Here’s how to make red velvet hot chocolate at home!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It’s a fun twist on regular hot chocolate!
- Make red velvet using whole ingredients and natural food coloring.
- This hot chocolate tastes incredible and exactly like the cake.
- Perfect for celebrations like Valentine’s, Galentine’s, Halloween, and parties that need red color.
- It’s easy and takes less than 15 minutes.
What is Red Velvet?
Red velvet is often misunderstood. Many people think it’s simply chocolate or vanilla cake dyed red, but it’s actually its own distinct flavor! If you’ve ever eaten red velvet cake, you’ll notice that it’s slightly tart.
Red velvet is made with cocoa powder, buttermilk, vinegar, vanilla, and red food coloring. The buttermilk and vinegar give it that subtle yet iconic tang that makes red velvet, red velvet! It’s most commonly paired with cream cheese or ermine frosting, which is my favorite part of the cake.
Red Velvet History: The Waldorf-Astoria Hotel is credited with the origin of the cake, called the Waldorf-Astoria cake. Around the same time, Adams Extract helped popularize red velvet by promoting its red food coloring for home baking. That said, similar “velvet” cakes date back to the 1800s, when the term referred to an especially soft, tender crumb. Which is where the name Red Velvet comes from!
That texture comes from the acidic ingredients (buttermilk and vinegar) that limit gluten development. They also react with cocoa’s natural pigments (anthocyanins), which give red velvet’s signature color and lightly tangy flavor.
What Makes Red Velvet Red?
As mentioned, traditionally, red velvet’s color came from a natural reaction between cocoa powder and the buttermilk and vinegar.
In the past, cocoa powder was less processed and contained more of these natural pigments. The acids would react with these anthocyanins and appear reddish. However, modern cocoa powders are typically processed to improve consistency and flavor, which removes much of the anthocyanins. Because of this, most recipes won’t develop a strong red color on their own unless you use natural, minimally processed cocoa powder.
As a result, many bakers and stores rely on red food coloring to achieve red velvet’s signature look. Both synthetic and natural dyes are common, and some recipes use beetroot coloring instead, though it can slightly alter the cake’s flavor.
What Does Red Velvet Hot Chocolate Taste Like?
Honestly, it tastes like drinking red velvet cake. It’s rich and cozy with a light chocolate flavor, but not as heavy or chocolatey as a classic hot chocolate (or French hot chocolate).
The cream cheese whipped cream is what really makes it taste like Red Velvet, though. It’s so good and perfectly sweet, with that signature tang that balances the hot chocolate underneath perfectly, just like red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting. I also love the contrast of cold whipped cream on top of the hot chocolate.
If you used beetroot for color, the cocoa powder and buttermilk do a great job of masking the earthy beet flavor, which can be quite strong on its own.
Red Velvet Hot Chocolate Recipe: Ingredients
Now, you might be wondering how to make red velvet flavor without making the actual cake. So, here are the ingredients you’ll need:
- Buttermilk — This is the magic ingredient in all red velvet cakes and what gives it the signature tang. You don’t need much to taste it, so a small quart is enough for this recipe. You can make the cake with the leftovers!
- Cocoa Powder — You can use any cocoa powder you have available to you, but Dutch process cocoa generally tastes smoother and less bitter. I use regular cocoa powder, and it still tastes great!
- Milk — 2% or whole milk is good. You can also use oat milk for a dairy-free version.
- Vanilla Extract — You can also use vanilla bean for a stronger flavor or vanilla paste. You can also leave this out if you use white chocolate that has added vanilla flavoring in it.
- White Chocolate — Chips or bar form works! I use the Guittard white chocolate chips for a nice cocoa butter and milky flavor.
- Beetroot Powder OR Red Food Coloring — This is what makes red velvet red in commercial kitchens these days. I like using beetroot because it has a slight tang and is naturally red!
- Cream Cheese — The best part of red velvet, in my opinion, is the cream cheese icing. To mimic that, use any cream cheese you have, but let it come to room temperature before using it. You can also use ricotta cheese as a substitute.
- Heavy Cream — My favorite is Straus Milk and the Rosa Brothers!
- Sugar — Granulated sugar or powdered sugar works. You can also swap for agave or maple syrup.
How to Make Red Velvet Hot Chocolate
- Make Hot Chocolate. Add cocoa powder, beetroot powder, vanilla extract, and milk to a small pot. Stir with a spoon until mixed thoroughly, or use a handheld frother and mix.
- Heat on low heat until the milk is hot and steaming, then add white chocolate chips or chopped chocolate. Stir constantly to prevent the chocolate from burning. Keep stirring until completely melted.
- For a thinner hot chocolate, heat the mixture less. For a thicker texture, heat for longer. Once satisfied with the texture, remove from the heat.
- Once slightly cooled, add your buttermilk and stir until there are no white streaks.
- Make Cream Cheese Whipped Cream. Add softened cream cheese, heavy cream, and sugar to a small bowl or cup. Use a handheld frother or electric mixer and whip the cream until it doubles in size and is fluffy. It should be able to hold a soft peak.
- Assemble Drink. Add red velvet hot chocolate to a mug, then scoop or pipe the cream cheese whipped cream.
- Garnish and Enjoy! Garnish with red sprinkles, a dusting of beetroot powder, or red velvet cake crumbles.
Tips for The Best Red Velvet Hot Chocolate
- Add Buttermilk Last: Buttermilk is sour and more acidic than normal milk. Sour liquids can coagulate milk or other protein-rich liquids, especially when hot. So, to preserve a smooth texture, add it last for the least chance of coagulation. If it happens, though, a little is normal, and it’s perfectly safe to drink.
- Sift Beetroot Powder: If you have beetroot powder clumps, then sift it into your hot chocolate for a smooth drink. Clumps will stick to themselves when in liquid because powders are generally hydrophobic, so eliminating them once mixed is difficult.
- Use Fresh Beetroot Powder: Fresh beetroot powder is bright red and fine, while older powder is more clumpy and duller red. The color difference is huge when you add them to hot chocolate!
How to Garnish for Valentine’s Day
This is a great Valentine’s Day drink!! It’s perfect for all ages, super easy to make, and already on theme. To garnish this hot chocolate so that it screams Valentine’s Day, I recommend using Valentine’s Day-themed sprinkles, like red sugar sprinkles, red and pink sprinkles, or heart-shaped red sprinkles, as a cute garnish.
You could also serve it with a mini heart cookie, chocolate hearts, or conversation heart candy! Or stick to true red velvet fashion and use cake crumbles or even a small slice of cake for a real treat.
Easy Red Velvet Hot Chocolate
Equipment
- 1 handheld frother
- 1 small to medium sized pot
Ingredients
- ¼ cup buttermilk
- 1 ½ tbsp cocoa powder
- 1 cup milk 2% or whole milk
- ⅛ tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ cup white chocolate chips or chopped bar
- 1 tbsp beetroot powder make sure its fresh!
- 1 tbsp room temperature cream cheese
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 1 tbsp sugar
Instructions
Make Hot Chocolate
- Add cocoa powder, beetroot powder, vanilla extract, and milk to a small pot. Stir with a spoon until mixed thoroughly, or use a handheld frother and mix.
- Heat on low heat until the milk is hot and steaming, then add white chocolate chips or chopped chocolate. Stir constantly to prevent the chocolate from burning. Keep stirring until completely melted.
- For a thinner hot chocolate, heat the mixture less. For a thicker texture, heat for longer. Once satisfied with the texture, remove from the heat.
- Once slightly cooled, add your buttermilk and stir until there are no white streaks.
Make Cream Cheese Whipped Cream
- Add softened cream cheese, heavy cream, and sugar to a small bowl or cup. Use a handheld frother or electric mixer and whip the cream until it doubles in size and is fluffy. It should be able to hold a soft peak.
- Assemble Drink. Add red velvet hot chocolate to a mug, then scoop or pipe the cream cheese whipped cream.
- Garnish and Enjoy! Garnish with red sprinkles, a dusting of beetroot powder, or red velvet cake crumbles.
FAQ’s
Does red velvet hot chocolate powder exist?
Yes and no. Most “red velvet” hot chocolate powders are just cocoa mix with red coloring. I’ve also seen some with almond extract, which is not accurate since red velvet doesn’t have almond in it. So while it does exist, it’s not necessarily going to taste like red velvet.
Can I use regular chocolate?
Yes! You can swap the white chocolate or add regular chocolate to your drink, but note that the flavor might change. Red velvet cake usually only uses cocoa powder to keep the flavor light, but adding regular chocolate will give you a deeper chocolate flavor.
Does red velvet hot chocolate taste like chocolate or vanilla?
It tastes like a little bit of both and in between. You get a mild chocolate flavor, but it’s softer and less intense than regular hot chocolate. Plus, the vanilla and acidity give it a lighter and more balanced flavor.
Can I make red velvet hot chocolate without beetroot or food coloring?
Yes. The drink will still taste the same; it just won’t be bright red. Beetroot and food coloring are mainly there for color, not flavor, so you can skip them if you want.
Other Hot Chocolate Recipes to Try
One of the joys in life is making a great cup of hot chocolate, especially on a cold night. If you like this red velvet hot chocolate recipe, then here are some other hot chocolate drinks to try next:
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