The New Year is right around the corner but I have one more treat to share before we all vow to eat healthier! These Red Velvet Bars are a simple yet delicious treat you’ll always come back to!
What in the Heck is Red Velvet?!
Traditionally, red velvet usually refers to a cake flavor. And what makes red velvet so unique is the combination of cocoa powder, vinegar, and buttermilk. Together, these three ingredients form a chemical reaction that give red velvet cake its iconic red color. As time progressed, this flavor expanded to other baked goods and now red food coloring is often added to enhance the natural color.
I love red velvet anything — its flavor profile is perfect if you’re not a chocoholic but want something more complex than vanilla. There’s less cocoa powder in red velvet flavored products than in chocolate flavored products, so you still get a hint of that chocolatey bitterness, which helps to balance the sweetness of everything else. These Red Velvet Bars are moist, chewy, and addictive! And of course, you can’t serve anything red velvet flavored without cream cheese frosting! The sweet and tangy flavor from the cream cheese frosting pairs so well with the light chocolatey flavor of the red velvet bars. Some would say, they’re a match made in heaven!
A Period of Reflection
This year was insane, but I know I’m one of the lucky one’s who can say I gained a lot this year. Even though it’s easy to look back on everything that went wrong, it’s important to acknowledge all of the good things — big or small — that have occurred. With that said, I thought I’d share some things that have happened in 2020 that I’m grateful for.
Moving to California Unintentionally
After the first time I visited my sister in college, I always dreamed of moving to California. Having this dream in my head for years and not knowing what my future held, I never really envisioned how it would happen. I flew to LA this past spring thinking I would eventually fly back home to figure out my life. However, because of the pandemic, I was kind of forced to stay, and now here I am. I’m so grateful to have been able to fulfill a dream of mine and be able to continue to stay in LA during a time when a lot of people are forced to moved out of the city and back home.
Family and Friends Being Healthy and Safe
One of the biggest things I’m grateful for is my family and friends staying safe and healthy. There are people who have lost friends and family members this year, and I’m lucky to say that, throughout this entire pandemic, my friends and family have been healthy and safe.
Getting a Job
Many people have lost their jobs this year and people are struggling to get a job. Knowing this, I’m so incredibly thankful to have gotten a job this year in a field I’m passionate about. This job has opened my eyes to a whole other world in the culinary realm and allowed me further explore my interest in food media, food styling, photography, and recipe development. I’m also so thankful to have the most amazing coworkers. I genuinely love all of my coworkers and I’m so fortunate to be able to say that. They’re so supportive and inspiring and make going to work feel like I’m hanging out with friends.
Growing My Blog
Whether I’ve gained 1 follower or 100 followers, I’m so grateful to have grown my blog. And it’s also not just about growing my following. I’m appreciative of the baby steps I’ve made in my photography, food styling, and investing in new equipment for my blog. Everyone has been so supportive and it motivates me to keep progressing.
Forming New Relationships
During the early months of quarantine, I was living with my sister and her boyfriend. Having that time together allowed me to form a friendship with my sister’s boyfriend and a deeper relationship with my sister. My sister’s boyfriend and I have become so close he’s become a combination of a best friend and a brother to me. As for my sister, we’ve always been close, but now I feel like we have a deeper level of closeness. I can’t pinpoint or explain what exactly changed because it feels so subtle but obvious at the same time. It’s like an unspoken thing I can’t explain but I feel and only my sister and I can fully understand. I never imagined that the three of us would become this close, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Becoming More Extroverted
I think many people can relate to this, but quarantine has brought out the extrovert and adventurer in me. That’s not to say that I didn’t like going out and exploring new places beforehand — I was just content with staying home and doing my own thing. Now, however, I love going out to explore new places and having plans during the weekend. I only hope that this side of me continues to thrive when things calm down!
Happy New Year!
I hope you all have a very Happy New Year! Please stay safe and make good choices (for example, make these Red Velvet Bars)! Take the time to reflect on the good things that have occurred this year and stay positive! I love and appreciate you all and I’ll talk to you in my next post!
Red Velvet Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
For the Red Velvet Bars
- 1 cup All Purpose Flour
- 2 tbsp Cocoa Powder
- 1/4 tsp Baking Soda
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1/4 cup Unsalted Butter (melted)
- 2 tbsp Vegetable Oil
- 3/4 cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 Large Egg
- 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- As Needed Red Food Gel
- As Needed Sprinkles (for decorating)
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- 5 oz Cream Cheese (at room temperature)
- 3 tbsp Unsalted Butter (at room temperature)
- 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- Pinch of Salt
- 2 cups Powdered Sugar
Instructions
For the Red Velvet Bars
- Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Coat an 8×8 inch pan with cooking spray and line it with parchment paper. Set it aside for later.
- Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt to a bowl. Mix everything together with a whisk until evenly combined.
- In a separate bowl, add in the melted butter, vegetable oil, and sugar and mix. Add in the egg and vanilla extract, whisking until the mixture is combined. Then add a few drops of red food coloring, just enough to turn to mixture red, and mix.
- Pour the dry ingredients into the bowl of wet ingredients and mix until everything is combined. Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan and spread it out into an even layer. Bake it in the oven for about 17 minutes. When a toothpick is inserted into the center, it should not have any batter stuck to it.
- Remove the red velvet bar from the oven and allow it to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely.
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- Add the cream cheese, butter, vanilla extract, and salt to a bowl. Cream the ingredients together until it turns light and fluffy. Then add in the powdered sugar and mix until all of the sugar has been absorbed.
- When the red velvet bar has cooled completely, spread the cream cheese frosting on top and decorate with sprinkles. Cut the bars into 9 squares and enjoy!
