December 8, 2025

Red Velvet Cake Bars

These red velvet bars are everything you love about classic red velvet cake. They are rich, soft, lightly chocolatey, and also perfectly sweet. Crafted into an easy, sliceable dessert that’s perfect for any occasion. With their vibrant red colour and a thick layer of creamy homemade cream cheese frosting, these bars are irresistible from the very first bite. They’re simple to make, bake beautifully in one pan, and deliver that iconic red velvet flavour without the fuss of a layered cake. Whether you’re baking for the holidays, a party, or just craving something indulgent, these red velvet bars are guaranteed to impress every time.

In this blog post, you will learn how to make cream cheese frosting red velvet bars.

How to Make Red Velvet Cake Bars

To make these rich and delicious red velvet cake bars, start by preheating your oven to 350℉/176℃/Gas Mark 4 so it’s ready to go once your batter is mixed.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cocoa powder. This dry mixture gives the bars their signature texture and light chocolate flavour, so set it aside for now.

In a separate large bowl, beat the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar on low speed until smooth and creamy.

Once that’s well combined, add the eggs, vanilla extract, red food colouring, and a splash of white vinegar. Continue mixing until everything is fully blended and there are no visible bits of butter left. The vinegar helps activate the cocoa, giving your red velvet that classic tang and vibrant colour.

Next, slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed as you go. This helps prevent overmixing and keeps the batter soft and tender.

Once everything is fully incorporated, pour the batter into a greased or parchment-lined 9×13 pan and spread it evenly.

Bake for about 1 hour, or until a knife inserted into the centre comes out clean. Let the bars cool completely in the pan while you prepare the cream cheese frosting. They’ll be much easier to slice once cooled.

How to Make Cream Cheese Icing

To make the best cream cheese frosting for your red velvet bars, start by beating the softened, unsalted butter and a full block of cream cheese together in a medium bowl.

Mix until the texture is completely smooth and creamy. This step is what gives the frosting its rich, silky base.

Once the two are fully blended, add the vanilla extract and a pinch of salt, then continue beating until everything is evenly combined and beautifully fluffy.

Next, slowly sift the icing sugar directly into the cream cheese mixture, beating on low speed as you go to avoid lumps and keep the frosting smooth.

Continue mixing until the frosting becomes thick, sturdy, and perfectly spreadable.

Once it reaches the right consistency, pop the bowl into the fridge while your red velvet bars finish cooling. Chilled frosting spreads more easily and helps you achieve that clean, gorgeous finish on top of your dessert.

Storage

Storing red velvet bars is simple, and the right method helps keep them soft, moist, and delicious for days. If your bars are un-iced, allow them to cool completely, then cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap or transfer the bars to an airtight container.

They will stay fresh at room temperature for 3–4 days, or up to one week in the refrigerator. Storing them without frosting also makes them perfect for freezing. Wrap each bar individually or freeze the whole slab, tightly wrapped, for up to 3 months.

If the bars are already iced with cream cheese frosting, they must be refrigerated. Cream cheese frosting is dairy-based, so keep the frosted bars in an airtight container and store them in the fridge for 4–5 days. Let refrigerated bars sit at room temperature for about 10–15 minutes before serving so the frosting softens slightly and the texture becomes perfectly creamy again.

You can also freeze frosted bars for up to 2–3 months. Just ensure they’re well wrapped and placed in a freezer-safe container to protect the frosting.

Ingredients

Red Velvet Bars Ingredients

All-purpose flour: provides structure to the bars, giving them their soft yet dense, brownie-like texture.

Cocoa powder: adds the light chocolate flavour that makes red velvet unique and also balances the sweetness.

Baking powder & Baking soda: help the bars rise slightly, keeping them tender, fluffy, and not too dense.

Salt: enhances all the flavours and balances the sweetness of the batter.

Unsalted butter (room temperature): creates a rich, moist base which also helps the batter whip up smooth and creamy.

Brown sugar: adds moisture and a deep caramel-like sweetness.

Granulated sugar: helps with structure and sweetness while keeping the bars light.

Eggs (room temperature): bind the ingredients together and make the bars soft and chewy.

Vanilla extract: adds warmth and depth, bringing classic red velvet flavour to life.

Red food colouring: gives the bars their bold, vibrant red colour, enhancing the signature look of red velvet.

White vinegar: reacts with the baking soda and cocoa to create that subtle tangy flavour red velvet is known for.

Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients

Unsalted butter (room temperature): makes the frosting smooth, creamy, and also easy to whip.

Full-fat cream cheese: provides richness, tang, and the classic flavour that pairs perfectly with red velvet.

Vanilla extract: adds a sweet, aromatic depth to the frosting.

Salt: enhances the flavour and cuts through the sweetness.

Icing sugar: sweetens the frosting and creates a thick, fluffy texture that spreads beautifully over the bars.

Looking for more dessert inspiration? Try these recipes below!