Red Velvet Brownies

A friend of mine introduced me to red velvet a few months ago and ever since I have been hooked!!  These brownies were delicious!! I however did not have the amount of red food coloring it called for, but they still turned out red.  I will be making them again!! The frosting was the perfect addition. I guess it is not just for sugar cookies after all!!

Red Velvet Brownies

from Dessert Now, Dinner Later

3 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1 oz red food coloring (or scant 2 Tablespoons I actually only had 1 Tablespoon and  added 1 Tablespoon water for the other Tablespoon and they still turned out a nice red.)

2 tsp vanilla, divided

1/2 cup butter; room temperature

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 large eggs; room temperature

1 1/4 cups flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease an 8x8" baking dish.  

In a small bowl, slowly stir together the cocoa powder, food coloring, and; 1 teaspoon vanilla into a thick paste until no lumps of cocoa remain.  Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy; about 2 minutes.  Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition, then stir in the remaining 1 teaspoon of vanilla.

With the mixer off, add in the cocoa mixture, then turn the mixer to medium and beat the two mixtures together until they are one uniform color.  Slowly add in the flour and salt and mix on medium-low speed, just until combined.  Do not over mix.

Remove the bowl from the mixer & stir up the batter with a rubber spatula once or twice, just to ensure all of the flour has incorporated from the sided of the bowl and there isn't anything stuck on the bottom of the bowl.  You'll want on uniformly colored (red) batter.

Spread into the prepared pan

  Bake for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center of the brownies.  Let cool and frost with Creamy Buttery Frosting!

Delicious!! As you can see my family could not wait for me to take a picture before digging in!!