A fun coffee drink to make for Valentine’s Day, or any day you’re feeling like having a Red Velvet Mocha.
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Red velvet is a cake flavor. You’ll find a lot of recipes for this cake calls for red food coloring and cocoa powder, making it sort of like a chocolate cake.
But the main difference between a regular chocolate cake and just a red colored chocolate cake is the frosting. The cream cheese frosting plus red cake makes the cake red velvet.
I recreated this cake into a coffee drink – the Red Velvet Mocha.
It’s made by combining cream cheese, cocoa powder and milk with food coloring and mixed with a shot of espresso.
This is the coffee drink not just for the red velvet fans, but great to celebrate Valentine’s Day too. (Check out our other Valentine’s Day coffee drinks, like the Dunkin inspired Pink Velvet Latte or Red Velvet Latte.)
Here’s how to make it.
Red Velvet Mocha Ingredients
- ¼ cup espresso
- 1 ½ cups milk
- 1 oz cream cheese
- 1 tbsp cocoa powder
- 2 drops red food coloring (or 1 tsp beet powder for a more pink velvet mocha)
- Optional: Whipped cream, cocoa powder, red sanding sprinkles
Tips for Making Red Velvet Mocha
Espresso
I made coffee using a moka pot.
If you don’t have an espresso machine at home, I recommend using a moka pot. It’s simple to use and an inexpensive alternative. It brews a concentrated coffee not exactly, but similar to what an espresso machine can make.
Check out our guide to making espresso without an espresso machine.
Milk
I used almond milk.
You can use skim or whole milk or a non dairy plant based milk alternative. Either will work.
Cream Cheese
Purchase a cream cheese bar with measurements on it so it’s easy to measure and cut 1 ounce to use.
Cocoa Powder
I used cocoa powder. You can also use chocolate sauce, but it will make the coffee drink darker so you’ll need to use more food coloring to keep the red color.
Red Coloring
There are a few ways you can get the red coloring for your red velvet mocha.
I’ve tried it with beet powder. This makes the mocha more pink than red but is a good alternative if you want to add color to your mocha naturally.
The other option is to use food color, like the McCormick Red Food Color. Or even red sanding sprinkles (just keep in mind this will make your mocha very sweet.)
Toppings
I used whipped cream cocoa powder and red sanding sugar sprinkles.
Feel free to get creative with your toppings. Here are some ideas:
- Whipped cream and a drizzle of chocolate sauce
- Valentine’s Day themed sprinkles
- Cocoa powder
How to Make Red Velvet Mocha
- Brew espresso. I used a moka pot.
- Meanwhile, in a saucepan over medium heat, heat milk and whisk in cream cheese, cocoa powder and food coloring. Stir until ingredients are incorporated.
- Pour espresso into a mug, followed by the mixed milk.
- Top with whipped cream and Valentine’s Day sprinkles.
In pictures…
Step 1
Brew espresso.
If you don’t have an espresso machine at home, use a moka pot like I did.
Step 2
In a saucepan over medium heat, heaata milk and whisk in cream cheese, cocoa powder and food coloring. Stir until ingredients are incorporated.
Step 3
Pour espresso into a mug, followed by the mixed milk.
Step 4
Optional: Top with whipped cream and Valentine’s Day themed sprinkles.
More Mocha Coffee Recipes You May Like
Red Velvet Mocha Recipe
Red Velvet Mocha
A fun coffee drink to make for Valentine’s Day, or any day you’re feeling like having a Red Velvet Mocha.
Materials
- ¼ cup espresso
- 1 ½ cups milk
- 1 oz cream cheese
- 1 tbsp cocoa powder
- 2 drops red food coloring
- Optional: Whipped cream, cocoa powder, red sanding sprinkles
Instructions
1. Brew espresso. I used a moka pot.
2. Meanwhile, in a saucepan over medium heat, heat milk and whisk in cream cheese, cocoa powder and food coloring. Stir until ingredients are incorporated.
3. Pour espresso into a mug, followed by the mixed milk.
4. Top with whipped cream and Valentine’s Day sprinkles.
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