Red Velvet Mini Loaves with Chocolate and Cream Cheese Glaze
Tender red velvet mini loaves infused with melted bittersweet chocolate and topped with a smooth powdered sugar glaze. Brown sugar and sour cream create a moist crumb, while red food color delivers the signature hue. These individual loaves are perfect for gifting or portion-controlled indulgence.
Ingredients
- ½ cup water
- 2 1-ounce squares bittersweet or semi-sweet baking chocolate
- 1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
- ½ cup butter, softened
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon red food color
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flourcake flour0.875:1texture
lighter crumb
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon butter, softened
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 4 to 5 teaspoons milk
Instructions
- 1
Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottoms only of 3 mini loaf pans.
- 2
Combine water and baking chocolate in a saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until chocolate is melted. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
- 3
In a bowl, combine brown sugar, butter, eggs, and vanilla. Beat at medium speed until creamy.
- 4
Add chocolate mixture, sour cream, and red food color to the bowl. Continue beating until well mixed.
- 5
Add flour, baking soda, and salt. Beat at low speed until mixture is smooth.
- 6
Spoon batter evenly into prepared pans.
- 7
Bake 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- 8
Cool 10 minutes in pans, then remove to cooling rack. Cool completely.
- 9
For glaze, combine powdered sugar, butter, and vanilla in a bowl. Beat at medium speed, adding milk until desired spreading consistency is reached.
- 10
Spread glaze over cooled bread.
Tips
Cool melted chocolate to room temperature before mixing with other wet ingredients to prevent curdling.
Grease only the bottoms of loaf pans to allow the bread to rise up the sides evenly.
Good to Know
Store cooled loaves in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Prepare and freeze unbaked batter in loaf pans for up to 1 month. Bake from frozen, adding 5-10 minutes to baking time.
Serve at room temperature with coffee or tea. Loaves can be warmed slightly before serving if desired.
Common Mistakes
Do not skip cooling melted chocolate to room temperature to avoid scrambling eggs or curdling sour cream.
Do not overmix batter after adding flour to avoid developing gluten and creating a tough crumb.
Substitutions
Dairy-Free Swaps
General Alternatives
similar cocoa intensity