Soft tender red velvet cake layers, frosted in my cocoa buttercream made with my favorite hot chocolate mix, filled with toasted marshmallows for an added treat, and topped with white chocolate ganache and topped with as many marshmallows as physically possible. I mean, that’s the best way to top your hot chocolate anyways, right?

I can’t believe how quickly the weather has switched from gorgeous fall heaven to freeeeeeeezing death of winter. No snow has made it’s first appearance yet, but with how cold it’s been, it might as well start, right? And this is coming from someone who doesn’t necessarily like snow, haha. You’d like growing up in Utah my whole life would cure me of my dislike for snow, but here we are. I do love how beautiful it is, and how much my boys love playing in it, so that’s always a plus.

After playing in the snow with the littles, there’s always something I look forward to afterwards: a cozy cup of hot cocoa. This cake has my favorite hot cocoa flavors, with a little twist using red velvet in the middle.

I wish I had a photo of the slices! They were stunning, but I was in a rush before my cake class and placed them in the fridge before even thinking about shooting them. I’m definitely beating myself up about it. I may have to make this cake again just to shoot those slices. I’m sure my family and neighbors won’t care if I do, right?

This cake is based off a cookbook recipe that I can’t wait to share with you! I’ve tweaked it a bit to make it a little different, and still love how it turned out. The buttercream is made by using a bit of hot cocoa mix (I love the Ghirardelli brand version), and I added a little pudding mix this last time, too. It made it thick and rich. The buttercream melts in your mouth so beautifully, and coupled with a hidden surprise of toasted marshmallow in the middle? There’s no way we could stay away from the extra slices!

When we make our hot chocolate at home, we love to use mounds of marshmallows (both the teeny ones and small ones), so when I made this cake, we made sure to do just the same. 🙂

You could easily substitute chocolate cake in for the red velvet if you prefer. Why? Red velvet is actually chocolate cake anyways. WHAAT? Mind blown! I just love that deep red hue, and it gives the overall cake more of a sense of decadence and something extra special. This would be a perfect cake to have on your holiday table, and I can’t wait for you to try it! xoxo

Red Velvet Hot Chocolate Cake
Author: Mandy | Baking with Blondie
Tender Red Velvet Cake with Toasted Marshmallow Filling and Hot Chocolate Buttercream. Topped with White Chocolate Ganache Drips, and plenty of marshmallows!
Ingredients
  • Red Velvet Cake [br]
  • red velvet cake:
  • 3 whole eggs
  • 3/4 cup buttermilk
  • 2/3 cup sour cream
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 1 Duncan Hines Red Velvet Cake mix
  • [br]
  • Hot Chocolate Buttercream:
  • 1 1/2 Cup (3 Sticks) Unsalted Butter
  • 2/3 Cup Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate or Milk Chocolate Hot Cocoa Mix
  • ¼ Cup Cocoa
  • Pinch of Salt
  • 1 Tablespoon Vanilla
  • ¼ Cup Heavy Cream
  • 5-6 Cups Powdered Sugar
  • optional: 3-4 Tablespoons Chocolate Instant Pudding Mix
  • [br]
  • White Chocolate Ganache:
  • 1/2 Cup “Very White” Wilton Candy Melts
  • 3-4 Tablespoons Heavy Cream
  • [br]
  • Marshmallows for toasting
  • Mini Marshmallows for Garnish
Instructions
  1. For the Red Velvet Cupcakes:
  2. Preheat convection oven to 325 degrees. Prep baking rounds (I usually do a light coat of shortening and a dust of flour). Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, sour cream, vegetable oil, and vanilla until thoroughly combined.
  4. Sift in cake mix and stir until just combined. Will be thick.
  5. Divide batter evenly into cake rounds. Bake for 25-27 minutes, depending on your oven, until centers have cooked through and spring back when touched.
  6. Remove rounds from oven, and let cool in pans for 2 minutes, then turn over onto a wire rack to cool (I usually wrap mine in plastic wrap when they are barely room temperature, freeze for at least 30 minutes to overnight before frosting).
  7. [br]
  8. For the Buttercream:
  9. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, whip up the butter on high until light and fluffy.
  10. Add in hot chocolate mix, cocoa, salt, vanilla, and heavy cream. Add in tablespoons of pudding mix, if using.
  11. Slowly add in the powdered sugar with the mixer on low speed about ½ cup at a time. Add in more heavy cream or more powdered sugar to achieve desired consistency.
  12. Turn up the speed to high for about 2-3 minutes until it’s very light and fluffy, then turn the speed down to low for about 30 seconds to beat out any air bubbles. Continue the beating with a wooden spoon if needed.
  13. [br]
  14. For the Toasted Marshmallow Filling:
  15. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prep a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  16. Place about 2-3 cups of marshmallows (not the jumbo size ones) on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 5-7 minutes, or until the marshmallows have expanded and are toasted brown on top. Remove from the oven and set aside.
  17. [br]
  18. For the Chocolate Ganache Drip:
  19. In a medium glass bowl, stir together the chocolate and heavy cream. Microwave for 30
  20. seconds, then stir with a small whisk until chocolate ganache has zero lumps and is
  21. smoothe. Add to a squeeze bottle for ganache drip. Set aside.
  22. [br]
  23. Assembly:
  24. Tape a 8″ cardboard cake round to a 6″ cake round. Place the cake rounds on a cake turntable.
  25. Using an angled icing spatula, place on a bit of the buttercream to act as glue for the first cake round.
  26. Place on the first cake round, add on a little layer of buttercream, then pipe a dam around the outside ring of the top of the cake round. Hand place on a few of the toasted marshmallows until it fills the center. Place the next cake rounds on top and repeat.
  27. Crumb coat and freeze for 10 minutes.
  28. Final coat then freeze for 10 minutes.
  29. Add on the ganache drip, then freeze for 3 minutes to set the ganache, then top with marshmallows.