The Best Red Velvet Bars recipe starts with a dressed up boxed cake mix with a thick and creamy homemade buttercream frosting!
AN EASY RED VELVET DESSERT
These Red Velvet Bars are a deliciously easy dessert. It starts with a red velvet boxed cake mix and is topped a creamy homemade buttercream frosting. Inside the bars are little bits of white chocolate chips. So, they not only taste amazing, they look so pretty too!

TIPS FOR MAKING CAKE MIX BARS:
- Like the recipe but don't care for red velvet? That is what is great about using a boxed cake mix as a base. You can use whatever cake mix flavor you love. All the cake mix flavors will work with this!
- The white chocolate chips can be substituted for other flavors or you can just not add in any chocolate chips at all.
- If you don't enjoy a thick frosting, just cut the frosting recipe in half.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (FULL RECIPE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST)
- red velvet cake mix
- salted butter
- large eggs
- white chocolate chips
- powdered sugar
- milk

HOW TO MAKE RED VELVET BARS:
Spray an 8x8 inch pan with nonstick cooking spray or line with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 350f degrees. Mix together box cake, butter, and eggs with a hand mixer, then fold in chocolate chips.

Spread prepared mix into baking dish (batter will be thick.)

Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until top is firm.

Let cool completely before icing. To make frosting, beat together butter, powdered sugar, and milk until thick and creamy.

Once bars are cooled, spread frosting in a thick layer on top.

Cut into squares before serving.

CRAVING MORE RECIPES?

Easy Red Velvet Bars (+Video)
Ingredients
for the bars:
- 15.25 ounce box red velvet cake mix
- 1 stick (½ cup) salted butter, softened to room temperature
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
for the buttercream frosting:
- 1 stick (½ cup) salted butter, softened to room temperature
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons milk
Instructions
- Spray an 8x8-inch pan with nonstick cooking spray or line with parchment paper. Parchment Paper will make it much easier to slice and serve. Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
- Mix together dry cake mix with butter and eggs using an electric hand mixer, then stir in chocolate chips by hand. Batter will be very thick.
- Spread batter into prepared dish. Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until top is firm and a toothpick insrted comes out clean. Let cool completely before icing.
- To make frosting, beat together softened butter, powdered sugar and milk with an electric hand mixer, until thick and creamy.
- Once bars are cooled, spread frosting out in a thick layer on top.
- Cut into squares before serving.
Video
Notes
- This recipe can be made with any flavor of boxed cake mix.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Originally published: January 2018
Updated & republished: November 2020
Christina
Soooo delicious! The toddler, hubby and mother in law were all fans…I didn’t want to share!
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Ha! I love hearing that Christina! Thank you so much for taking the time to come back and comment!
L Collier
I made this treat for Christmas to give as one of several other treats to neighbors. It was delicious. Will definitely make again. Thanks for the post!
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Thank you so much for taking the time to come back and leave a review!
Carolina
I'm not much of a baker so this recipe is much appreciated. I have a lactose intolerant grandson so wondering if I can use dairy free milk for frosting? Thanks!
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Yes, you should be able to use one that you enjoy using in other dairy-free baked goods 🙂
Vivian
I am very puzzled about the recipe. I followed your recipe to the "t", but without the cup of water that the box mix called for, it was so stiff that I could never have poured it into the 8x8 pan. So, I added 1 cup of water; that was much better. The cake tastes just fine, but I would like to make it again in the future, and I wish to do it correctly per recipe. Also, do you have a preference for the grand of Red Cake Mix? Please advise.
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Hi Vivian! The batter should be thick. It's like a brownie batter. Hope that helps! 🙂
Carlee
What a great Valentine's Day treat and so pretty to boot! <3
Maggie @ Mama Maggie's Kitchen
I'm not much of a baker. I can cook, but baking is totally different language for me. So, thank you for using a cake box to make this recipe. Makes my life a lot easier. 🙂
Brandie @ The Country Cook
I know the feeling Maggie! Baking is not my forte at all so I am ALL about shortcuts! Thanks for commenting!
Kelly
White chocolate and red velvet - two of my favorite things in one package! Yes please!