Better Than Starbucks Red Velvet Loaf

Our Better than Starbucks Red Velvet Loaf is a tender moist quick bread made with swirls of dense vanilla and red velvet cake and topped with a thick vanilla glaze. Skip the commercially made, packaged slice you get at the drive thru, and try this easy and fast sweet bread at home.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

Aside from the fact that this recipe is absolutely gorgeous and scrumptious, you're going to love this recipe because:

• This recipe is easy, fast, and delicious! Even the greenest of cooks can master this recipe.
• It satisfies your sweet tooth with its moist cake-like bread and addicting vanilla glaze.
• With quick breads there is no waiting for your bread to rise, you just mix the batter and bake!
• The marble cake is beautiful and unique. This is the perfect addition to a warm beverage like a cup of Russian tea or Warm Cinnamon Milk.
• This is a perfect winter quick bread. The colors are perfect for Valentine's Day!

What Is A Quick Bread?

This delicious red velvet loaf is quick bread. I am a HUGE fan of quick breads. This is my definition of fast food, ha ha!  Particularly pound cake, banana, orange, and zucchini. What is a quick bread you ask?

• Quick bread is any bread leavened without yeast.
• Quick bread can be prepared quickly without a rising period.
• Quick bread can be made easily by even new or inexperienced bakers.

What Is Red Velvet and What is a Marble Loaf?

• Red velvet is a combination of vanilla and chocolate. It has red food coloring added to it to give it there red color.
• Marble loaf or marble cake is a swirl of both chocolate and vanilla batter. Other alternating flavors can also be used like I've done here with vanilla cake and red velvet. This recipe is a copycat of the bread served on Starbucks winter menu next to a cold brew with pistachio cream or pistachio latte.

About The Ingredients

The ingredient list for this loaf cake bread is simple. You can find all of the ingredients at your local grocery store. Here are a few items to note:

• All purpose flour - no need for bread flour or self rising flour, just regular all purpose flour works great in this recipe.
• Unsweetened Cocoa powder - red velvet is made with cocoa powder. So you'll need a nice quality cocoa powder for the red velvet marbles.
• Red food coloring - when it comes to food coloring, I really prefer the gels over the drop. They have a much richer color and don't have that gross red dye flavor. My favorite red food colouring are these gels that I purchased on amazon.
• Pantry items - you'll need a few more items like butter, oil, sugar, baking powder, salt, eggs, vanilla, milk, and powdered sugar. More details in the recipe card.

For a complete list of ingredients and amounts, check the recipe card below.

How To Make Starbucks Red Velvet Loaf Cake

Making this quick bread is super simple, let me show you how to do it:

Prep: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 9 inch loaf pan by spraying it with non-stick spray. You can also add some parchment paper with the ends hanging out for easy removal.

Step 1: In a large mixing bowl, combine sugar and oil.

Step 2: Using a hand or stand mixer, mix until well combined and creamy.

Step 3: Add eggs, milk, sour cream and vanilla extract to the batter.

Step 4: Mix until just combined.

Step 5: Add in flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and salt.

Step 6: Mix until combined. Divide batter and transfer half to a separate bowl.

Step 7: In remaining half add in 1 ½ tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder.

Step 8: Add in red food coloring.

Step 9: Mix until batter is red and all ingredients are combined.

Step 10: In your prepared loaf pan - using ¼ cup measuring cup add batter, alternating the red velvet batter and the white batter randomly. Smooth the top. Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cool completely on a cooling rack.

Pro Tip: While baking time is a guide, to test for doneness of sweet orange bread, insert a wooden toothpick into center of the loaf. If the toothpick comes out clean the quick bread is done. You can also gently touch the top of the bread. If it springs back, it is done. If it leaves and indent, it needs more time. Alternately, you can use a thermometer to check the internal temperature. The center should be 210 degrees when it is cooked thru.

Step 11: Prepare frosting in a large mixing bowl by add in softened butter, vanilla, and milk.

Step 12: Add in 4 cups of powdered sugar.

Step 13: Mix until well combined. If glaze it too thick you can add more milk 1 teaspoon at a time until you have desired consistency. You want it to be thick enough to not run off of the top of the loaf.

Step 14: Spread glaze on the top of cooled loaf. Slice and serve.

Pro Tip: Wait until the marble loaf cake is completely cooled before you add the glaze to the top.

Frosting Variations

The vanilla icing in this recipe is perfect on loaf cakes, but if you want to switch things up, try these variations:

• Cream Cheese Icing - if you want to use a cream cheese frosting rather than the vanilla one, its a super easy swap. In a large mixing bowl combine 4 ounces softened cream cheese, ½ cup powdered or confectioner's sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 2 tablespoons of milk. With a hand or stand mixer, beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk until smooth. This will give the bread a red velvet cheesecake feeling.
• Chocolate Icing - swap the vanilla icing for chocolate! Simply add a few tablespoons of cocoa powder to the icing recipe. Its that easy!

What Size Pan Do I Use?

This marble loaf recipe can be baked in several different sized loaf pans or even made into muffins. Here are the baking time details for the following sizes:

Whatever size you choose, you want to fill the pan ⅔ of the way to the top with this loaf cake recipe batter. This will give the bread room to rise without overflowing.

• 8.5x4.5 inch loaf pan - this is your standard loaf pan, and is considered a 1 pound loaf. This is the size that this recipe is written for, so follow the instructions in there recipe card.
• 9x5 inch loaf pan - this slightly larger loaf pan is also popular. This is considered 1 ¼ pound loaf. For this size you will need to increase your baking time to 60-65 minutes.
• 5x3 mini loaf pan - This is my preferred loaf size. I feel that that bake up better and faster. And as a bonus you can give a few loaves away as gifts. Use scoop batter by the teaspoon alternating colors to create a smaller marble. Bake these for 25-30 minutes.
• Muffins - You can make this recipe into muffins. Use scoop batter by the teaspoon alternating colors to create a smaller marble. Bake these for 15-20 minutes

Storing Red Velvet Loaf

Store Red Velvet Loaf and other quick breads in a sealed container or resealable plastic bag, in a single layer. This can be stored at room temp for 2-3 days.

To freeze, wrap with parchment paper and place in a freezer bag.  They will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Pro Kitchen Tips:

1. Line your pan with parchment paper. Leave the ends out making it easy to lift the loaf out of the pan.
2. To create the “marble” effect on the Loaf you can simply alternate layers of the batter in the loaf pan or use a knife to very gently even the batter. Just be careful to not over-swirl the batters together.
3. Testing for doneness: While baking time is a guide, to test for doneness of sweet orange bread, insert a wooden toothpick into center of the loaf. If the toothpick comes out clean the quick bread is done. You can also gently touch the top of the bread. If it springs back, it is done. If it leaves and indent, it needs more time. Alternately, you can use a thermometer to check the internal temperature. The center should be 210 degrees when it is cooked thru.

FAQs

More Quick Bread Recipes

If you love this red velvet marble loaf, you are going to love:

Looking for more coffee house bakery items? Try these gluten free scones! You'll also love our Strawberry Oat Bran Muffins.

Don't Be Shy!

If you tried this Red Velvet Bread or any other recipe on the blog then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave us a comment below. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest to see what else we’re getting up to.