Red Velvet Cake Smoothie

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Sprinkling cacao powder over a glass filled with our beet smoothie recipe

Sometimes you just need something indulgent and you need it fast: Enter, this red velvet smoothie. It captures the flavors and colors of red velvet cake but with wholesome ingredients like banana, beets, cocoa powder, and dates. Swoon!

Just 5 minutes, 1 blender, and 6 ingredients required for this incredibly satisfying smoothie inspired by red velvet cake. Red velvet cake is a Southern dish that originated in the 1800s. Those wanting a deeper dive into the history of red velvet cake can find more information here and here.

Frozen banana chunks, dairy-free milk, cacao powder, dates, and beets

Ingredients in this Red Velvet Smoothie

The star of this smoothie is raw beet. It provides a vibrant, red color and subtle, earthy flavor. Beets are also loaded with antioxidants and believed to support cardiovascular health and a healthy inflammatory response.

Pair beets with cocoa (or cacao) powder and hello, red velvet cake!

Frozen banana is added for creaminess and sweetness to balance out the beet. Whenever I have extra bananas to eat before they become too ripe, I like to freeze them. Just slice, add to a parchment-lined baking sheet, freeze, and transfer to a sealed container.

Blender filled with dairy-free milk, banana, dates, beets, and cacao powder

Dates add delicious bits of sweetness and vanilla extract adds more flavor.

Then blend it all up with your choice of dairy-free milk (almond or coconut pair well) until it’s a thick and creamy smoothie!

Blender of our Red Velvet Smoothie recipe

We hope you LOVE this red velvet smoothie! It’s:

Chocolaty
Naturally sweet
Rich
Quick & easy
& Incredibly delicious!

It’s perfect for any time you are craving something indulgent yet wholesome! While delicious on its own, you can take this smoothie to the next level by topping with our Red Velvet Cake Balls and Coconut Whipped Cream. Swoon!

Pouring our Red Velvet Smoothie from a measuring glass into a drinking glass

More Beet Recipes

If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!

Placing a cake bite onto a red velvet smoothie

Red Velvet Cake Smoothie

Incredibly rich, creamy smoothie infused with the flavors of red velvet cake. Bananas, beets, and cacao powder combine to create this secretly wholesome yet indulgent treat. Just 6 simple ingredients required.
Author Minimalist Baker
Print
Dusting a glass of our red velvet cake smoothie with cacao powder
4.82 from 38 votes
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings 2 (Smoothies)
Course Smoothie
Cuisine Gluten-Free, Vegan
Freezer Friendly 2 Weeks
Does it keep? No

Ingredients

SMOOTHIE

  • 2 ripe, frozen (peeled) bananas (~2 heaping cups as recipe is written)
  • 1/3 cup cubed beet (raw OR roasted/steamed until tender, then frozen*)
  • 2 Tbsp cocoa powder (or cacao powder)
  • 2 pitted dates
  • 3/4 cup dairy free milk , plus more as needed (we like coconut or almond)
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

  • If using raw beets, chop, measure out, and set aside. If cooking, see notes. Add all ingredients to a high-speed blender and blend until creamy and smooth, adding more dairy-free milk as needed to help blend.
  • Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more dates for sweetness, beets for earthier flavor / more intense magenta color, or cocoa / cacao powder for richer chocolate flavor.
  • Serve immediately. Enjoy as is or top with red velvet cake balls, cocoa / cacao powder, beetroot powder, or coconut whipped cream (all optional). Best when fresh. Will keep in the freezer up to 2 weeks (thaw before enjoying).

Video

Notes

*To cook beets: Cube first then steam in a steamer basket, covered, until tender (about 10-15 minutes). Or toss in a little oil and roast on a baking sheet at 375 degrees F (190 C) for about 20 minutes or until tender. Then freeze before using in smoothie for best texture / results.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with unsweetened fortified almond milk and without optional ingredients.

Nutrition (1 of 2 servings)

Serving: 1 smoothie Calories: 220 Carbohydrates: 53.2 g Protein: 4.1 g Fat: 2.2 g Saturated Fat: 0.6 g Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.35 g Monounsaturated Fat: 0.94 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 103 mg Potassium: 885 mg Fiber: 8 g Sugar: 33.8 g Vitamin A: 314 IU Vitamin C: 12.55 mg Calcium: 213.02 mg Iron: 1.96 mg

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  1. Vicky says

    I made this today, and it was great! I did add some chopped raw zucchini (~1/2 cup) to it, and a couple of (maybe 6) frozen cherries just because I had them there in the fridge /freezer and they needed to get eaten up. Love that your recipe uses the beetroot instead of just beet powder. I was having trouble finding a tasty one, but now I know I will come back to this again and again!

  2. Toni says

    How can i substitute beet powder? I don’t have it and not planning on buying cause really don’t have the need for it. Is it possible to use raw beetroot?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Toni! Since there is already beet in the smoothie itself, we’d suggest simply omitting the beet powder as a garnish. Hope this helps!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We sure think so! We’d suggest scanning the comments if you’d like to see what other readers think =)

  3. Anna says

    I don’t like beetroot but this smoothie is one I like very much. It’s delicious, satisfying and no beetroot taste in it. I am happy that I found a way to eat this vegetable. All my family, also my 3 children drank it with smile.

  4. Ren says

    I was looking for a dessert-like smoothie and this was perfect. I used unsweetened raisins instead of dates because that’s what I had. I’m sure dates would have been better though because it was just on the edge of not sweet enough the way I made it and I feel the dates would have made it just right.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad you found what you were looking for, Ren! Yes, dates will help with sweetness next time. Thank you for sharing! xo

  5. Ronny says

    Hi. This looks amazing and I have beets to use up but I have a severe allergy to banana. Can I make it without the banana? Ronny

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Ronny, We’d suggest replacing bananas with ice, and more dates, beets, and cocoa powder. Let us know if you try!

  6. Erani says

    Amazingly delicious!

    Even my husband was asking if there is more left.
    I’ll need to buy beets more often just to make this yummy smoothie 😋

  7. Erani says

    Just got 10 lbs bag of fresh beet on sale. I was looking for new ideas what to do with them and here I found your recipe 😋
    Will make both ways, using fresh & roasted beets.

    Thank you!!!

    Can’t wait to try this smoothie!!!

  8. Judy says

    I wanted to make this so badly but didn’t have all ingredients in their correct form, so I got creative. I make my own pickled beets so decided to try them in this recipe. I usually keep medjool dates in the freezer, but am fresh out, so I used date syrup. I added some hemp seed, ground flax and a half scoop of chocolate protein powder. This smoothie turned out really yummy, even with all the ingredient swaps I did.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We love the creativity! Thanks for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Judy! xo

  9. Laura says

    Made this for my daily lunch smoothie and it was DELICIOUS! Wonderful to have a change from a standard green smoothie. Fun to use my farm box beets in an untraditional way, too.

    Thank you so much for sharing!

  10. Akaya says

    This smoothie was delicious! I made it as written except I added one ounce of 100% cocoa (bar) for a more intense chocolate flavor and used carob powder instead of cocoa powder because that’s what I had on hand. I’ll definitely be making this again!

  11. Alison says

    Decadent, yet healthy and ridiculously good. I used maple syrup as a sweetener instead of dates as it’s what I had on hand. One tbsp was perfect. I already had steamed beets that I threw in the freezer. I think that’s key to the texture and flavor. Thanks for another excellent recipe!

  12. Olivia says

    This smoothie was great! I wouldn’t say it tastes exactly like a red velvet cake, but definitely close for a smoothie!! I didn’t freeze my beets, but I did cook them in the instant pot and thought it came out amazing! Reminded me of a beet juice in the juicer. Very good and vibrant color!

  13. Iv says

    Looks like beetroot, tastes like chocolate :) It’s the first time my partner not only accepted, but admired beetroot in a smoothie :) Awesome recipe!

  14. Mownika says

    Can smoothies even taste this good?! Beets and cocoa is such an amazing combination! The kick from the bitterness of the cocoa and earthiness of the beets ties in so well with the sweetness of the bananas (omitted the dates because I only had sweetened soy milk, didn’t want it to be too sweet). This can easily satisfy any chocolate cravings in the future – thanks for the recipe!

  15. Christi says

    I’ve made this smoothie with both Oat Milk and Almond Milk. And Oat Milk is the clear winner! I find that the Oat milk makes it taste creamier and mellows out the beet flavor. While the Almond Milk gives it a more bitter taste and highlights the beet flavor. I make it without the dates because I think the banana makes it sweet enough. And I add a pinch of sea salt and a small handful of walnuts to make it a little more filling. Anyway, I think Minimalist Baker should suggest using Oat Milk because that is definitely the way to go with this particular smoothie.

  16. meredith says

    Loved this smoothie! what a great way to get a healthy red velvety flavor without all the red food coloring. Genius!

  17. SwatKat says

    Simple, amazing recipe! Tastiest beet smoothie out there.

    For those who are complaining about the ‘beety’ flavor the key is to add enough cocoa powder. Use raw organic cocoa powder without any sugar. And add at least 2 to 3 big spoons. The beet smell won’t hit you. :)

    I used beet powder, and that worked great. Also made it very quick to make :D

  18. Jennifer says

    I made this exactly as listed using raw beets. It was perfect, and then I added a touch more almond milk and that made enough for 2 mug-sized servings in order to be able to share it. Absolutely delicious and beautiful!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thanks so much for the lovely review, Olivia. We are so glad you enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo

  19. Lorena says

    This is so good! I added a scoop of protein powder, and it totally tastes like red velvet cake, only so much healthier. And using frozen beets as well as bananas, it was the consistency of ice cream–a perfect summer treat!

  20. Katherine says

    I’m going to try this recipe again because I’ve yet to be disappointed by any of your recipes. But this one just did not turn out great for me; it tasted very much like beets (which tastes like dirt to me). I washed, peeled, chopped and some-what froze the beets. I’m going to freeze them longer next time.. do we think that would help?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Katherine, did you make sure they were scrubbed really well? You can also cook the beets before freezing for a more mild flavor.

  21. Trish Kendal says

    I made this exactly how the recipe is written, and this is now my favourite smoothie. I simply can’t get enough of it. Thank you.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Whoop! Thanks so much for the lovely review, Trish. We are so glad you enjoy it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo

  22. Susan says

    I’ve never had a red velvet cupcake. Made this with vanilla protein powder and added beet. It was delish!
    This one and your carrot cake smoothie are both really yummy.
    Thank you!
    Susan 🙏🏽

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thanks so much for the lovely review, Susan. We are so glad you enjoy both recipes! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo

  23. Magen says

    This is literally what dreams are made of. I’ve made this for both breakfast and dessert. 12/10. If you’re reading these comments on the fence about it, MAKE IT!

  24. Michelle K says

    Hi Dana,
    Thank you for this super delicious recipe. I made it exactly as instructed, with raw beets. It is so good!! Better than the actual cake for sure!

  25. Kandace says

    Okay, I was skeptical, but this tastes BETTER than a red velvet cupcake! I didn’t have any coconut whipped cream, but it was still amazing.

  26. Sophia says

    LOVE this recipe! So easy and delicious. Mine tasted a little too beety at first, so I added an extra tablespoon of cocoa powder and it was perfect :)

  27. Heather says

    Woah. This exceeded all expectations. The recipe was actually SO rich and indulgent I chose to add a splash of lemon juice to brighten it a bit, especially as I did not have any coconut whip on hand to act as ‘frosting’. Thought this would taste at least a little healthy, but it literally tastes like cake.

  28. KateLynn says

    A++++! I made this for my toddlers afternoon snack (+ a handful of spinach because it’s the only way I can get greens in him) and he devoured it. I did as well!

    • Caryn says

      This was a sneaky way to get my kids to actually eat beets. I thought it was tasty, but not overly indulgent and heavy on the earthy beet flavor. Not bad, but maybe it’s something with our beets which we grew in our garden. Our smoothie was very beet-purple and not red. I might make this with coconut milk from a can next time instead of almond milk from a carton. I will also cook the beets to get a smoother texture as there were grainy bits of beets.

      • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

        Hi Caryn, we wonder if maybe they were a different variety of beets? Steaming the beets should help with texture, especially if your blender isn’t super powerful. Thanks for sharing!

  29. Tamara says

    Hi!

    I absolutely love your recipes!

    Just wondering if we could use beetroot powder instead of actually beets for the smoothie. If so, how much?

    Thank you x

  30. Alex says

    Hi, again a delicious recipe Dana! I really really love Velvet cake so I appreciated the history behind it. The smoothie was delish and that is not easy when it comes to beetroot, tried a few before…meh. I am looking forward to making the balls too, but do not have the beetroot powder at the moment, so that will have to wait.

  31. Molly F says

    Love a good beet smoothie recipe! I made it this morning and loved it. Red velvet is the best! Thanks for the recipe

  32. Megan says

    I made this smoothie for breakfast and it was delicious! A perfect ratio. If you’re not a fan of beets I might suggest lowering the amount slightly but otherwise it’s perfect!

  33. Annalee Leggett says

    Wow! This was so fantastic. Made exactly to recipe. Used cocoa, but next time will try cacao! I’d be interested if anyone else had success adding a protein powder?

  34. foodie123 says

    In my opinion adding the 1/3 cup of beets made the smoothie taste like dirt…sad because i was really excited but unfortunately i couldn’t drink it. Any tips for getting rid of that earthy dirt taste?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      OK you either got super earthy beets, or they weren’t washed / peeled well. Did you leave them raw or cooked?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      Our suggestion to another reader was ice, dates, beets, and cocoa powder? Let us know if you try!

    • Mia says

      @Kathy
      Another option, which helps with the creaminess (and won’t affect the flavour!) is riced cauliflower or zucchini. I have both in my freezer and use for smoothies often.

      If you do go that route, you’d likely want to up the date count as you’ll be loosing on the banana’s sweetness.

      Happy blending!

  35. Brianna says

    Wow, this really hit the spot for me! I made this as soon as I read it—had all the ingredients on hand already (that’s my kind of recipe). I love the taste of beets, but haven’t tried them with chocolate before. It’s a winning combination in my book! And it truly did taste like an earthy red velvet flavor. This smoothie was filling, just the right amount of sweet, and delicious. Thank you Dana!!

  36. Jodi says

    Oops! I think both of the brief history links point to the same article :)

    Thank you though, that was super interesting to read how it was developed in the South, and used in Juneteenth celebrations. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that it was a marketing ploy for food coloring that made it famous, sad. It’s nice to be more informed; thank you for encouraging me to do my research!