Red Velvet Valentine Mini Waffles with Cream Cheese Frosting

Who doesn’t love red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting or breakfast waffles? Why not combine them all into one fun little treat along with fresh fruit and whipped cream?

I love waffles and those little red velvet cupcakes, especially with cream cheese frosting. Mom used to make red velvet cake in a large 9”x13” pan with white frosting for a crowd.

I really think the only difference in Mom’s chocolate cake and red velvet cake was the red food coloring. It was all the rage back then. She and her girlfriends would make it with mayonnaise, without mayonnaise, with lots of red food coloring, with extra cocoa. They were always trying new recipes, many times baking only with what they had in the cupboard since the grocery store was so far away and it was unusual for families to have a second vehicle in the garage, or even have a garage. So, going to the store was a once a month, or every other week thing.

Mom would cut back on the cocoa and drizzle in plenty of red food coloring to give the cake a deep red color. It was so pretty with her fluffy white frosting. I’m sure she didn’t make cream cheese frosting since she was definitely NOT a cheese lover of any kind. Besides, cream cheese was just too expensive to buy with her budget for 5 kids back then.

So, I’ve combined Mom’s idea of red velvet cake and combined cocoa with a waffle recipe to make these cute Red Velvet Valentine Mini Waffles. They are so dainty – especially with the cream cheese frosting and fresh fruit.   

This recipe makes about a dozen mini waffles.

Heat up your mini waffle iron:

You’ll want to do this a few minutes before you’re ready to pour the batter. Check your waffle iron instructions regarding prepping your specific iron.

Gather up the Red Velvet Valentine Mini Waffle Ingredients:

1 C Buttermilk

1 Egg, beaten

2 T Butter, melted

2 t Vanilla extract

2 t Red GEL food coloring

1 C Flour

2 T Cocoa powder, sifted

½ t Baking powder

½ t Baking soda

Pinch of Salt

Cream cheese Frosting:

1 T Butter, melted

2 T Cream cheese, softened

½ C Powdered sugar

½ t Vanilla extract

2-3 T Milk or heavy cream

½ t Red GEL food coloring

Gather up your optional Toppings:

Fresh fruit, strawberries, blueberries, peaches, etc.

Honey for drizzling.

Chocolate sauce for drizzling.

Caramel sauce for drizzling.

Whipped cream for a billowy cloud.

And, a cherry or strawberry on top.

Pecans for a little crunch.

Make the Cream Cheese Frosting:

-I like to make the Cream Cheese Frosting before I begin mixing the mini waffles so it’s ready to go when the hot waffles come off the iron.

-Beat the butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy so there are no lumps.

-Add the powdered sugar and beat until it’s light and fluffy.

-Stir in the vanilla extract, red food coloring until thoroughly combined. Start with just a little red food coloring and add more until it colors up to your expectations.

-Set aside until the mine waffles are done.

Now is the time to prepare any fresh fruit you plan to have with your mini waffles, cleaning, drying and cutting them.

Have the honey and/or chocolate sauce ready for drizzling.

Mix and make your mini waffles:

-Heat up your mini waffle maker and oil it according to package directions. Mine is a non-stick variety so I only brush vegetable oil on it.

-NOTE: Spraying non-stick oil onto a non-stick pan or waffle maker can create a nasty build up of oil over time.

In a small microwave safe bowl, melt the butter in the microwave. Let it cool a little before adding it to the mixture. If it’s hot when you pour it in, it could solidify and create small steam holes in your mini waffles.

-In a separate medium sized bowl, beat the egg.

-Stir in the buttermilk, butter, vanilla extract and food coloring.

-Sifting the dry ingredients together, add half of them to the liquid mixture, stirring to combine thoroughly. Scrape down the sides. Cocoa tends to clump so it’s important to include it in the sifting so you don’t have lumps in your batter.

-Sift in the rest of the dry ingredients, stirring to combine.

-Open your oiled and heated mini waffle iron and pour in about 2 tablespoons into each heart shaped waffle indentation. My waffle iron calls for 2 tablespoons for each mini waffle. Yours may be different.

-Cook the mini waffles according to your waffle iron directions. Mine takes 4-5 minutes to make 5 mini waffles at a time. Yours may vary.

-When the mini waffles are done, carefully pull them off the waffle iron with a silicone spatula or a set of wooden tongs, or even a couple of chopsticks. I avoid metal objects since I don’t want to scratch the non-stick surface.

Have fun topping your Red Velvet Valentine Mini Waffles with special garnishes:

-It’s fun to spread the Red Velvet Valentine Mini Waffles with a dollop of Cream Cheese Frosting. Or, try your favorite chocolate frosting with Dove chocolates on top. M&Ms add more color, too!

-Then sprinkle fresh fruit on top.

-Pipe a mountain of whipped cream over all, but don’t hide all that delicious fresh fruit.

-Drizzle honey, chocolate syrup and/or caramel sauce on top.

-On top of that mountain of whipped cream add another piece of fresh fruit – a strawberry, raspberry or blueberry.

-Lastly, sprinkle a few pecans on top if you like.

Some say the Red Velvet Valentine Mini Waffles are too pretty to eat. They are even more appealing as you add the fruit and toppings. However you serve them up, “Bake your own Memories!”