Red Velvet Martini

This pretty vodka cocktail is perfect for Christmas or Valentine’s Day. It’s deliciously sweet with red velvet cake flavor – if you don’t like sweet cocktails this is NOT the one for you.

Key takeaways

• This red velvet martini tastes like a decadent piece of red velvet cake in liquid form with a boozy kick—for people of legal drinking age, please!
• The beautiful color of this delicious cocktail makes it perfect for Christmas Eve, Valentine’s Day, date night, or your next girls’ night out.
• Always use authentic grenadine syrup in your cocktail recipes—the fake stuff is just colored sugar water!

Grab your martini glasses, y’all, and get ready to enjoy the sweet flavors of your favorite Southern cake.

Have fun with this unique, easy red velvet cake martini—it even has a tangy cream cheese frosting rim!

Ingredients

This is an overview of the ingredients. You’ll find the full measurements and instructions in the green recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.

Variations

• Don’t have vanilla vodka? Stir a couple of drops of pure vanilla extract into plain vodka in a pinch.
• You can use either dark or white crème de cacao in this cocktail. Dark crème de cacao has a more bitter, dark chocolate flavor, while white crème de cacao has a softer milk chocolate taste.
• If you can’t find cake vodka at the store, you can substitute it with whipped vodka or more vanilla vodka.
• I like to use red vanilla sugar on the rim for extra cake flavor.
• Swirl a ring of raspberry, cherry, or white chocolate syrups around the inside of the glass before pouring your martini—but do so sparingly.
• Storebought cream cheese frosting works fine, but if you plan to make a red velvet cake, you can save a few tablespoons of homemade icing!
• Serve your red velvet martini with a square piece of cake on the rim—red velvet cake, of course!
• Add a dollop of whipped cream to your martini with colorful sprinkles on top. It looks so fancy!

Instructions

This is an overview of the instructions. Full instructions are in the green recipe card at the bottom of the page.

1. Spread the cream cheese frosting along the rim of the glass.
2. Dip the frosted rim in red sugar crystals on a shallow plate.
3. Add the cocktail ingredients to your cocktail shaker.
4. Shake and pour into the prepared martini glasses.

Equipment

You’ll need martini glasses and a cocktail shaker to make and serve these delicious red velvet martinis.

How to store leftovers

Leftover red velvet martini cocktails can last a day or two in the fridge in an airtight container, preferably a sealed glass jar. Just be sure not to store them with any ice. It’ll melt and dilute the yummy flavor!

Experts recommend storing your vodka bottle in the freezer so you can serve it very well chilled.

Things to know

Expert Tip: You won’t have to add any artificial red coloring to your red velvet martini if you use real grenadine. Authentic grenadine naturally gets its flavor and color from deliciously bright pomegranate fruit.

• A chilled martini glass keeps your delicious cocktail cold longer. Pop your glasses in the freezer half an hour before you plan to serve drinks.
• The cream cheese frosting helps the sugar mixture stick to the rim—no water is necessary!
• I like to use store-bought cream cheese frosting at room temperature because it’s a little creamier and softer than chilled.
• Be sure to close the cocktail shaker lid tightly before you give it a good shake—you want to drink your cocktail, not wear it!
• The best cocktails are made by vigorously shaking the ingredients and ice together. Bar experts will tell you to put some muscle into it!
• A martini is properly shaken when the outside of the shaker feels icy cold all over. You want to let the ice thoroughly chill the martini before straining it out.

The last word

I love this easy martini for Christmas as well as Valentine’s Day!

If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need.