I’ve never tried actual red velvet cake, so I can’t speak for the authenticity of the flavor of this tea, but I get the chocolate cake taste right from the first sip. Yum! I’ve tried this one both as a hot tea and as a cold one, and I don’t recommend it cold unless you like to drink wearing a blindfold. Whether hot or cold, this tea has a greasy film on top that makes it less appealing (likely from the chocolate chips). So when it gets cold the greasy bits float on top, becomes a more prominent whitish solidified oil, and creates an unappealing film on the cup.