Red Velvet Bundt Cake

Strikingly red and delicious, this Red Velvet Bundt Cake is a festive, moist cake with chocolatey flavor that’s topped with a tangy cream cheese icing.  This red velvet bundt cake has got it all y’all! Eye-popping beauty – chocolate, frosting, in short, it’s the whole package!

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Y’all know I love me a pound cake all year round so I had to make one that looks absolutely gorgeous for special occasions. While it looks super fancy, this red velvet pound cake is easy to make, and even the most beginner baker should easily be able to bake this showcase cake! And y’all its sooo GOOD!

If you’re new to baking, be sure to check out all the tips before the recipe card, which will give you plenty of guidance to help you along the baking of this cake.

The Heart & Soul Of This Red Velvet Bundt Cake

Cuisine Inspiration: American, Southern-American
Primary Cooking Method: Oven
Dietary Info: Vegetarian
Key Flavor: Red velvet cake has a mild chocolate flavor with hints of vanilla and sweetness that’s topped with a flavorful cream cheese glaze.
Skill Level: Beginner

Sweet Spots

• Spectacular Color: It’s brilliant red color POPS, and its showstopper.
• Perfect for Holidays and Special Occasions: This red velvet cake is amazing for serving any time of year though it really makes a great option for Christmas and Valentine’s Day.
• Easy Cake Recipe: Bundt cakes are my kinda baking – easy yet they turn out looking like a million bucks! Ain’t no fussing with stacking layers or getting that icing just right. Just whip it up, let it cool, then drizzle that glaze on top
• Unique Flavor. Not quite a chocolate cake, not quite vanilla, with a hint of sweet and tangy frosting.
• Crowd-Pleasing Cake. Red velvet is such a win in any situation. Most people love it so it pleases everyone.

Ingredients to Make Red Velvet Bundt Cake

For most households that do a little bake, you’ll likely have most of these baking staples in your pantry already. If not, there are some easy substitutions for any you may not have. Here’s a look at the main ingredients you need, but you can find the full list and quantities of each in the recipe card below.

• Unsalted butter: It’s gotta be room temp to mix well boos. I recommend setting the butter out for 30 minutes before preparing your recipe.
• Granulated sugar: White granulated sugar is used in this recipe to sweeten and tenderize the cake. Sifting the sugar before mixing will help to reduce sugar crystals that have clumped together.
• Eggs: Room-temperature eggs are ideal for mixing. Like the butter, remove them from the fridge 30 minutes before making your cake.
• Cake flour: I love me some cake flour. It’s the best flour to use for baking cakes that are soft and tender. If you don’t have any, you can easily make your own cake flour using flour and cornstarch.
• Salt: Helps to add flavor and balance out the sweetness.
• Baking soda: Baking soda combined with acidic sour cream helps your cake rise.
• Sour cream: It keeps the cake moist and delicious. Room-temp is ideal so it mixes properly.
• Unsweetened cocoa powder: This helps to bring color and a slight chocolate flavor to the mix.
• Red food coloring: Use whatever red food coloring you have. Gel food coloring is more concentrated than liquid food coloring, so you’ll need to use less. Powder food coloring is even richer and more concentrated, so start with a little bit at a time until you’ve reached your desired red color.
• Pure vanilla extract: For authentic vanilla flavor, use a pure extract or homemade!
• Cream cheese: For that bomb frosting, pull it out of the refrigerator 30 minutes before putting your icing together.
• Powdered sugar: Use high-quality powdered or confectioners sugar to get a pure sugar flavor.
• Milk: Any milk or milk substitute can be used here. This is also a good place to switch up your icing flavors with other delicious liquids.
• Pure vanilla extract: For authentic vanilla flavor, use a pure extract or homemade!

How to Make Red Velvet Bundt Cake

Here’s a look at the simple steps involved in mixing your cake and adding the icing. Be sure to check the recipe card for all the details.

Step 1: Mix Up the Red Velvet Pound Cake

1. Beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer for 3-4 minutes on high speed until very pale yellow and fluffy.
2. Add the eggs one at a time. Mix well after each one and scrape down the sides of your bowl as needed.
3. Slowly add the flour into the batter in two increments using the lowest speed on your mixer.
4. Add the salt, baking soda, and cocoa powder.

Step 2: Make It Red Velvet

1. Mix the cocoa powder into the cake batter gently. Be careful not to over beat the cake batter especially after you’ve added the flour.
2. Add the sour cream and vanilla extract to the bowl and mix until just combined.
3. Whisk in the red food coloring and hot water until it’s evenly mixed together.
4. Pour the cake batter into the prepared bundt pan, and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes and then invert the cake onto a serving plate to finish cooling.

Step 3: Make the Cream Cheese Icing

1. Beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until it’s smooth. Pour the icing over the top of the cooled cake and serve.

Tips for Making the Best Red Velvet Bundt

• Room Temperature Ingredients. Make sure your butter, cream cheese, eggs, and sour cream are all at room temperature before mixing. These items can be taken out of the fridge 30 minutes before preparing the recipe to give them time to warm up.
• Properly Prep Your Bundt Pan. This will keep your cake from sticking. I suggest greasing it well and also dusting it with flour prior to pouring in the cake batter. Or use my cake goop y’all.
• Don’t Over-Mix the Cake. After adding the flour to the bowl, it’s important to mix using the lowest speed on your mixer and only until the ingredients are just mixed. Too much mixing may cause the cake to be tough.
• Cool Your Cake Before Adding the Glaze. If the cake is too warm the glaze may simply melt right off the cake.
• Icing Consistency. You want it thinned just slightly so that it will pour over the cake and create the beautiful drips down the sides of the cake. If it’s too thin it may simply run off the cake.

Popular Substitutions & Additions

• Add Chocolate Chips. Add chocolate chips to your bundt cake batter to increase that yummy chocolate flavor.
• Add Garnish to the Cake Top. Pretty it up by sprinkling some mini chocolate chips, chopped chocoalte, or red velvet cake crumbs on top of your cream cheese icing.
• Skip the Cream Cheese Icing. Serve up your red velvet cake with a sprinkle of powdered sugar for a less sweet and more simple cake.
• Salted Butter Instead of Unsalted. This swap will work well but you might want to slightly reduce or omit the salt added to the batter.
• Add Nuts. Add a bit of crunch by adding some chopped pecans, almonds, pistachios, or walnuts.

What to Serve with Bundt Cakes

Bundt cakes are a popular dessert for their versatility and intricate designs. Just enough cake to share with those special people in your life.

• Create a bundt or pound cake dessert table. This one would pair great with this Chocolate Pound Cake with Peppermint Ganache for a Christmas holiday party. Also I love this for a change of flavors for the holiday season:  Buttered Rum Eggnog Cake Recipe.
• Enjoy with a hot beverage. Serve up this cake for after dinner with a cappuccino or your favorite coffee drink, white chocolate hot chocolate, or creamy eggnog.
• After your holiday dinner. This cake is perfect for holidays and special occasions following a special dinner with Prosciutto Wrapped Beef Roast, Honey Chicken, or Roasted Turkey Legs.

How to Store Your Red Velvet Bundt Cake

This yummy cake needs to be stored in the refrigerator. Because of the dairy in this recipe, it shouldn’t be left out at room temperature longer than a few hours. To keep it from drying out make sure to wrap it up or store it in an air tight cake container.

To make your bundt cake ahead of time I recommend waiting until you’re ready to serve to add the frosting. Once the cake is cooled, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, then again in foil (if freezing) and store it in the freezer or refrigerator until ready to use. If you’re making it only a day ahead, it’s ok to store the cake at room temperature until you add the frosting.

How long will red velvet cake last in the fridge?

When it’s stored properly, your cake will last for up to 7 days in the refrigerator.

Can I freeze red velvet cake?

Yes, you can freeze the whole bundt cake or individual slices of cake. However it is not recommended to freeze your bundt cake after it’s been iced. The icing will not remain the same consistency during the thawing process.

To freeze, allow your bundt cake to cool completely. Wrap the cake tightly in plastic wrap, then again in foil. Freeze for up to 6 months. Allow the cake to thaw overnight in the refrigerator before icing.

Frequently Asked Questions

This Red Velvet Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Icing is the kind of cake that’ll have folks lining up for seconds before they even finish their first slice! With that subtle chocolatey goodness and moist texture, paired up with the cream cheese icing – it’s pure bliss. And honey, let me tell you, this cake isn’t just for any old day. Its fabulous red hue makes it the star of the holiday season, bringing cheer to every table!

More Red Velvet Dessert Recipes

• Red Velvet Cake Roll
• Red Velvet Ice Cream
• Red Velvet Lava Cake
• Red Velvet Cake with Blackberry Cream Cheese Frosting
• Red Velvet Trifles
• Red Velvet Cheesecake

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