Y’all, my red velvet marble cake recipe is straight-up holiday perfection! It’s better than plain red velvet cake because with this one you get both vanilla and red velvet flavors swirled together in a tender and moist cake. I almost went full layer cake so you could see that pretty swirl from every angle, but then I was like… let me stay true to my pound cake roots. So pound cake it is, with a bomb cream cheese glaze. Folks will be begging you for the recipe boos, no lie! Good thing y’all can just point them to the video in the recipe card.
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How to Make a Red Velvet Marble Cake
These step-by-step photos show how to make a red velvet cream cheese pound cake, but be sure to check the recipe card below for the full ingredient list and detailed instructions. Skip to the → Red Velvet Marble Cake Recipe
1. Cream the butter and cream cheese
Beat them until smooth, add the sugar and oil, and whip until pale and fluffy. Then mix in the eggs one at a time while scraping the bowl.
2. Add the remaining ingredients
Mix in the cake flour in two increments, add the salt, then blend in the vanilla on low without overbeating.
3. Divide the cake batter into two bowls
Split it evenly so you can prepare the red velvet portion.
4. Make the red velvet batter
Add cocoa powder, red food coloring, and hot water to one bowl and whisk until the color and texture are fully combined.
5. Swirl the vanilla and red velvet batters
Drop alternating scoops of each batter into the Bundt pan, then swirl gently with a skewer for a marbled look.
6. Bake the marble cake
Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, cool briefly in the pan, then invert and let it finish cooling completely.
7. Make the cream cheese glaze
Whisk the cream cheese, powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla together until smooth and pourable.
8. Glaze your red velvet marble bundt cake
Pour the glaze over the top and let it drip down the sides.
PRO TIP: You want your glaze pourable but not too thin. Slowly pour it over the top of the cake so that you add just enough for it to drip down the sides. If you’re anxious that it may come out too fast when pouring, you can also use a spoon to drizzle it over the cake, giving you a bit more control.
Full Red Velvet Marble Cake Recipe
Red Velvet Marble Cake Recipe
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Equipment
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 1 ½ cups unsalted butter room temp, 3 sticks
- 8 ounces cream cheese room temp, 1 block
- 3 cups granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil
- 6 large eggs room temperature
- 3 cups cake flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
For the Swirl:
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon red food coloring
- 1 tablespoon hot water
For the Icing:
- 4 oz cream cheese room temperature
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 4 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
For the Cake:
- Start by preheating your oven to 325°F then liberally spray a 12-cup Bundt® pan with non-stick baking spray.
- In your mixer bowl, add butter and cream cheese and beat for two minutes on high speed. Next, slowly add in sugar and oil then continue beating on high speed for an additional five minutes until it’s a very pale yellow and fluffy.
- Next, add eggs, one at a time, combining well after each addition and scraping down the sides as needed.
- Turn your mixer down to its lowest speed, and slowly add flour into batter in two increments then add salt. Be careful not to overbeat.
- Lastly, add in vanilla extract, scrape down sides and mix until just combined and turn off mixer.
- Pour 1/2 of cake batter into a separate bowl and set aside. Whisk in cocoa powder, red food coloring and hot water until completely well mixed.
- Alternate dollops of vanilla and red velvet cake batter into Bundt® pan using a skewer to swirl batter.
- Bake for 1 hour and 15 -20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then invert cake on serving plate for at least an hour or until the cake is cool to the touch.
For the Cream Cheese Icing:
- Mix cream cheese, powdered sugar, milk and vanilla extract until smooth then pour over top of cooled cake and serve.
Video
Notes
How to Store
- Fridge: Wrap that cake up tight or pop it in an airtight container so it stays soft and moist. Because of the cream cheese icing, this one belongs in the fridge y’all. It will hold up for about 7 days. If you’re making it ahead, skip the glaze until serving.
- Freezer: Freeze it without the glaze, boos. Let the cake cool all the way, wrap it in plastic, then foil, and stash it for up to 6 months. Freeze the whole Bundt or slices if you want. Thaw it overnight in the fridge, then hit it with that glaze when you’re ready to eat.
Nutrition
Recipe Tips
- Use room temp ingredients. Y’all know the drill, boos! Soft butter, cream cheese, and eggs blend smoother and give you a creamy batter.
- Measure the flour right. Scoop it in with a spoon and level it off so your cake stays tender. And when you mix it in, keep your mixer on low so you don’t overwork the batter.
- Keep the batters separate. Use two utensils so the vanilla and red velvet don’t tint each other.
- Make clean swirls. Drop the batters in, then use a skewer to make big swoops first. Step back, see what it’s giving, then make smaller swirls. Don’t overdo it or the colors in your red velvet swirl cake will blend.
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Recipe Help
Use the bake time as a guide, but don’t rely on it alone! This cake is dense, so it usually takes over an hour. The top should look set and spring back when you press it lightly. You can also slide a toothpick or skewer into the center. If it comes out mostly clean with a few crumbs, you’re good.
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Beautiful and Delicious Cake. I baked it for Christmas 2020 and it has been requested for 2021!
This is beauty is currently in my oven making the house smell AMAZING. I cannot wait to take it out and have a piece!
This is so gorgeous! Do you think it would work in one of the more intricate Nordicware Bundt pans? I’m not planning to swirl exactly as this, of course, but curious if the texture would work.
Oh absolutely you can.
Can I use coconut oil instead of vegetable oil?
I personally would not.
I made this cake twice in about 8 days! Does that tell you anything? It is delicious! I like to call it Red Velvet Swirled Cream Cheese Pound Cake! The only thing I did differently was increase the cocoa powder to 3 tbspns and food coloring to 2 tbspns because I wanted a bit of a deeper red. I also couldn’t find European butter so I used regular unsalted butter. It came out perfectly! Thanks, miss Jocelyn!!
my gosh.. my cakes are out of the oven and they look great .. thank u. I’m in love with them . my aunt’s birthday tomorrow .. I made sure I followed to the t so that I’d get a wonderful result . thank u
If I don’t have European butter, which I almost always have, is regular butter okay? And if it is, shall I add a tablespoon or two more since The European is higher fat? I may have a half stick of European butter left. What are your suggestions to be able to incorporate that or, just go with your given amount of all regular butter?
Can’t wait to make this with the brutally cold weather that has hit Kansas this weekend. Should also be getting some snow.
I’m so excited. Mine is in the oven as we speak. And it looks great so far.
I have a couple questions.
Firstly, should the cake be kept in the fridge because of the cream cheese?
Secondly, my cocoa didn’t completely blend in. So I’m a little worried about that. I think the next time I will make sure that it’s all smooth before I add it into the batter. That’s all I can really think of. Anyway, I am so happy you posted this recipe! Thank you so much!
Yes keep in the fridge because of the cream cheese. Next time you should make sure that the cocoa is completely mixed in but don’t overwhip it if that makes sense.
I made this cake for Christmas and it was a big hit everyone was just in love with it thanks for your recipes
I made this cake twice this week as a gift. It’s a real treat and is easy to make. I haven’t perfected the marble look I want but I will keep trying. So far I made it in the Bundt pans but will use two loaf pans for next cake.