Red Velvet Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Icing

Name: Red Velvet Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Icing
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 70 min
Ingredients: 1⅛ cups unsalted butter (room temperature); 2⅓ cups granulated sugar; 1½ teaspoons red food coloring; 4 large eggs (room temperature); 3¾ cups cake flour; ½ cup natural process cocoa powder; 2½ teaspoons baking powder; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1 teaspoon salt; 2½ cups buttermilk (room temperature); 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 2 Tablespoons distilled vinegar; 1/4 cup cream cheese (room temperature); 1/2 cup powdered sugar; Pinch salt; 2 Tablespoons whole milk; 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

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We’re welcoming in the start of the Christmas season with this decadent Red Velvet Bundt Cake…with cream cheese icing, of course! Every bite is tender, moist, tangy, and hinted with sweet chocolate. Finish the cake with a super simple cream cheese icing for a cake that no one will be able to resist this holiday season! Bonus? It’s SO much easier to make than you might think and oh-so pretty with minimal effort.

red velvet bundt cake on white plate with green christmas trees, white cheesecloth beside, and stack of white plates behind.

Everything is better in bundt form, you know? While we love our classic red velvet cake, there’s just something extra special about this cake in particular. Each slice is oh-so moist, tender, thick, and extra delicious!

What Exactly IS A Red Velvet Cake?

A red velvet cake is SO much more than a plain cake colored red. It’s made with classic cake ingredients like flour, butter, sugar, vanilla, etc. But, what makes it so special is the addition of buttermilk, cocoa powder, and a splash of vinegar! Then, of course, the cake is colored crimson red with red food dye to create the classic red velvet cake.

Here’s Why You Will Love This Red Velvet Bundt Cake

So simple. This cake is actually SO easy to make; and if you refer to our tips, it’ll ensure the perfect cake every time.
Full of flavor! This cake is the classic flavor we all know and love in a red velvet. It’s just the right balance between the buttermilk, cocoa powder, and vinegar.
Effortlessly gorgeous. The best part about a bundt cake? It takes no effort to make it look absolutely stunning.
Thoroughly tested. This recipe has been made, remade, tweaked, and made again to ensure that you will have the perfect cake this holiday season!

cropped close up of cut red velvet cake.

Ingredients To Make Red Velvet Bundt Cake

Full ingredient amounts and instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

For The Cake:

Unsalted Butter – With a bright, fresh flavor that adds not only richness, unsalted butter also adds moisture and flavor and allows us to control the level of salt.
Granulated Sugar – Adding the perfect amount of sweetness is why granulated sugar is the best choice here. It also helps with the texture and structure of the cake.
Red Food Dye – Gel food color is the best choice.
Large Eggs – An incredibly hard worker in this cake, eggs add leavening, structure, and richness!
Vanilla Extract – Adding a subtle undertone, vanilla extract is the perfect choice to enhance the flavor.
Cake Flour – A lighter, softer, more tender texture is the goal here, so the lesser protein content in cake flour makes it the perfect choice.
Natural Process Cocoa Powder – The ingredient that gives this cake its “velvet” appearance, cocoa powder also adds a light chocolate flavor to this cake.
Baking Powder – The leavening used to help this cake rise.
Baking Soda – While also a leavening, baking soda’s main purpose here is to neutralize the acid in the buttermilk and vinegar, as well as the cocoa powder.
Salt – Just a little salt enhances the flavor.
Buttermilk – The main purpose of buttermilk in this cake is to help with rise. It helps give it a light fluffy texture, and it contributes to flavor as well.
Distilled Vinegar – You must used distilled vinegar, not apple cider, wine, or champagne vinegars. It brings out the red color and contributes to tenderness.

flour, cocoa powder, vinegar, sugar, baking soda, vanilla, butter, red food dye, milk, eggs, baking powder, and salt on marble surface.

For The Icing:

Cream Cheese – This is the main ingredient in cream cheese icing. It is what gives it that little bit of tang that marries so well with red velvet cake.
Powdered Sugar – Because it melts easily, powdered sugar ensures a smooth icing. It sweetens as well.
Salt – Just a bit of salt enhances the flavor and tones down the sweetness a little.
Whole Milk – We used whole milk because we wanted a neutral flavor and just a tiny bit of richness while also thinning the icing.
Vanilla Extract – Adding a subtle undertone, vanilla extract is the perfect choice to enhance the flavor.

vanilla, cream cheese, powdered sugar, salt, and milk on marble surface.

How To Make This Red Velvet Bundt Cake (Step-by-Step!)

Step 1: Prepare batter

In a large bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

whisked dry ingredients in large glass bowl.

Combine butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.

creamed butter and sugar in stand mixer.

Mix in dye.

red food dye added to butter and sugar in stand mixer.

red butter and sugar mixture in stand mixer.

Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture.

dry ingredients added to butter mixture.

dry ingredients stirred into butter mixture.

Stir in vanilla and vinegar.

vanilla added to red velvet cake batter.

Step 2: Bake

Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until cake tests done.

baked red velvet cake on marble surface in bundt pan.

Allow to cool in pan for 10 minutes. Turn out onto cooling rack to finish cooling.

Step 3: Make icing

Beat cream cheese until smooth.

Add powdered sugar and salt. Beat until well combined, about 1-2 minutes.

Mix in milk and vanilla.

milk and vanilla added to cream cheese frosting.

Pour over cake.

cream cheese icing added on top of red velvet cake.

FAQ’s and Troubleshooting

Why is my batter lumpy?

If your batter is lumpy, it may be the flour did not get incorporated fully. Be sure that the flour is completely mixed in before baking!

Why is this batter thick?

To create the ultimate texture, this batter is thicker than a traditional cake batter.

Why did my cake stick?

If your cake is stuck to the pan, it could be one of two things. Either the pan wasn’t greased enough (it happens to all of us!) or the cake is still a little too warm to be turned out. If you suspect it’s still too warm, let it cool for a little longer and try to turn out again. If it’s stuck because the pan isn’t greased enough, run a knife along the edges of the cake and place upside down on a cooling rack and tap the top and sides of the pan. The cake may tear, but it will still taste delicious!

Why did my cake not rise?

If the cake didn’t rise, this could be one of two things. Check your baking powder and baking soda to make sure it’s in-date! If either are expired, this is most likely the culprit. If your leavening is in-date, then the cake batter was most likely over-mixed. This doesn’t mean the cake is ruined! It will still taste delicious, but it may be more dense than desired.

Why is my cake dry/crumbly?

Dryness can be a common issue with baking cakes. It’s either a result of over-mixing or over-baking! Though, keep in mind that under-mixing and under-baking can be equally as bad. So, be sure to follow the directions in the recipe card below (and make sure your oven is at the right temperature!) for the best results with this cake!

Why is my cake tough?

Did you use the correct flour? If so, then a tough cake can caused by over-mixing, which over-develops the gluten and that leads to a tough, dry, dense cake.

red velvet cake on white plate with slice of cake beside, white flowers, and white cheesecloth beside.

Decorating Ideas

Bundt cakes are always effortlessly gorgeous, but there are a few things you can add to really dress it up!

Holiday themed sprinkles always add just the right element to this cake.
Top with sugared cranberries and/or sugared rosemary.
Dust with powdered sugar.
Sprinkle cake crumbs over the top.

Looking for more chocolate recipes? Here are a few you may like:

Let’s be friends! ♡

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