Red Velvet Bundt Cake

February 11, 2019 by Jenna 48 Comments

Is it just me or is bundt cake way better than regular cake? It’s so much more moist and dense and they’re just effortlessly pretty. That’s why instead of a regular red velvet cake, I made this delicious red velvet bundt cake with a cream cheese glaze. If you aren’t a believer in bundt cakes, this one will surely change your mind!

a red velvet bundt cake covered in a cream cheese glaze

What is red velvet cake?

I mean, really though. It’s this red cake that doesn’t quite taste like chocolate or vanilla and sometimes feels like it’s just a carrier from cream cheese toppings. I’m not even sure anyone can describe the exact flavor of it!

To throw some history at you, it was invented in the Victorian era. It was named a “velvet” cake because of its creamy and dense chocolate cake-like texture.

By adding buttermilk and vinegar to the batter, it activates the baking soda to create this fluffy but “velvety” texture. Since the cocoa powder wasn’t alkalized, it would give the cake a reddish hue when combined with these ingredients.

So with the hint of cocoa and acidity, you’re left with a slightly chocolatey, tangy, and silky red cake. While no one can pinpoint the exact origin of red velvet cake, we’re all in agreement that it’s just a damn good cake. But anything is good with cream cheese on top, amiright?

drizzling a cream cheese glaze onto a red velvet bundt cake

How to make incredibly moist red velvet cake

I know, I said it…*moist*. But this really is a super moist red velvet bundt cake OK! It even took me 4 times to get the recipe just right so you know it’s worth the “m” word.

Most cake recipes either use all butter or all oil. When I first made this recipe, I just used oil and boy did I get one oily cake. You would push your finger into it and you would be left with a pool of oil. No thank you.

The reason this is a super moist red velvet cake is because of the balance between the oil and the butter. Adding oil to a recipe helps it stay moist for a longer period of time. This is because, as opposed to butter, it lacks water so it won’t evaporate and dry out your cake.

But, using all oil can be messy and create a strange flavor…even with a mild oil like vegetable or canola. The butter helps to bring the flavor back down while also giving the cake a little bit more structure once cooled.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a red velvet cake without buttermilk and vinegar. Like I just mentioned, the two in conjunction with baking soda help to give this fluffy but silky texture to your cake. Mix that with the perfect balance of your fats and you have the best red velvet cake recipe ever!

How much food coloring to add to red velvet cake

It wouldn’t be red velvet without the red! But if you’ve been following me for a while, you know I’m not the biggest fan of overly dyed desserts. You eat with your eyes and I don’t want to eat something that’s a blinding bright red, ya know?

Most red velvet cake recipes that use food coloring will dump in a full 1 oz bottle. That’s what gives you the vibrant red color. For this recipe, I only used about half the bottle. It’s how I obtained a more natural red color…or at least as natural as you can get when making a RED cake!

I opted out of using red food gel here just because it’s very easy to go overboard in color. They’re highly concentrated, much more than liquid, so a couple extra drops could turn my cake crazy red.

When you’re adding in your dye, make sure to mix it in before the dry ingredients. Doing it this way will ensure it’s evenly mixed into the batter.

a slice of red velvet bundt cake sitting on a plate

How to prevent your bundt cakes from sticking

This happened to me THREE TIMES during this recipe. I just bought a beautiful Nordic Ware bundt cake pan but its so detailed that my cake would stick to the bottom. I sprayed it with Baker’s Joy, brushed every nook and cranny with vegetable oil, and even dusted it with flour. NOTHING worked.

Until I did a little research on the inter webs and found that sugar can actually create perfect bundt cakes. Say whaaat? But wouldn’t it just stick even more??

Sure won’t! All you have to do is generously grease the entire inside of your bundt pan and then coat it in granulated sugar. Do this RIGHT before pouring in the batter in to ensure nothing slides down as it sits.

Once baked, let your cake cool to where it’s just warm enough to handle with your bare hands. The key is to turn it out while it’s still a little warm. Otherwise, if you let it cool completely, the sugar will harden and then your cake is really stuck.

Your cake should pop right out. No wiggling needed. Seriously try this! It even gives your cake a delicious sugary crust…and who wouldn’t want that?

a partially eaten slice of red velvet bundt cake with cream cheese icing

For even more delicious cake recipes:

Make sure to tag me @butternutbakery on Instagram if you make this red velvet bundt cake. I love seeing my recipes come to life in YOUR kitchen! To pin this recipe and save it for later, you can use the button on the recipe card, the buttons above or below this post, or on any of the photos above. And if you have any questions, ask me on Instagram! That’s the best way to reach me. Happy baking!