This red velvet bundt cake is so moist and effortless, but looks and tastes so amazing! The texture is rich and tender, the flavor has that signature hint of chocolate, and the color is the perfect shade of deep red velvet. The cake is delicious on its own, but I’ve enhanced this recipe by adding a silky cream cheese icing on top. You just can’t go wrong with red velvet and cream cheese!
What is red velvet cake?
You can never quite put your finger on it. It’s a 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!
Historically, it was invented in the Victorian era. It was named a “velvet” cake because of its creamy and dense chocolate cake-like texture.
To achieve this texture, buttermilk and vinegar are two very common ingredients in red velvet cake. Once added to the batter, the two activate the baking soda to create a fluffy but “velvety” texture. And when the cake was first created, the cocoa powder used wasn’t alkalized, so 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 a REALLY good cake that just never fails.
How to make an incredibly moist red velvet bundt cake
I know, I said it…moist. But this really is a super moist red velvet bundt cake OK! It took me four tests 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 fats and you have the best red velvet cake recipe ever!
The best food coloring to use in red velvet cake
To get that signature red velvet color, 2 tablespoons of red food dye are added to the batter. For red velvet cakes, I choose to use a liquid red food dye that you can find in just about any grocery store. It easily blends into the batter without creating an overly vibrant red color.
I would stay away from using gel food coloring as it has a much stronger opacity than liquid food color. It’s very easy to go overboard with the red color when using gel. Although in any other case, I choose to use gel when I only need a few drops to color things such as cookies or frosting.
Tips for making a perfect cream cheese icing
The icing on top is absolute perfection. It’s creamy, silky, tangy, and the perfect pairing to the moist and rich red velvet cake. Here are a few things to keep in mind when making the glaze:
- Make sure the cream cheese is softened to room temp before use. Otherwise, you’ll be left with a lumpy glaze that looks more like cottage cheese.
- You can choose to mix it by hand or with an electric mixer. If mixing by hand, start out with a fork and mash the cream cheese smooth. Then mix in 1 cup of powdered sugar along with 1 tablespoon of milk. Continue to mix and mash with a fork until you’ve reached a thinner consistency. Then switch to a whisk to smooth out the icing.
- The fluidity of the icing must be just right in order to get those creamy drips down the sides of the cake. You’re looking for a consistency that’s just a hair thinner than craft glue. When you lift the whisk out of the bowl, it should fall back in a solid stream and then slowly disappear back into the bowl. If it’s too thick, add 1/2 tablespoon of milk at a time until it’s just right. If it’s too thin, do the same but with 1-2 tablespoons of powdered sugar at a time.
How to prevent your bundt cakes from sticking
I’ve had so much trouble with this intricate bundt cake pan, especially with really moist and sweet cakes. But through some trial and error, I’ve found a few solutions that give me the perfect release every time.
Option 1: Right before you’re about to pour the batter into the pan, prep it with a nonstick oil and flour spray. My favorite is Baker’s Joy. But the key here is to spray in short strokes, careful not to let the oil pool in the bottom of the pan. Once you have a light coating, use a fine pastry brush to brush the oil all around the pan, getting every nook and cranny. Then pour in the batter and bake.
When it’s fresh from the oven, set a timer for 10 minutes. This time is the sweet spot because it allows the cake to cool just enough to where it won’t fall apart, but it’s also when the sugars are still fluid and liquid. If you let the cake cool too long, those sugars will harden and your cake will stick to the pan. But after those 10 minutes, the cake should pop right out.
Option 2: Again, prep the pan right before you pour in the batter. But this time, generously grease the pan and then coat it in granulated sugar. The sugar acts as a barrier between the cake and the pan, and it also adds a sweet little crunch to the outside of the cake.
Once baked, let your cake cool for that 10 minute sweet spot. 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. So if you’ve ever really struggled with your cakes sticking, try this trick!
For more delicious bundt cake recipes, check out my:
Make sure to tag me @butternutbakery on Instagram and comment below if you make this Red Velvet Bundt Cake. To pin this recipe and save it for later, you can use the button on the recipe card or on any of the photos above. Happy baking!
PrintRed Velvet Bundt Cake
- Total Time: 1 hour + 40 minutes cooling
- Yield: 12-14 slices
Description
This is the BEST red velvet bundt cake recipe! It’s incredibly moist and coated in a silky cream cheese glaze.
Ingredients
Red Velvet Cake
- 3/4 cup (160g) canola or vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup (110g) unsalted butter, melted
- 2 cups (400g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup (240ml) buttermilk*
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp white vinegar
- 2 tbsp red food coloring
- 2 1/2 cups (300g) all purpose flour **see notes for GF option
- 3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
Cream Cheese Glaze
- 4 oz cream cheese, room temp
- 2 cups (240g) powdered sugar
- 3 tbsp milk
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Red Velvet Cake
- Preheat your oven to 350F and set out your bundt pan but don’t touch it just yet. For this recipe, you can use either a 10 cup or 12 cup bundt pan.Â
- Whisk together your dry ingredients (flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt) and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, butter, and sugar. You can do so by hand or with an electric mixer with the whisk attachment. Mix for a good 1-2 minutes on medium speed until well combined.Â
- Whisk in your eggs and then the buttermilk, vanilla, and vinegar. Finally, mix in the food coloring.
- Add half of the dry ingredients and mix to combine. Then scrape down the bowl and mix in the other half. If mixing by hand, switch to a rubber spatula and fold in half of your dry ingredients until almost combined. Fold in the rest until smooth.
- Now, prepare your bundt pan. You can either use the sugar or flour method (both detailed in this blog post). The flour method is the quickest and easiest, so give your pan a light coat of an oil and flour nonstick spray (like Bakery’s Joy) and then use a fine pastry brush to spread it around the entire pan, getting it into all the nooks and crannies.Â
- Then pour in your batter. If you’re using a 12 cup bundt pan, you’ll use all of the batter. If you’re using a 10 cup bundt pan (like the one I used here), leave out about 1 cup of batter otherwise it will overflow when baked.
- Bake for 45 minutes if using a 10 cup pan, or 50-60 minutes if using a 12 cup pan.Â
- Let it rest for about 10 minutes, then turn it out onto a cooling rack and let it sit for another 30 minutes to cool completely.
Cream Cheese Glaze
- Mix together the cream cheese and powdered sugar, adding the milk as you go.
- Once smooth, mix in the vanilla. The consistency should be a bit thinner than craft glue (see image in post for reference). If it’s too thick, add 1/2 tbsp of milk at a time until smoothed. If too thin, add 1 tbsp of powdered sugar at a time until thickened.Â
- Pour over your cooled bundt cake and serve! Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
*BUTTERMILK – You can also make your own buttermilk with milk and vinegar. Measure out 1 cup of milk and then take away one tablespoon. Then add one tablespoon of vinegar and mix to combine. Let it sit for 10 minutes to curdle. (And yes, keep the separate 1 tsp of vinegar in the recipe).
**GLUTEN FREE – Although I haven’t tested it, I believe this cake would do well with gluten free flour. Sub the flour with a good quality gluten free baking flour. I like Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 gluten free baking flour. I also suggest weighing the flour, rather than measuring by cups, to ensure accuracy.Â
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
*Some of the links above are affiliate links, which pay me a small commission for my referral at no extra cost to you!
Donna says
I made this cake for one of my granddaughters. Her birthday was March 31, 2020 but because of covid19 I made it last week and took it to her and social distanced. She loved it so much so she only shared a bite with me. It was really delicious and moist. I did make a change by using 1/2 cup of regular milk and 1/2 cup of sour cream because that’s what I had on hand.
Jenna says
Aw I love this! So happy you found a way to celebrate during this crazy time. Thanks for sharing!
Nina says
Good flavor! But mine stuck to the pan. I think i’ll decrease the oil next time as it was too tender. Thanks for the recipe!
Dana Shultz says
I made this yesterday for my Mom’s birthday and it turned out great! So delicious and your instructions were clear and easy to follow!I think I could have baked it about 5 minutes less, the edges were a little crispy – but I think that’s just bundt cakes in general too! I used the Pam baking spray with flour in it and sprayed the pan (very) generously and it slid right out! Thanks so much for a great recipe!!
Jenna says
Yay! Thanks for sharing!
Richard says
With all of the active leavening ingredients in this cake, approximately how full should you fill the Bundt cake pan? Halfway? To an inch beneath the edge? I just don’t want to have an overflowing mess in the oven. Thanks in advance.
Jenna says
Fill it about 2/3 full 🙂
Stacy K says
Love this cake! Easy to make and very good. Mine did not turn as red on the outside of the cake, which did not matter to me. I’ve never had the issue with my bundt cakes sticking, but I followed your idea about the sugar…love that too! I’ll do that more often on other cakes. I did add about a half cup of mini chocolate chips.
Thank you for the recipe!
Jenna says
Love the chocolate chips! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Annmarie says
Really delicious recipe!
Gretchen Young says
I didn’t read your note about pan size and used my 10 cup Bavarian Bundt pan, and it didn’t spill out. It was perfect without the adjustment.
Jenna says
Oh good to know!
Jason says
Made this recipe exactly how it is except I added 1/2 c chocolate chips to the batter right before I put it in the pan and it came out delicious. Refriged overnight and it was even better the second day. I had no issues with it sticking to pan. Sprayed the pan and put a genious layer of sugar on it.
Thank You for a wonderful recipe.
Jenna says
Yay! Love the chocolate chips 🙂
Alyssa says
Can this recipe be used to make two 8-inch round cakes?
Jenna says
Sure! Just make sure not to overfill the pans and it will take half the time to bake it.
Remi says
Looks delicious…Can I make this recipe in 12 mini bundt pan full batch or half?
Jenna says
It should take the full batch 🙂
Emmie says
They all got stuck to the pan unfortunately. I made sure every crevice has sugar and nonstick. Not sure what happened!
Jenna says
Oh no!! I feel your pain! I was having the hardest time with a recipe I was developing. The sugar trick always works with this cake, though so I’m not sure what went wrong. If all else fails, baker’s joy should do the trick!
Chuck Warrinet says
I have had this problem with several cakes in my Anniversary Edition Bundt Pan. I finally contacted them and they advised that only a product like Baker’s Joy should be used in this pan. Since making that change, I haven’t had any problems, but getting ready to try this cake for the first time., with fingers crossed.
Bell Kiser says
SO moist & delish! I left out the dye. Made it for guests and it was a hit, I may be eating my 3rd piece while writing this!
Jenna says
Haha so glad you enjoy it!
Anne Scott says
I am using a 6cup bundt pan and using my Instant Pot to cook.
Would I use 1/2 the batter at a time and make 2?
Jenna says
Yes, I would use half the batter but I’m not sure about cooking it in an instant pot. I’ve never tried that!
Liz says
What kind of vinegar works the best? Distilled white vinegar?
Jenna says
Yep that works best. Apple cider vinegar is also a good option.
Carol G says
Do the eggs need to be room temperature?
Jenna says
No they do not need to be
Lesha simmons says
Can you make mini bundt cakes with this recjpes
Jenna says
I’d assume so! Just fill them halfway and bake for about 15-18 minutes.
Charmain says
Hi there! This is my first visit to your blog! We are a group of volunteers
and starting a new initiative in a community in the same niche.
Your blog provided us valuable information to
work on. You have done a marvellous job!
Tracy says
Hello!! I’m a great cook, but only have 4 desserts I can make homemade. THIS was my 2nd time attempting to make a cake from scratch. IT IS DEVINE!! I added 2tbls of sour cream and a tsp less of oil. I also used vanilla bean paste & extract. Other than that, I followed the recipe. I plan on baking a new item every week. Thank you!
Jenna says
Yay! So glad to hear!
Mama Ash says
This was fantastic! Easy to make & loved by all. I look forward to trying more of your recipes 🙂
Haley Hansen says
It’s absolutely gorgeous! Sending some serious Valentine’s Day vibes and I love it!