Need a showstopping holiday dessert? Don't miss this Red Velvet Bundt Cake with its vivid colors, delicious cocoa flavor, and rich cream cheese frosting. Yum!

Red Velvet has always been one of my favorite flavors - as you probably know from my reader-favorite Red Velvet Poke Cake and Red Velvet Cupcakes. So I couldn't resist adding some new red velvet inspired recipes to the blog this holiday season.

This Red Velvet Bundt Cake is sure to impress at any special occasion. It's just so darn pretty - and tastes amazing too. And the best part is that this bundt cake is surprisingly quick and easy to make with simple pantry ingredients!

So if you're looking for a show-stopping dessert that's sure to be a crowd pleaser, this Red Velvet Bundt Cake is sure to turn some heads! It's a perfect Thanksgiving or Christmas dessert - or as a Valentine's Day treat.

Helpful Tips

Using oil instead of butter.

This recipe uses a mildly-flavored oil instead of butter for the cake batter. This will give you a tender crumb and more moist texture.

The red food coloring.

Make sure to use plenty of food coloring to get that signature red velvet color. The exact amount needed will vary depending on the food coloring you choose. I am a fan of the Wilton gel colorings.

Grease and flour the bundt pan.

Make sure your bundt pan is well greased and floured. This will ensure the cake releases from the pan without sticking.

Make mini cakes!

To make mini Red Velvet Bundt Cakes, pour the batter into several small greased and floured mini bundt pans. Bake for approximately 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Variations

Add orange zest

For a tasty twist on the cream cheese frosting, try adding approximately 2 tablespoons of orange zest.

Try it with sour cream

Replace the buttermilk with sour cream for a denser cake.

Add some crunch

Add chopped pecans, walnuts, or almonds to the cake batter for a crunchy texture and nutty flavor.

Add espresso

Add a tablespoon of espresso powder to the cake batter for a deeper chocolate-coffee flavor.

Add citrusy flavor

Replace the apple cider vinegar with 1 teaspoon of lemon juice for a bright, citrus-y kick.

Add white chocolate

For a richer cake, try adding a cup of chopped white chocolate pieces to the batter.

More Tasty Treats

If you love this Red Velvet Bundt Cake, be sure to check out these other delicious ideas:

Recipe

Red Velvet Bundt Cake

Yield Servings 10 servings
Prep Prep Time 20 mins
Cook Cook Time 50 mins
Total Total Time 1 hr 10 mins

Ingredients

Cake:

2 cups sugar
1 cup canola oil
3 large eggs
¼ cup butter, melted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1-2 tablespoons red food coloring
2 ¼ cups flour
¼ cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk

Cream cheese glaze:

4 oz. cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1 ½ cups powdered sugar
4-6 tablespoons heavy cream, as needed
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

1
Preheat the oven to 350 F, grease and flour a 10-cup bundt pan and set aside
2
In a large bowl, beat together the sugar, canola oil, eggs, melted butter, vanilla and apple cider vinegar until smooth.
3
Add the red food coloring until desired color is reached.
4
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until combined
5
Add half the flour mixture, followed by half the buttermilk, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Repeat until all flour and buttermilk has been added to the batter
6
Pour cake batter into the prepared bundt pan, then bake in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
7
Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes
8
Then invert onto wire rack to cool completely
9
Once cool, prepare the cream cheese glaze by mixing together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, 4 tablespoons heavy cream, and vanilla until smooth. Add additional heavy cream until the frosting is able to drip off a spoon in a steady stream.
10
Carefully add the glaze to the top of the cooled cake, and gently guide it down the sides if necessary.
11
Allow the cake to set for 20 minutes before slicing and serving