This red velvet bundt cake is the perfect cake to make for Valentine’s Day! It is a moist, tender, and vibrant cake baked in a bundt pan. The cake is also topped with cream cheese glaze. It gets its vibrant color for only a little bit of food coloring! No gross food dye flavor, but a strong red color. You have to make it for Valentine’s Day.

Red velvet bundt cake showing the inside.

This red velvet bundt cake is SO good. Before learning how to bake, I used to hate red velvet. However, my red velvet cake is incredible!

It is incredibly soft with the soft chocolate flavor. The key is choosing the right food dye.

If you are looking for more Valentine’s Day recipes, try heart shaped brownies, strawberry hand pies, and chocolate covered strawberry cake.

Why You Will Love This

  • Moist red velvet cake- This cake is super soft and moist texture. It uses both buttermilk and sour cream to get the soft crumb.
  • No food dye taste- It uses only a little bit of food dye! No need to dunk a whole bottle of food dye in this cake and ruin the chocolate cake flavor!
  • Cream cheese glaze- You can’t have a red velvet cake without cream cheese!
  • Easy to make- This red velvet bundt cake recipe is so easy to make because you throw the batter into a bundt pan! Beautiful cake and simple to do.
Red velvet bundt cake on a platter.

Ingredient Notes

  • Unsweetened Cocoa powder- For the bright red velvet color, use regular cocoa powder. I used Hershey’s.
  • Oil- You can use canola oil or vegetable oil.
  • Buttermilk- You can also substitute 1 1/4 cup whole milk with 1 Tablespoon of lemon juice. Let it sit for 10 minutes before using.
  • White distilled vinegar- This is necessary for traditional red velvet cakes. The buttermilk and vinegar help to bring out the red tones in the cocoa powder.
  • Eggs- Pull these out 2 hours before baking for best results.
  • Sour cream- Use full fat sour cream. Pull this out 2 hours before baking.
  • Red food coloring- The best food coloring is Americolor super red food coloring. This gives it the bright color without the bad food dye taste you get with a lot of food dyes.
  • Cream cheese- Use full fat cream cheese. Pull this out 2 hours before baking.

Step By Step Instructions

Here is how to make and bake this bundt cake. you do not need an electric mixer for this recipe.

STEP 1: Mix the dry ingredients together. In a large mixing bowl, sift the all purpose flour and cocoa powder together to prevent any lumps in the batter. Add in the sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to the flour mixture.

STEP 2: Mix the wet ingredients. Mix the oil, buttermilk, vinegar, eggs, vanilla extract, sour cream, and red food coloring.

STEP 3: Mix the batter. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry. Use a whisk, then switch to a rubber spatula to make sure it is all mixed together.

Mixing wet ingredients in a glass bowl.
Cake batter in a glass bowl.

STEP 4: Bake the cake. Pour batter into the bundt cake pan. See below for more information on bundt cake pans. Bake the cake for 40-50 minutes. Let the cake cool a few minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.

STEP 5: Cream cheese icing. Beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar together. Add in the vanilla and milk. It should be a pourable consistency.

STEP 6: Pour the glaze. Pour the glaze immediately on top of the cake.

Cake batter in a bundt pan.
Baked bundt cake in pan.

What Bundt Pans To Use

The bundt pan I used is this one. It is a 10-cup bundt pan.

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All of the batter won’t fit inside the pan. Fill the pan 3/4ths full. You can make a cupcake or 2 out of the leftover batter.

You can also use a 12-cup bundt pan. Use all of the batter for it.

Expert Baking Tips

Be careful to not to overmix the cake batter. When you first mix the batter, it will be lumpy. Mix only until some of the lumps are gone.

To prevent the cake from sticking to the bundt pan, make sure to spray well with a baking nonstick spray (the kind with flour in it) the entire inside of your prepared pan.

When you apply a glaze, place the cake on a wire rack on top of a cookie sheet. This will prevent the mess when applying the glaze.

Slice of cake on a plate.

FAQ

What is the flavor of red velvet cake?

Perfect reds velvet flavor tastes like a mild chocolate flavor. When done right (like this cake!), it tastes so good!

Can I use butter instead of oil?

No, I recommend the oil for the moisture.

Can I make this into a layered cake?

Yes! It makes three 8-inch cake layers. Use this recipe for cream cheese frosting.

One slice of cake on platter.

Storing and Freezing

Store this red velvet bundt cake in an airtight container. Store up to 5 days in the fridge. The cake is best enjoyed at room temperature.

Freezing

The cake can be frozen in individual cake slices. Wrap the slices and store in the freezer up to 30 days. Thaw for 1-2 hours hours before enjoying.

Taking a slice out of red velvet bundt cake.

Other Bundt Cake Recipes To Try

Make sure to leave me a star review below!

Make sure to tag me on Instagram @stephaniesweettreats. I hope you loved it! To get more ideas follow me on Pinterest.

Red velvet bundt cake showing the inside.
5 from 25 reviews

Red Velvet Bundt Cake

This red velvet bundt cake is a super moist and red bundt cake. It is easy to make and makes a vibrant cake. It is topped with cream cheese glaze.
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Ingredients
 
 

Red Velvet Bundt Cake

  • 3 cups All-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup Unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 3/4 cups White granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp Baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp Baking powder
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1 cup Oil, Canola or vegetable
  • 1 1/4 cup Buttermilk, room temperature
  • 3/4 tsp White vinegar
  • 3 Large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 tsp Pure vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup Sour cream, room temperature
  • 1 1/2 tsp Red food coloring, Use americolor super red gel food coloring.

Cream Cheese Glaze

  • 4 oz Cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cups Powdered sugar, sifted
  • 3-4 TBSP Milk
  • 1/2 tsp Pure vanilla extract

Instructions
 

Red Velvet Cake

  • Preheat oven to 350ยฐF. Spray a 10-cup bundt pan with baking non-stick spray. Spray really well!
  • In a large mixing bowl, sift the flour and cocoa powder together. Add the sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
    3 cups All-purpose flour, 1/4 cup Unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 3/4 cups White granulated sugar, 1 tsp Baking soda, 1/2 tsp Baking powder, 1 tsp Salt
  • In a separate bowl, mix the oil, buttermilk, vinegar, eggs, vanilla, sour cream, and red food coloring. Mix until it is combined and bright red.
    1 cup Oil, 1 1/4 cup Buttermilk, 3/4 tsp White vinegar, 3 Large eggs, 2 tsp Pure vanilla extract, 1/4 cup Sour cream, 1 1/2 tsp Red food coloring
  • Pour the wet ingredients into the dry. Mix until just combined.
  • Pour batter into the bundt pan. For a 10- cup bundt pan use 7/8 of the batter. For a 12-cup bundt pan, use all of the batter.
  • Bake for 40-50 minutes. The cake is done baking when a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let the cake sit in the pan for 10 minutes. Then, transfer to a cooling rack.
  • Allow cake to cool completely. Then, make the glaze.

Cream Cheese Glaze

  • Use a hand mixer and beat the cream cheese on high for 1 minute. Add in the sifted powdered sugar. Mix on low until combined. Then, mix on high until smooth. Add in milk and vanilla. Mix again until combined. It should be a pourable glaze consistency.
    4 oz Cream cheese, 1 1/2 cups Powdered sugar, 3-4 TBSP Milk, 1/2 tsp Pure vanilla extract
  • Place cake on a cooling rack with a cookie sheet underneath. This will catch all the glaze that drips down. Pour glaze all over cake.

Notes

Flour- Make sure flour is spooned and leveled or use a kitchen scale. Compacted flour will result in a drier cake.
High Altitude Baking- Add an extra 3 TBSP of flour.
Dairy ingredients- Pull out these 2 hours before baking for it to become room temperature.
Calories: 549kcal, Carbohydrates: 86g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 29g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g, Monounsaturated Fat: 16g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 19mg, Sodium: 439mg, Potassium: 145mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 37g, Vitamin A: 245IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 78mg, Iron: 2mg
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