Is red velvet cake the queen of cakes? Its deep red hue and tender crumb certainly make a strong case. When it’s a simple, easy-to-serve red velvet Bundt topped with smooth, fluffy cream cheese frosting, it’s hard to resist a second slice.
I bake a lot of Bundt cakes because they slice and serve so easily. I developed this red velvet Bundt recipe for my daughter Katie’s birthday — she’s a February baby, so it’s a natural fit for Valentine’s celebrations.
Red Velvet Bundt Cake
This recipe begins with a boxed red velvet cake mix, but it’s enhanced with a few “secret” additions to boost moisture, flavor, and texture. The goal is a moist, springy Bundt cake that holds together without being dense.
After several rounds of testing — including versions with mayonnaise (too oily) and sour cream (a bit rubbery) — the best result was achieved by adding instant pudding mix, buttermilk, and an extra egg. Those elements combine to give the cake extra richness and a velvety crumb.
Buttermilk is a game changer in baked goods. It keeps cakes and pancakes tender and moist and adds a subtle tang that balances sweetness. For this Bundt we use it to make the crumb soft and springy.
Preparing the cake is straightforward. Preheat the oven to 350°F and place a rack in the center. Generously spray a 12-cup Bundt pan with nonstick baking spray.
In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the cake mix, instant pudding mix, eggs, buttermilk, warm water, and oil. Start mixing on low until just combined, scrape down the bowl, then beat on medium for 2–3 minutes until the batter is smooth and slightly fluffy.
Pour the batter into the prepared Bundt pan and level it. The one detail to watch is adding the chocolate chips: I prefer milk chocolate chips, but dark, white, or a mix will work. Sprinkle the chips evenly on top of the batter and use a butter knife or thin spatula to swirl them in lightly. The goal is to distribute them without letting them sink to the bottom, which can cause burning or sticking.
Bake for 45–50 minutes, though ovens vary — start checking around 40 minutes if yours runs hot. The cake is done when the top springs back to the touch or a toothpick inserted in the center comes out without wet batter.
Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10–20 minutes. Then invert the pan onto a cooling rack to release the cake. Let it cool completely before frosting.
While the cake cools, make the cream cheese frosting. The frosting’s standout flavor comes from using a butter-vanilla bakery emulsion; it provides a more pronounced, bakery-style vanilla note than standard extract. If you don’t have emulsion, vanilla extract will still produce a delicious frosting.
Beat room-temperature butter and cream cheese until smooth, then add powdered sugar in stages with whipping cream, the emulsion (or extract), and a pinch of salt. Continue adding powdered sugar until you reach the desired consistency — typically 6–8 cups total for a thick, pipeable frosting. If you prefer to thicken the frosting without adding more sugar, up to 1 tablespoon of cornstarch can be folded in.
I like piping the frosting in a petal pattern around a Bundt cake, a technique that produces an elegant look similar to popular bakery styles. A cake turntable and a pastry bag with a jumbo tip make piping easier. Alternatively, you can pipe rosettes across the top using a jumbo star tip for a different decorative finish.
This red velvet Bundt is versatile: perfect for birthdays, Valentine’s Day, family dinners, or any special occasion. It also dresses up nicely for the holidays — add red and green sprinkles for a festive touch.
I hope you enjoy this red velvet Bundt cake with cream cheese frosting. If you try it, please leave a comment to let me know how it turned out!
Red Velvet Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Marsha Maxwell
Pin Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 1 box red velvet cake mix
- 1 package white chocolate or vanilla instant pudding mix3.3 oz. (4-serving)
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup warm water
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 cups milk chocolate chips
For the frosting:
- 1 package 8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 stick 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 6-8 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon butter vanilla bakery emulsion or substitute vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons whipping cream
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch optional, to thicken
Instructions
Make the cake:
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Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F.
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Generously spray a 12-cup Bundt pan with baking spray or nonstick spray.
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Combine the cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, buttermilk, warm water, and oil in a large bowl or stand mixer bowl.
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Mix on low for one minute to combine, scrape the bowl, then mix on medium for 2–3 minutes until the batter is thick and somewhat fluffy.
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Pour batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle chocolate chips evenly and swirl lightly to incorporate without letting them sink.
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Bake 45–50 minutes, until the top springs back or a skewer comes out clean.
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Cool in the pan about 20 minutes, invert onto a cooling rack, and cool completely before frosting.
Make the frosting:
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Beat butter and cream cheese until smooth.
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Add 1 cup powdered sugar and beat to combine, then add another cup and mix.
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Add whipping cream, bakery emulsion or vanilla, and salt; beat until combined.
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Add remaining powdered sugar, one cup at a time, until the frosting reaches the texture you want (6–8 cups total).
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Optional: add up to 1 tablespoon cornstarch to thicken without more sugar. Beat 2–3 minutes until smooth, thick, and fluffy.
Frost the cake:
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Pipe frosting onto the cooled Bundt using a pastry bag and jumbo tip; a turntable makes this easier.
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You can pipe petal shapes or rosettes for different looks. Leftover frosting freezes well in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Notes
Use dark, milk, or white chocolate chips, or a combination.
To use salted butter in the frosting, omit the added salt in the recipe.
If needed, add up to 1 tablespoon cornstarch to thicken the frosting without adding more sugar.
Nutrition
Disclosures: The author was not compensated for this post. The post may contain affiliate links; purchases through those links help support publishing recipes on this site.