We reimagined everyone’s favorite holiday layer cake as a Red Velvet Bundt Cake brimming with cheer. You’ll come for the tender red velvet cake and stay for the vanilla bean seed-speckled Cream Cheese Filling that echoes the original’s cream cheese frosting. Dusted in confectioners’ sugar to highlight the festive grooves of Nordic Ware’s Bavaria Bundt Pan, this simple yet showstopping cake is sure to make your yuletide celebrations merry and bright. For an even more festive look, garnish your cake plate or cake stand with branches of sugared rosemary.
- 1¼ cups (284 grams) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups (400 grams) granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs (150 grams), room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk (19 grams), room temperature
- 1½ teaspoons (6 grams) vanilla extract
- 2 cups (250 grams) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (43 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1½ teaspoons (7.5 grams) baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon (2.25 grams) kosher salt
- 1 cup (240 grams) whole buttermilk
- 1 (1-ounce) bottle (29 grams) liquid red food coloring
- Cream Cheese Filling (recipe follows)
- Garnish: confectioners’ sugar, sugared rosemary
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and granulated sugar at medium speed until fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes, stopping to scrape sides of bowl. Add eggs and egg yolk, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating just until combined after each addition and stopping to scrape sides of bowl. Add food coloring, and stir until combined.
- Spray a 10-cup Nordic Ware Bavaria Bundt Pan with baking spray with flour. Spoon two-thirds of batter (about 936 grams) into prepared pan. Gently tap pan on counter several times. Using a small spoon, make a well in center of batter, slightly pushing batter up sides and center of pan. Spoon Cream Cheese Filling into well, making sure filling does not touch sides of pan, and gently tap on counter to release any air bubbles. Using a knife, swirl filling and batter, being careful not to touch edges of pan. Spoon remaining batter on top. Swirl filling and batter again, being careful not to touch edges of pan. Tap pan on counter to level batter and release any air bubbles. Smooth top with an offset spatula.
- Bake until a wooden pick inserted near center comes out clean, 1 hour and 5 minutes to 1 hour and 10 minutes. Remove from oven, and immediately tap pan on counter 4 to 5 times to release any air bubbles from Cream Cheese Filling. Let cool in pan for 30 minutes. Invert pan onto a wire rack, and let cake stand in pan for 5 minutes. Remove pan, and let cake cool completely. Garnish with confectioners’ sugar and sugared rosemary, if desired. Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- 8 ounces (226 grams) cream cheese, softened
- 1 tablespoon (14 grams) unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup (60 grams) confectioners’ sugar
- 1 large egg yolk (19 grams)
- ½ teaspoon (2 grams) vanilla extract
- In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese and butter with a mixer at medium speed until combined and smooth, about 2 minutes. Add confectioners’ sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla. Beat until smooth, about 1 minute.
Bundtology
Our Bundtologists share their expert tips to help you master our December Bundt! Click the image to enlarge. Note that each of these tips is specific to this recipe and the Bavaria Bundt Pan. Results may vary for other recipes and other pans.
Came out great! Made the recipe exactly as written except that I added about 6oz of chocolate chips (stirred in just after the food coloring). Delicious.
Can this cake be made ahead and frozen?
Hi Dee,
Thank you for your question! This cake can absolutely be made ahead and frozen. Once your cake is completely cool, wrap it in a double layer of plastic wrap followed by a sheet or two of foil. If you have a freezer-safe resealable plastic bag or airtight container that will fit your Bundt cake, you can then place it in that after wrapping it for an additional barrier. The cake can store frozen for up to 2 months.
To thaw your frozen cake, simply move it from the freezer to the refrigerator to let it thaw overnight, then garnish it as desired. You can also let the cake thaw at room temperature in a pinch, but the refrigerator route is the most ideal.
Hope this helps, and happy baking!