This red velvet Bundt cake is soft, rich, and finished with a thick cream cheese glaze and fresh berries. The batter starts with red velvet cake mix and gets extra richness from sour cream and vanilla pudding, making this an easy cake for birthdays, holidays, or any celebration.
The Bundt shape makes it especially easy to decorate without complicated cake layers. If you love red velvet desserts, try my Red Velvet Cake or Red Velvet Cupcakes. For another rich dessert, my Hot Fudge Cake is perfect with ice cream, while Homemade Lemonade is a fresh drink to serve alongside this cake at summer gatherings.
An Easy Red Velvet Bundt Cake
This recipe uses a 15.25-ounce red velvet cake mix along with eggs, sour cream, instant vanilla pudding, and water.
The result is baked in a 10- to 12-cup Bundt pan, cooled completely, then covered with cream cheese glaze. Fresh raspberries or strawberries, blueberries, and optional sprinkles can be added at the end.
The berries can give it a red, white, and blue look for July Fourth, but the base red velvet Bundt cake recipe works year-round.
Table of contents
Ingredients
This recipe uses a few shortcuts, but the finished cake still feels homemade. Make sure the cream cheese and butter are softened to room temperature, but not overly soft, before making the frosting so it becomes smooth without lumps. For more consistency tips, see Food Network’s cream cheese frosting guide.
Let’s Make Red Velvet Bundt Cake
Mix the batter and bake the cake
Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 10- to 12-cup Bundt pan thoroughly with baking spray, making sure to coat every groove. Spray the pan shortly before adding the batter for the best release. For more helpful pan-prep tips, see King Arthur Baking’s guide to preventing Bundt cakes from sticking.
Add the red velvet cake mix, instant vanilla pudding mix, eggs, sour cream, and water to a large mixing bowl. Beat with a hand mixer on medium speed until the batter is smooth and evenly red.
Pour the batter into the prepared Bundt pan. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Let the cake cool in the pan for 30 minutes. Carefully loosen the edges, invert onto a wire rack or serving plate, and let it cool completely before frosting.
Make the cream cheese frosting
Add the softened cream cheese and butter to a clean mixing bowl. Beat until smooth and creamy.
Add the powdered sugar gradually, mixing between each addition. Add the vanilla and continue mixing until the frosting is smooth, thick, and spreadable.
Glaze and decorate the cake
Transfer the frosting to a microwave-safe bowl or measuring cup. Warm it in 5-second intervals, stirring after each interval, until it becomes thick but slowly pourable.
Pour the frosting around the top of the cooled Bundt cake, letting it drip naturally down the sides. Rinse the raspberries shortly before decorating and gently pat them dry before placing them on the glaze. This helps keep excess moisture from loosening the frosting. See Serious Eats’ guide to storing raspberries for more fresh-berry handling tips.
Keep the glaze thick
Do not overheat the frosting. It should flow slowly over the cake, not run straight to the bottom of the plate. If it becomes too thin, let it stand for several minutes until it thickens again.
How Thick Should Cream Cheese Glaze Be?
For this cake, the glaze should be thick but slowly pourable.
It should fall down the Bundt ridges in soft drips rather than immediately running to the plate.
Warm it only 5 seconds at a time.
If it becomes too loose, stop heating and let it stand for several minutes until it thickens again.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Missing spots when greasing the pan: Coat every groove of the Bundt pan.
Using cook-and-serve pudding: Keep the tested instant vanilla pudding mix.
Overmixing the batter: Stop once everything is smooth and evenly combined.
Unmolding too quickly: Give the cake its tested 30-minute rest in the pan.
Glazing a warm cake: Let the cake cool completely first.
Overheating the cream cheese glaze: Use short 5-second intervals.
Putting wet berries on the frosting: Gently dry washed berries before decorating so excess moisture doesn’t loosen the glaze.
What to Serve With Red Velvet Bundt Cake
This cake works especially well with:
- Fresh raspberries
- Strawberries
- Blueberries
- Vanilla ice cream
- Cold milk
- Coffee
- Espresso
For a summer or July Fourth table, use raspberries, blueberries, and white cream cheese glaze for the red, white, and blue finish. up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then add fresh frosting and berries before serving. Keep refrigerated foods at 40°F (4°C) or below for safe storage.
FAQs
Yes. Bake the cake one day ahead and store it tightly covered. Make the frosting and decorate it on the day you plan to serve it.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. Fresh berries are best on the first day.
Yes, but freeze the cake without frosting and berries. Add the cream cheese glaze and fresh fruit after thawing.
Serve this cake with fresh fruit, cold milk, coffee, or a simple scoop of vanilla ice cream. It also pairs nicely with this Magic Three Layer Custard Cake for a summer dessert table.
Yes. A chocolate, vanilla, or strawberry cake mix can work with the same method, but the red velvet mix gives the cake its signature patriotic color.
The frosting was warmed for too long. Let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes so it thickens again before pouring it over the cake.
If You Enjoyed This Red Velvet Cake, Here Are A Few More Desserts You’ll Love:
Red Velvet Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Glaze
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 10- to 12-cup Bundt pan very well with baking spray.
- Add the red velvet cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, sour cream, and water to a large bowl.
- Beat until smooth and evenly combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared Bundt pan.
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for 30 minutes. Invert onto a wire rack or serving plate and cool completely.
- For the frosting, beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth.
- Gradually add powdered sugar, mixing after each addition. Add vanilla and beat until creamy.
- Warm the frosting in a microwave-safe bowl in 5-second intervals until it becomes thick but pourable.
- Pour frosting over the cooled cake. Decorate with berries and optional sprinkles.
Nutrition
Video
Notes
- Use baking spray to help the Bundt cake release cleanly.
- Do not frost the cake while it is warm.
- Warm the frosting slowly so it stays thick enough to drip.
- Fresh raspberries match the styling shown in the uploaded photos.
- Freeze the cake without frosting and berries for best results.
- Nutrition is estimated per slice, including frosting and berries.
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Let us know how it was!Estimated reading time: 7 minutes
