Ella Walter
Red velvet cake is a popular dessert, often served during holidays and Valentine's Day. It is a type of chocolate cake with a hint of cocoa and a tangy flavour from the buttermilk and sour cream. The cake is also known for its vibrant red colour, achieved with red food colouring or red velvet emulsion. One of the most common ways to bake a red velvet cake is in a bundt pan, creating a beautiful ring-shaped cake that is easy to frost and decorate. The bundt pan method is favoured by many bakers due to its simplicity and impressive results.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Cake type | Red velvet |
| Pan type | Bundt |
| Texture | Moist |
| Taste | Sweet, chocolatey, tangy |
| Toppings | Cream cheese frosting, chocolate chips, sprinkles, mini chocolate chips |
| Baking temperature | 350°F |
| Baking time | 35-65 minutes |
| Cooling time | 10-15 minutes in the pan, then 30 minutes to several hours out of the pan |
| Storage | Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months |
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What You'll Learn
Red velvet cake mix ingredients
A red velvet cake is a chocolate cake with a distinct red colour. While you can buy ready-made red velvet cake mixes, you can also make the cake from scratch by mixing the following dry ingredients: flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the oil, butter, and sugar. You can do so by hand or with an electric mixer with a whisk attachment. Mix for a good 1-2 minutes on medium speed until well combined.
Next, whisk in your eggs, and then add the buttermilk, vanilla, and vinegar. Finally, mix in the food colouring. Add half of the dry ingredients and mix to combine. Then, scrape down the bowl and mix in the other half. If mixing by hand, switch to a rubber spatula and fold in half of your dry ingredients until almost combined.
You can also make a red velvet cake using a boxed cake mix. Betty Crocker's and Duncan Hines' red velvet cake mixes include ingredients such as enriched bleached wheat flour, sugar, leavening, cocoa, corn starch, and vegetable oil. To make the cake batter, simply mix the boxed cake mix with water, oil, and eggs in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed or beat vigorously by hand for 2 minutes.
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Preparing the bundt pan
Firstly, choose a durable and well-designed bundt pan, preferably made of cast aluminium, to ensure even baking and minimise excess browning. A 10-cup or 12-cup bundt pan is suitable for most recipes.
Before adding the batter, it's essential to grease the bundt pan generously. You can use a variety of options for greasing, including shortening, butter, non-stick spray, or a homemade mixture of equal parts fat (such as Crisco), butter, and flour. Some bakers also recommend using 'pan goo' or 'cake release', which can be brushed on generously. Greasing the pan ensures that your cake doesn't stick and helps with the release.
After greasing, you have a few options to further prepare the pan. One option is to sprinkle a small amount of flour over the greased pan, turning and tapping it to ensure a light, even coating. This prevents lumps, which can cause issues when removing the cake from the pan. Alternatively, you can coat the greased pan with granulated sugar, which acts as a barrier and adds a sweet crunch to your cake.
Once you've prepared the pan, fill it with batter until it's about two-thirds full, leaving enough room for the cake to rise. A classic 10-cup bundt pan typically requires between 40 and 50 ounces of cake batter.
After baking, allow the cake to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. This step is crucial, as it allows the cake to firm up slightly, preventing it from falling apart when removed from the pan. However, be careful not to let it cool for too long, as the sugars will harden, causing the cake to stick to the pan.
Finally, it's time to remove the cake from the pan. Place a serving platter or wire cooling rack over the pan and quickly flip it over. Gently tap the pan against the counter to dislodge any stuck portions, then carefully remove the bundt pan. With proper preparation, your red velvet bundt cake should release cleanly, revealing a beautiful design.
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Making the batter
To make the batter for a red velvet cake in a Bundt pan, you will need a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or a large mixing bowl and a handheld electric mixer. You can also mix the batter by hand. Gather your ingredients: butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, red velvet flavouring or food colouring, eggs, flour, cocoa powder, salt, buttermilk, vinegar, and baking soda.
Firstly, cream the butter and sugars. Beat the ingredients on medium-high speed for about 5 minutes, until the mixture is light in colour and slightly increased in volume. Then, lower the speed and add the eggs, one at a time, mixing until each egg is incorporated before adding the next.
Next, in a separate bowl, sift the flour and cocoa powder. Sprinkle the salt on top of the dry ingredients and whisk until combined. With the stand mixer on low speed, alternately add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk into the butter mixture, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Mix until just incorporated.
Finally, fold in the sour cream. In a small bowl, combine the vinegar and baking soda until it fizzes and then add this to the batter. Stir until blended. Now your batter is ready to be poured into your prepared Bundt pan and baked!
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Baking the cake
To bake a red velvet cake in a bundt pan, you'll first need to prepare the pan. Grease the bundt pan with shortening or nonstick spray, then sprinkle a light coating of flour or granulated sugar over the shortening or spray. Set the pan aside.
Next, you'll need to prepare the cake batter. In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, butter, and sugar. You can do this by hand or with an electric mixer with the whisk attachment. Mix for a good 1-2 minutes on medium speed until well combined. Then, whisk in the eggs, followed by the buttermilk, vanilla, vinegar, and red food colouring. Finally, mix in the dry ingredients (flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt). If mixing by hand, switch to a rubber spatula and fold in half of your dry ingredients until almost combined.
Once your batter is prepared, pour it into your prepared bundt pan and smooth it into an even layer. Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F for 35-60 minutes, depending on the size of your pan. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean or with just a few crumbs (not raw batter).
When the cake is done, remove it from the oven and let it cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Then, invert the cake onto a wire rack or cake plate and let it cool completely. For the best results, follow the cooling time in the pan specified in your recipe.
Once the cake is completely cool, you can prepare the frosting. In a large bowl, beat together the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add vanilla and powdered sugar, one cup at a time, until the frosting reaches your desired consistency and taste.
Finally, frost your cake and enjoy!
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Frosting and decorating
Red velvet bundt cakes are often decorated with cream cheese frosting. The frosting can be made by beating together cream cheese, butter, and vanilla, before adding in powdered sugar to taste. The frosting should be smooth and can be made several days in advance and stored in the fridge or freezer.
To frost the cake, fill a pastry bag with a coupler (no tip) or a ziplock bag with a corner cut off, with frosting. Starting at the outer edge of the bundt cake, squeeze and pull a line of frosting up and over the cake, into the centre hole. Repeat this process all around the cake. You can also pour the frosting over the cake for a glaze.
Some recipes suggest adding chocolate chips to the cake for a richer chocolate flavour. The cake can also be decorated with crystal sprinkles or a light coating of granulated sugar, which can be added to the pan before the cake batter.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, you can make a red velvet cake in a bundt pan.
You can grease your bundt pan with shortening or butter. Sprinkle a little flour, turning and tapping the pan to allow it to coat all over. You can also use a non-stick spray with flour or a non-stick oil and flour spray.
Bake the cake in a preheated oven for 35-65 minutes. The time varies depending on the size of your bundt pan. For a 10-cup pan, bake for 45 minutes, and for a 12-cup pan, bake for 50-60 minutes.
You can store the red velvet bundt cake covered in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can also freeze it (frosted or unfrosted) for up to 3 months.
