This easy red velvet Bundt cake topped with fluffy cream cheese frosting is perfect for birthdays, Valentine's day, or special occasions. This red velvet Bundt cake recipe starts with a cake mix, then "secret ingredients" go into the mix for a moist, soft, velvety texture.
Course Desserts
Cuisine American
Keyword cake, desserts, red velvet cake, Valentine's Day
Place a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Generously spray a 12-cup Bundt pan with baking spray (like Baker's Joy) or nonstick cooking spray.
Put the cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, buttermilk, warm water, and oil in a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer.
Mix all the ingredients on low (using the whisk attachment of a stand mixer, or a hand-held electric mixer) for one minute until combined. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
Continue to mix on medium for 2-3 more minutes until the batter is thick and somewhat fluffy.
Pour the batter into the prepared Bundt pan, and use the spatula to make sure the batter is even and level.
Sprinkle the chocolate chips evenly over the top of the batter. Using a butter knife or thin spatula, lightly swirl the batter to mix in the chocolate chips. Try to avoid having the chocolate chips sink to the bottom of the pan.
Bake the cake for 45-50 minutes, until the top springs back when pressed lightly with your finger.
Let the cake cool in the pan for about 20 minutes. Invert onto a cooling rack, and let the cake cool completely.
Make the frosting:
In the bowl of an electric mixer, add butter and cream cheese. Beat on medium speed with the whisk attachment for about 1 minute, until smooth.
Add 1 cup of powdered sugar, and beat until combined. Repeat with 1 more cup of powdered sugar.
Add whipping cream, bakery emulsion, and salt, and beat until combined.
Add the remaining powdered sugar, one cup at a time, beating until combined after each addition, for a total of 6-8 cups, until the frosting is the texture you want.
Optionally, if you want to thicken the frosting without adding more sugar, add up to 1 tablespoon cornstarch.
Beat for 2-3 additional minutes, until frosting is smooth, thick, and fluffy.
Frost the cake:
Pipe frosting onto the cake using a pastry bag and jumbo tip. This is easier if you put the cake on a cake decorating turntable.
This recipe makes a generous amount of frosting. If you have leftover frosting, it will stay fresh in the freezer for up to 3 months in an airtight container.
Notes
Note 1: Any brand of cake mix is fine, but Duncan Heinz red velvet cake mix has the most red color.Note 1: Use dark, milk, or white chocolate chips, or a mixture.Note 3: To substitute salted butter for unsalted butter, omit the salt from the recipe.Note 2: Use up to 1 tablespoon cornstarch if needed to thicken the frosting. Don't use more than 1 tablespoon, or it will affect the taste.