Make it a velvety Valentine’s Day with this divine red velvet bundt cake topped with cream cheese frosting and decorated with fresh strawberries.
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Valentine’s Day is one of my favorite holidays because of the endless possibilities of treats and flavor varieties -and the same goes for bundt cakes. Usually, I like to celebrate this day of sweets with cute cupcakes but I decided to swap it up this year with a bundt cake rich in flavor. I enjoy making bundt cakes because the elements of the cake can be swapped out for different flavors to fit any holiday, occasion, or time of year. For the most romantic holiday, I wanted to make something almost luxurious and to me, there was only one answer: a red velvet bundt cake paired with cream cheese frosting and fresh strawberries.
A Perfect Match for Valentine’s Day
A perfect dessert match, that is. If you have tried red velvet cake before then you already know that it is one of the richest and most flavorful desserts out there. If you have not tried it yet, then you are missing out and Valentine’s Day is the perfect occasion to give it a try. Not only will you have yourself swooning but you will have everyone else swept off their feet as well. Make this velvety bundt cake a charming gift idea by packaging up in a nifty cake box for the ultimate presentation. With its velvety colors, tastes, and textures, this one is the perfect match for a Valentine’s Day dessert.
The Secrets to Red Velvet Cake Bliss
I have a few tips and tricks that I use to make sure my cakes always come out at their best and for a Valentine’s Day dessert there is no exception. I have gone through the trial and error so that you do not have to. Use my cake tips to help make your cake-baking process run as smooth as velvet.
- To me, the only match to the grand flavor of red velvet cake is a cream cheese frosting. Other frostings just do not compliment that true velvety flavor as much. The two are an ideal match for taste buds making this treat a hard one to beat.
- A key factor in my cakes and cupcakes turning out moist and flavorful is that I use a cake syrup. This is just a homemade mixture of sugar, water, and flavored extract made in a simple heating process. Use a squirt bottle to distribute the syrup on the cake after it has cooled correctly.
- I coat the inside of my bundt cake pan with vegetable shortening and flour, then dump out excess flour before pouring in the cake batter. I do this so that when it is time to remove the cake, it does not stick to the pan and fall apart. Instead, it comes out in one solid piece.
- Cake Prep Tip: Set a kitchen timer for 10 minutes when cooling your cake in the pan so it will be at the right temperature for smooth removal from the bundt pan. If you do not let it sit long enough or if you let it sit for too long, then you may still have trouble with the cake sticking to the pan.
- Using fresh strawberries for this cake is great for 2 reasons: adding a fresh fruit flavor and a professional-style appearance. Having fresh fruit helps balance the rich flavors of the cake and the frosting. Plus, the charming strawberry garnishes make the cake look like it came straight out of a fairytale bakery.
- Kitchen Tip: Use a smaller bundt cake pan and with the remaining batter you can make another small cake or make a round of cupcakes. This is a great method if you have multiple people to gift to or want to make individual treats for the kids.
Ingredient Substitutions
- Cake flour gives better results than all-purpose. I usually list all-purpose flour in my recipes because it is common in most household kitchens and is fine overall. However, I prefer using cake flour because it makes such a difference in the texture of the cake.
- Buttermilk is a key ingredient to making a delicious red velvet cake. If you do not have any on hand, you can make a sour milk substitute by using lemon juice. Sour cream is another possibility but in the case of red velvet, it will likely affect the texture.
I go into much more detail on measurement specifications and using these substitutions in my recipe for Christmas Chocolate Bundt Cake.
Proper Storage for Bundt Cakes
I would not be shocked if every bite of this scrumptious cake was gone by the end of the night. However, if there happens to be any cake left there are a few options when it comes to saving some for later.
- Store up to 3 days on the counter -covered- at room temp.
- In the fridge, store bundt cake up to 1 week either wrapped or in an air-tight container.
- Individual slices can be double-wrapped, placed in an air-tight container, and stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. Wrap slices in cellophane then aluminum foil before sealing in the container to avoid freezer burn.
Note: Using a marker, label the date on the wrapping of the cake to keep up with freshness.
Bundt Cakes
Sweet Gifts to Sweep Them off Their Feet
This red velvet bundt cake is a wonderful treat for anybody who has great taste. Brighten their Valentine’s Day, or your own, with a treat to knock ‘em off their feet. There is absolutely no comparison between a gorgeous, rich, and delicious homemade Valentine’s Day cake and a generic store-bought cake. Sure, those are okay in a pinch but the taste just does not compare. Nor does the fact that your homemade treats are made with love that a store, or even a bakery, just can not add. Yes, bakeries put a lot of care into their baked goods but there is still no way to top off making a Valentine’s dessert from scratch, by your own hands, and with your unique love.
Red Velvet Bundt Cake
Ingredients
- 2 ½ Cups All-purpose flour
- ½ tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Baking powder
- ½ Cup Cocoa powder unsweetened
- 4 Eggs
- 2 tsp Vanilla extract
- 1 Cup Buttermilk
- 1 Cup Butter room temperature
- 2 Cups Sugar
- 1 ½ tsp Red food coloring
Bundt cake pan coating
- 2 tbsp Vegetable shortening
- 2 tbsp All-purpose flour
Cream cheese frosting
- 2 ½ cup Powdered sugar
- 4 oz cream cheese room temperature
- ½ tsp Vanilla extract
- 3 tbsp milk
Garnish
- 1 lb Fresh strawberries halfed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In another medium bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, cocoa powder, and salt.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until light and pale with a mixer.
- Whisk together the eggs in a separate bowl.
- Add in the vanilla and buttermilk.
- Add egg mixture ½ at a time into a bowl with butter and sugar alternating with ½ of dry ingredients, mixing between each addition.
- Mix the batter together until combined.
- Add food coloring.
Bundt cake pan coating
- Grease bundt cake with vegetable shortening.
- Sprinkle over with flour. Shake off access flour from the bundt cake.
- Pour cake batter into bundt pan evenly.
- Bake for 50-65 minutes or a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool for 10 minutes before removing from the pan.
- Remove cake from the pan and allow to cool completely before drizzling frosting.
Cream cheese frosting
- In the medium bowl, combine powdered sugar, cream cheese, milk, and vanilla extract.
Bundt cake decoration
- Wash strawberries and pat them dry with a paper towel.Slice strawberries in half.
- Move bundt cake to the cake stand. Drizzle cream cheese frosting on top of the bundt cake.
- Decorate the top of the bundt cake with strawberries. The rest of the halved strawberries place around the bottom of the bundt cake.
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