Red Velvet Pound Cake with Cream Cheese Glaze

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Cream Cheese Glaze, red velvet pound cake

Difficulty Level: Beginner

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 50

Total Time: 1 10

Servings: servings

Calories: 637kcal

Author: Kara @I Scream for Buttercream

A super moist red velvet cake made from scratch with mini chocolate chips to add fun, all covered in a delicious cream cheese glaze.

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US Customary - Metric

Ingredients

For the cake:

2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder (not Dutch process cocoa-see FAQs in post)
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups buttermilk
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vinegar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 large eggs
1 ½ tablespoons red gel food coloring (can use up to 2 tablespoons or 1 ounce if needed)
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature (not too warm) and cut into chunks (2 sticks)
1 cup mini chocolate chips (optional)

For the glaze:

½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature (1 stick)
8 oz cream cheese, room temperature (1 package)
3 cups confectioner's sugar
3 tablespoons milk or cream (can use up to 4 tablespoons)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

For the cake:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Grease and flour at least a 9-inch (or similar sized) bundt pan. Make sure to grease and flour the pan very well as this cake is super moist and will stick if the pan isn't prepared well.
Combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cocoa powder and salt in a large mixing bowl. Whisk well and set aside.
In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, vinegar, vanilla, eggs and food coloring. Whisk well and set aside.
Take the dry mixture, turn the mixer on low and add the butter slowly to the dry ingredients. Mix on medium to medium-high until all the flour is coated with the butter and the mixture is crumbly with a sand-like texture.
Pour in about half of the liquid mixture. Mix on medium speed until just combined. Only about 30 seconds.
Pour the last of the liquid mixture and mix on medium speed again until well combined. Be careful not to over-mix the batter. Only mix until everything is combined.
Scrape the sides of the bowl and mix again for only about 10 to 15 seconds.
Add the mini chocolate chips if desired and stir in by hand.
Pour into the prepared pan and bake for approximately 50 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the cake will come out with a few moist crumbs on it, or clean, but no raw batter.
Set the baked cake on a wire rack to cool in the pan for no less than 45 minutes, then turn the cake out onto the rack and let the cake cool out of the pan completely before adding the glaze.
Make sure to let the cake sit in the pan, on a rack for about 45 minutes before trying to remove it from the pan as the cake is very moist and will stick to the pan if if it's still very warm.
See the notes section for best ways to store this cake, serve it and for more questions.

For the glaze:

In a mixing bowl, mix the butter and cream cheese well with an electric mixer on medium to medium-high speed until smooth.
Add the confectioner's sugar, vanilla and two tablespoons of milk. Mix well.
If the glaze is too thick, add milk by the teaspoonful, mixing after each addition and checking the consistency. Add only a small amount at a time. If it's too thin, it will run off the cake and pool around the bottom.
Once the desired consistency is reached and the cake is cooled, spoon on the glaze, or use a piping bag or squeeze bottle to drizzle it onto the cake.

Notes

How to Store: If the cream cheese is added to this cake, then it must be stored, covered well, in the refrigerator. It can last, stored in the fridge for 5-6 days.

How to Serve: This cake (like many cakes) is best served at room temperature, so to eat leftovers, add a slice to a plate and heat in the microwave for only a few seconds to take the chill off, or just cut a slice, set on a plate and allow it to come closer to room temperature on its own.

For the layer cake version of this recipe: For that recipe, see this post here: Sour Cream Red Velvet Cake

For other questions: Make sure to check out the TIPS & FAQs section below this recipe card, which should answer other questions you may have about ingredients, substitutions, other pan sizes, etc.

Nutritional values are an estimate.

*This recipe card may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Nutrition