Decadent Red Velvet Pound Cake with Tangy Cream Cheese Glaze: A Chef’s Perfected Recipe

Prepare to be enchanted by this exquisite Red Velvet Pound Cake, a recipe meticulously crafted to deliver a moist, dense, and super tender crumb. Each bite offers a subtle yet distinct chocolatey flavor, enveloped in a decadently rich texture that truly melts in your mouth. Crowned with a luxurious cream cheese glaze, this cake achieves a perfect balance, as the glaze not only locks in essential moisture but also introduces a delightful tangy sweetness that elevates the entire experience. It captures all the beloved flavors of the best red velvet layer cake, transformed into the comforting and substantial form of a classic pound cake. This recipe promises a show-stopping dessert perfect for any occasion, from festive holidays to a simple afternoon indulgence.

This magnificent red velvet pound cake not only boasts a strikingly vibrant red hue but also features a gracefully drizzled cream cheese glaze that adds both visual appeal and a mouthwatering tender crumb. It embodies the sinful red velvet flavor that countless dessert enthusiasts know and love, and what’s more, it consistently unmolds beautifully from the pan. My affection for this cake runs so deep that I’ve even created a delightful red velvet cookie version, perfect for those times when a smaller bite of this classic flavor is desired.

As a pastry chef, I have a profound appreciation for the elegance and versatility of a well-made bundt cake. My repertoire includes beloved recipes like my incredibly moist Sour Cream Pound Cake, the subtly sweet Maple Pound Cake, the fruity and fragrant Cherry Almond Pound Cake, and the rich and decadent Chocolate Pound Cake. The possibilities truly are endless, and this Red Velvet Pound Cake easily takes its place among these cherished classics. Should you miraculously find yourself with any leftovers—a rare occurrence, I assure you—they make a fantastic base for a red velvet raspberry trifle, transforming them into yet another delectable dessert experience.

Why You Will Adore This Red Velvet Bundt Cake:

• A Masterpiece of Flavor and Texture: This Red Velvet Pound Cake delivers a truly classic taste, but with an extraordinary texture that sets it apart. It’s wonderfully dense yet remarkably moist and tender, creating a luxurious mouthfeel. The delicate, tangy cream cheese glaze sets beautifully, forming a slight “crunch” on the outside that contrasts perfectly with the soft interior. Each decadent slice bursts with subtle cocoa notes and a gentle tang, a hallmark of authentic red velvet.
• Expertly Perfected by a Professional Pastry Chef: You can bake with confidence knowing this recipe has been rigorously tested and re-tested by a professional pastry chef. I’ve refined every detail, ensuring a no-fuss, step-by-step process that guarantees success. The ingredient ratios, measured precisely by both weight and volume, are designed for optimal results, giving you a perfectly balanced cake every time. Say goodbye to baking guesswork and hello to consistent perfection.
• A Show-Stopping Visual Feast: Beyond its incredible taste, this cake is a visual delight. Its brilliant, deep red color is instantly festive, making it an ideal centerpiece for holiday celebrations like Valentine’s Day and Christmas. However, its timeless appeal makes it a beloved classic that shines brightly any time of the year. The vibrant hue, often symbolizing love and passion, adds an undeniable touch of elegance to any dessert spread.

Professional Tips for Baking Success

Achieving the perfect Red Velvet Pound Cake is a blend of precise measurements and careful technique. Here are some professional tips to ensure your cake turns out flawlessly, dense, and moist:

• Avoid Over-Creaming Butter and Sugar: When creaming your butter and sugars, aim for just until they form a thick, cohesive paste. Unlike lighter cakes where you might want to whip a lot of air in, for a classic pound cake, minimizing excess air is key to achieving that signature dense, yet tender texture. Over-creaming incorporates too much air, which can lead to a more crumbly, less dense result, moving away from the traditional pound cake characteristic.
• Keep a Close Eye on Baking Time: One of the most common pitfalls in baking this style of cake is overbaking. If you bake this cake for too long, even with its rich content of butter, sugar, and sour cream, it will inevitably turn out dry. Start checking for doneness at the lower end of the recommended baking time. A cake tester inserted into the center should come out with a few moist crumbs clinging to it, indicating it’s perfectly baked. A clean tester means it’s likely already too dry.
• Implement a Two-Stage Cooling Process: Proper cooling is crucial for the final texture. First, let your cake cool in its bundt pan for exactly 20 minutes. This allows the cake to firm up slightly and pull away from the pan’s edges. After 20 minutes, carefully invert the cake onto a wire rack to cool completely. Cutting the cake while it’s still warm prevents the crumb from fully setting, resulting in a compressed, less desirable texture. Patience during the cooling stage will be rewarded with an ideal, structured crumb.
• Ensure Room Temperature Ingredients: For a smooth, emulsified batter and even baking, all cold ingredients like butter, eggs, and sour cream must be at true room temperature. Cold ingredients don’t cream together as effectively, can cause the batter to curdle, and inhibit proper gluten development, leading to a less uniform texture. Take them out of the refrigerator at least 30-60 minutes before you begin baking.
• Measure Ingredients Accurately: Baking is a science, and precision is paramount, especially for a dense cake like a pound cake. While volume measurements (cups) are provided, using a kitchen scale to weigh your ingredients (especially flour, sugar, and butter) will yield the most consistent and professional results. Even slight variations in measuring flour can significantly impact the final texture and moisture of your cake.

Key Ingredients and Their Role

Every ingredient in this Red Velvet Pound Cake plays a vital role in creating its exceptional flavor and texture. Understanding their function will help you achieve baking perfection:

• Unsalted Butter: The foundation of any good pound cake, unsalted butter contributes rich flavor and essential fat, which tenderizes the crumb and keeps the cake moist. Using unsalted allows you to control the overall salt content of the recipe.
• Granulated Sugar: There is a significant amount of granulated sugar in this recipe, and for good reason. Beyond adding sweetness, sugar plays a critical role in moisture retention, helps create a tight yet melt-in-your-mouth crumb, and aids in browning for a beautiful crust.
• Light Brown Sugar: Incorporating light brown sugar alongside granulated sugar adds a deeper, more complex sweetness with subtle caramel notes. Its molasses content also contributes additional moisture, enhancing the cake’s tender texture.
• Whole Eggs: Eggs are crucial for structure, moisture, and richness. They provide emulsification, helping to bind the fats and liquids, and act as a leavening agent when air is incorporated, contributing to the cake’s rise and overall texture.
• All-Purpose Flour: All-purpose flour, with its moderate protein content, provides just the right amount of gluten development needed to create a dense, yet tender and structured pound cake that holds its shape beautifully.
• Dutch Processed Cocoa Powder: I opt for Dutch processed cocoa powder in this recipe, as well as in my Easy Chocolate Pie Recipe. This means the cocoa has been treated with an alkaline solution, reducing its acidity and resulting in a darker color and a smoother, milder chocolate flavor, which is characteristic of modern red velvet.
• Kosher Salt: A small amount of kosher salt is essential for balancing the sweetness and enhancing all the other flavors in the cake, bringing out the subtle cocoa and vanilla notes.
• Sour Cream: The high fat content and relatively low liquid in sour cream work wonders in this pound cake. It contributes a distinctive tang, locks in moisture, tenderizes the cake by interfering with gluten formation, and adds significantly to that desirable dense, moist texture. It works its magic in other recipes too, like my Best Red Velvet Cupcake Recipe!
• Baking Soda: A mere ¼ teaspoon of baking soda might seem negligible, but it’s strategically included. This small amount will immediately react with the acidic components in the sour cream and cocoa powder, providing just enough leavening to give the pound cake a slight lift without altering its dense structure.
• Vanilla Extract: High-quality vanilla extract provides its own beautiful, aromatic flavor. More importantly, it acts as a flavor enhancer, boosting the nuanced notes of other ingredients like brown sugar and cocoa, creating a more complex and harmonious taste profile.
• Red Food Dye: The red food dye and vanilla are the primary liquid components in this cake, aside from the sour cream. It is crucial for achieving the iconic, vibrant red color. If you choose to omit it, be aware that the color will be a reddish-brown, and you must substitute an equivalent liquid like brandy or water to maintain the batter’s consistency.
• Confectioner’s Sugar (for Glaze): Confectioner’s sugar, finely ground into a powder, is the secret to a smooth, lump-free glaze. It’s also what allows the glaze to set with a beautiful, delicate crackle, much like in my Donut Glaze Recipe!
• Whole Milk (for Glaze): Used in the glaze, whole milk helps to achieve the perfect pourable consistency while adding a touch of richness.
• Cream Cheese (for Glaze): For the ultimate creamy and tangy glaze, I exclusively use original Philadelphia Cream Cheese. Its consistent texture and balanced tang are ideal for all my baked goods, including frostings and buttercreams.

For precise measurements and detailed information on all ingredients and quantities, please refer to the comprehensive recipe card below.

Smart Ingredient Substitutions

While this recipe is perfected with the specified ingredients, sometimes substitutions are necessary. Here’s how certain swaps might impact your Red Velvet Pound Cake:

• Cocoa Powder: You can certainly substitute standard, non-Dutch processed cocoa powder for the Dutch processed cocoa powder. The flavor change will be subtle, resulting in a slightly more robust, less mellow chocolate note. Given the minimal amount of cocoa powder in this red velvet recipe, the overall difference in taste will be very slight, though it might contribute to a slightly more reddish-brown color if no food dye is used.
• Red Food Dye: If you prefer to omit red food dye, you can replace it with an equal amount of water. To encourage a more natural reddish-brown hue, I would strongly recommend substituting the Dutch processed cocoa powder for standard, non-Dutch processed cocoa powder. This allows the natural acidity of the batter (from sour cream) to react with the cocoa’s anthocyanins, producing a rustic, albeit less vibrant, rusty-red color.
• Sour Cream: As a general rule, I advocate for baking with full-fat dairy products because the fat significantly enhances both texture and flavor intensity. However, low-fat sour cream versions or even plain Greek yogurt (full-fat for best results) can often be substituted. Be aware that lower-fat sour cream tends to break or curdle more easily when heated or exposed to acid, which is typically not catastrophic but can subtly affect the final texture of the cake, potentially making it slightly less rich or uniform.
• Cake Flour: For an even finer, slightly lighter crumb, you could absolutely substitute cake flour for the all-purpose flour. Cake flour has a lower protein content, resulting in less gluten development and a more delicate texture. If using cake flour, ensure you sift it thoroughly before measuring to avoid compaction and achieve the intended lightness.
• Buttermilk: If you don’t have sour cream, an equal amount of full-fat buttermilk can be a good substitute. Buttermilk will contribute a similar tang and moisture, enhancing the red velvet flavor profile.

Step-by-Step: How to Make Red Velvet Pound Cake

Crafting this Red Velvet Pound Cake is a straightforward process when you follow these clear, detailed steps. For further precise measurements and a comprehensive overview, please refer to the full recipe card located below!

Make the Cake Batter:

Step 1: Prepare Your Oven and Pan. Begin by preheating your oven to 325°F (160°C). This temperature works well for both convection and standard ovens, ensuring even baking for a dense cake. Next, prepare your bundt pan meticulously. Generously spray every nook and cranny with a non-stick cooking spray (preferably one with flour in it, or use a neutral oil/butter). Then, thoroughly dust the entire interior of the pan with all-purpose flour. Tap the pan gently and rotate it until every inch of the surface, including all the intricate designs of a bundt pan, is coated. Invert the pan and tap out any excess flour to prevent white patches on your baked cake.

Step 2: Combine Dry Ingredients. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together your dry ingredients: the all-purpose flour, Dutch-processed cocoa powder, baking soda, and kosher salt. Whisk them thoroughly for at least 30 seconds to ensure they are well combined and evenly distributed. This step is crucial for consistent leavening and flavor throughout the cake.

Step 3: Cream Butter and Sugars, Add Eggs. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the softened unsalted butter with both the granulated sugar and light brown sugar. Mix on medium speed until a thick, uniform paste forms. Remember, for pound cake, you’re not trying to incorporate a lot of air at this stage, just ensure the butter and sugars are well blended. Next, beat in the eggs one at a time, ensuring each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next. Stop the mixer occasionally and use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, guaranteeing a homogenous mixture.

Step 4: Incorporate Dry Ingredients and Sour Cream Alternately. Reduce the mixer speed to low. Begin by adding about one-third of the dry flour mixture to the butter-sugar mixture, mixing just until barely combined. Then, add half of the sour cream, mixing until just incorporated. Continue this alternating pattern, finishing with the last third of the flour mixture. Mix only until the ingredients are just combined; overmixing at this stage can lead to a tough cake.

Step 5: Add Color and Flavor. Once all the dry ingredients and sour cream are incorporated, gradually add in the red food dye and vanilla extract. Start with a slow stream and then turn the mixer speed up to ensure everything is thoroughly combined. Continue mixing until your batter is beautifully silky, smooth, and vibrant red, with no streaks of unmixed color. The batter should have a rich, uniform appearance.

Bake and Glaze:

Step 6: Bake the Cake. Carefully pour the prepared red velvet batter into your meticulously greased and floured bundt pan. Use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to smooth the top surface of the batter. Place the pan in your preheated oven and bake until a cake tester (like a wooden skewer or toothpick) inserted into the thickest part of the cake comes out with a few moist crumbs clinging to it. My oven typically bakes this cake in about 70 minutes, but baking times can vary significantly between ovens. Yours might take anywhere between 60 to 85 minutes. Begin checking for doneness around the 60-minute mark to prevent overbaking.

Step 7: Cool the Cake. Once baked, remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool in its pan for precisely 20 minutes on a wire rack. This initial cooling period is crucial; it allows the cake to set its structure and gently pull away from the pan’s edges, making it easier to unmold. After 20 minutes, carefully loosen any stubborn edges of the cake from the pan with a thin paring knife. Then, invert the cake onto the wire rack to cool completely. It is imperative that the cake cools entirely before glazing or slicing to ensure the perfect crumb texture.

Step 8: Prepare the Cream Cheese Glaze. While your cake is cooling, it’s the perfect time to prepare the luxurious cream cheese glaze. In a medium bowl, whisk together the softened cream cheese, confectioner’s sugar, and whole milk until the mixture is completely smooth, lump-free, and has a pourable, yet thick, consistency. If it’s too thick, add a tiny bit more milk; if too thin, a spoonful more confectioner’s sugar. You can also add a splash of vanilla extract for extra flavor.

Step 9: Glaze and Serve. Once the pound cake has cooled entirely to room temperature, it’s ready for its crowning glory. Drizzle the prepared cream cheese glaze generously over the top of the cake, allowing it to cascade down the sides and into the bundt crevices. For the best presentation and texture, allow the glaze to set for approximately 30 minutes. This allows the glaze to firm up slightly, creating that beautiful, delicate crackle. After setting, slice and enjoy your magnificent Red Velvet Pound Cake!

Preventing Your Bundt Cake from Sticking to the Pan

A beautifully designed bundt cake is only as good as its release from the pan. Do not, under any circumstances, underestimate the critical power of a meticulously greased and floured pan. This step is especially paramount when using a detailed bundt pan like the one I used, which features intricate designs where cake batter loves to cling. To ensure “no cake left behind,” I take extra precautions. After an initial thorough coating, I actually add a bit more flour back into the pan and then tap it around a second time, ensuring every single millimeter of the surface, every crevice and curve, is completely coated. This creates a foolproof non-stick barrier. Finally, tap out any remaining loose excess flour – this is important so you don’t end up with unsightly, pasty white patches on the perfectly baked, vibrant red exterior of your finished cake.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you tried this glorious Red Velvet Pound Cake recipe and absolutely loved it, please take a moment to leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below! Your feedback truly makes my day and helps other bakers discover this wonderful recipe.