Red Velvet Pound Cake
“Red velvet pound cake with a classic tangy, lightly chocolate flavor and tender crumb!”
Visual learner? Watch me make this red velvet pound cake from start to finish!
Red Velvet everythang!!! THIS red velvet cake is one of the most popular cakes on my blog. What is it about this flavor that makes people fall in love? I’m sure it’s the bold red color but mercy, I do believe it’s that delicate balance of tanginess and light chocolate. Get this ratio wrong, and that first bite will be devastating, heartbreaking, downright depressing I tell ya!
Today we’re going to be making a red velvet pound cake for Juneteeth that is anything but depressing.
Have you read my Juneteenth post? Check it out here and grab some Juneteenth recipes for your celebration while you’re at it! I’ve got you covered!
This year is my family’s first year celebrating Juneteenth. I’m so excited about adding this holiday to our extensive celebration lineup!
Red foods and drinks are a staple for Juneteenth, and most of you know how much I love me a good pound cake! I mean, hello there pound cakes. It was only natural that this red velvet pound cake graces my Juneteenth dessert table.
I’ll be sure to keep this pound cake in mind for the 4th of July, Christmas, Valentine’s Day, or any other festive holiday. She’s so freaking pretty!
How does this Red Velvet Pound Cake Taste?
This red velvet pound cake has very light tang and faint notes of chocolate, as red velvet should. I mean, after all, red velvet, IMO is simply a buttermilk chocolate flavor. Mild and gentle. This pound cake has such a light and tender crumb. Red velvet is NOTHING without the cream cheese glaze, so don’t skip it!
Do I have to use red food coloring?
If you want to get a bold red color, then food coloring is a must! I’ve tried MANY different types of natural food coloring, and most of them work great, except for red! I’ve yet to find a good, natural red food coloring that won’t turn brown after baking. If you’ve had success with a natural red food coloring brand, let me know!
Can I skip the Cream Cheese Glaze?
Have you ever eaten red velvet cake without the cream cheese frosting? You’ll discover that it’s a light flavor. The cream cheese glaze/frosting compliments so well. Don’t skip it if you want to get a real red velvet experience. Thankfully, the glaze is super simple!
Like most pound cakes, the texture and flavor of this red velvet pound cake gets better the next day! Make it a day before your event if you’re able. Of course, it’s amazing the first day as well!
Happy Juneteenth to all those celebrating!!!
Get the Recipe: Red Velvet Pound Cake
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1½ cups unsalted butter (3 sticks), softened
- 3 cups granulated sugar
- 6 eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup prepared hot coffee (plain)
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
- 1 oz red food coloring
CREAM CHEESE ICING
- 1 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup milk, (may need more or less)
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- salt, pinch
- chopped pecans or walnuts, garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 F. Grease and flour a bundt pan. Set aside.
- In a large bowl whisk/ sift flour, baking powder, salt, and cocoa powder. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, on low speed, cream together butter and sugar.
- Mix in eggs one at a time.
- Mix in vanilla extract, sour cream, and coffee. (Batter will look weird, don't be alarmed)
- In a separate bowl stir together buttermilk, vinegar and food coloring.
- Add dry ingredients to the sugar mixture, alternating with the buttermilk mixture until the batter is light, fluffy and well combined.
- Spoon batter into prepared pan and give it a few shakes to release any air bubbles.
- Bake for 70-80 minutes. Check on it at the 1 hour mark and then check it every 5 minutes after that to prevent over baking. (Cake should have moist crumbs clinging to the toothpick inserted in the center when done. This will result in a moist cake since the cake will continue to cook as it cools)
- Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack to finish cooling.
- When the pan is cool enough to touch, gently remove cake from pan and place on a cooling rack to finish cooling completely. (Trim off the bottom of cake so that it sits flat if desired)
- Mix together glaze ingredients until silky.
- Drizzle all of the glaze over the cake and top with nuts.
- Let glaze firm up before slicing.
Is there something I can substitute the sour cream for? My mom is allergic to sour cream, that is the only reason I am asking.
Love your recipes. I’ve used this recipe several times and it always come out great! I’ve used this recipe to make it a Marble Red Velvet Pound twice by adding the color and coffee & cocoa (using 1/8 cup) to half the mixture. I also added a teaspoon of Instant Espresso powder which blast the chocolate flavor!
I *never* use a cream cheese frosting on a red velvet cake. I use a heritage / ermine frosting instead, which doesn’t distract from the wonderful flavor of the cake (like what a cream cheese frosting does).
I baked this cake tonight and it came out great! I used 2 tubes of Betty Crocker red gel food color and 1 oz of McCormick liquid red food color to achieve a deep red color. It was all I could find. I also used Hershey dark chocolate powder and vanilla caramel coffee. I added a little extra sugar. I baked the cake on 300 degrees. It was great!!!
Monique!!! Thank you for this recipe!! I had just recently received a Nordicware Bundt pan, the gingerbread one which is 9 cup capacity. I wanted to try a recipe in it and did 2/3 of this recipe and omitted the red food colouring because I realized I had used it up and had not replenished it. I followed the rest exactly as you have written it. My god!! This is an incredibly delicious cake- simultaneously dense but tender, moist with a tight crumb. And has a light chocolate flavour. My entire family is obsessed. It’s added to my permanent collection. Can’t wait to try more recipes from your blog.
What brand of food coloring is best in cakes and icing? I bought gel and it was terrible. I Used a whole tube and barely had a pale pink color. So please What brand of food coloring is best in cakes and icing?
I personally use AmeriColor (Super Red for my red velvet). It works wonderfully and you don’t have to use too much.