Red, White, and Blue Velvet Bundt Cake
Surprise your July 4th guests with this jaw-dropping patriotic cake! Ribbons of red, white, and blue velvet cake swirl beautifully in this zebra bundt recipe, drizzled with a tangy Greek yogurt glaze and crowned with fresh summer berries.
I’m getting my red, white, & blue recipe in just in the nick of time, lol!
Ok ok, so by most blogger standards I’m actually way late, but the good news is, this recipe is really pretty easy and quick, and the payoff is pretty huge, both flavor-wise and by good looks as well 😉
Jaws are gonna drop when you cut into this beauty. By all outward appearances, it just looks like an elegant white bundt cake, brimming with fresh and colorful berries. But inside, as you can see, it’s ribboned with stripes of red, white, and blue.
The recipe is a classic red velvet cake, just divided into three bowls, tinted, and then layered into a bundt pan. Just drop about a quarter cup of batter at a time, one right on top of the other. They’ll spread in the pan and level out. Make sure you do white in between each of the colors- I just think it looks so much prettier that way! So you can really see the contrast between the colors.
I purchased my bundt pan at HomeGoods and I have tried so hard to find you guys an Amazon link! I just had no luck, and the best I could do was this. Sorry!
As you can see my pan was just a bit smaller in diameter, yet taller/deeper. But I tested the recipe more than once and it works in a regular bundt too. The cake just comes out wider and shorter, and with a bigger hole in the middle. Also, it bakes faster in the traditional pan, so you’ll really want to watch your cake as it’s baking. I recommend checking it every 5 minutes, after the initial 35.
Most of the time, for me, when it comes to cake I’m chocolate all the way. But this red velvet recipe is the exception. It is seriously SO. Good. Super moist, lightly sweet, with that distinctive buttermilk tang, and a little bit of caramelly flavor around the edges. I swoon every time I taste it.
And the Greek yogurt glaze is a perfect compliment. Just be sure to add as little yogurt as possible, to really keep it thick. You want to really cover the cake with it, so you’ve kept the surprise for when you cut that first slice!
Finally, I just want to mention, before I sign off: If you happen to be in the Philadelphia area, you should totally come see me! I will be at the Nutella Truck Tour at Freedom Park on the Ben Franklin Parkway, between 11 am and 4pm. It should be a lot of fun; the July 4th celebration in Philly is always HUGE! We’re looking forward to lots of good food, music (The Roots, Ed Sheeran, Nicki Minaj, Jennifer Hudson, Aloe Blacc, Ariana Grande and Vicci Martinez, <– starting at 7pm), and FIREWORKS OVER THE ART MUSEUM!!! Woo-hoo!
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Red, White, and Blue Velvet Zebra Bundt Cake
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups (312.5 g) cake flour
- 1 1/4 cups (250 g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 1/4 cup (295.74 ml) buttermilk
- 1 1/4 cup (295.74 ml) vegetable oil
- 2 egg whites, (large)
- 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder,, divided
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract,, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon white vinegar,, divided
- 1 1/2 teaspoons red food coloring, (liquid)
- 2-3 drops royal blue gel paste food coloring
- 2-3 drops violet gel paste food coloring
- 2 cups (240 g) powdered sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons Greek yogurt
- strawberries and blueberries,, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and spray a bundt pan generously with non-stick spray.
- Place the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl and stir briefly to combine.
- Add the buttermilk, oil, and egg whites, and mix on low speed until smooth. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl, and mix again for about 1 minute, to aerate the batter and develop the structure.
- Place ½ teaspoon of cocoa, ½ teaspoon of vanilla, and ¼ teaspoon of vinegar in each of two small bowls.
- Add the red food coloring to one of the bowls, and the blue and violet food coloring to the other. Mix about a cup of batter into each.
- Place about ¼ cup of red batter into the prepared pan. Layer with white, then blue, then white again.
- Repeat until the pan is filled.
- Bake for approximately 35-50 minutes*, or until a tester inserted in the thickest part of the cake comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool for 15 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Place the powdered sugar and Greek yogurt in a small bowl and stir to combine.
- Pour the glaze over the cake and allow to dry.
- Fill the center of the cake with strawberries and blueberries, and serve.
Could the blue be replaced with green for Christmas? I was thinking omitting blue altogether for candy cane effect but curious if green would work or not. Beautiful!
Green would work! Good luck!
Hi there! Your cake is stunning! I’m thinking of tackling it for a family get together this weekend. My mother-in-law loves fruit flavors, do you think swirling some rasberry sauce in the batter as I layer the colors would pair nicely with these flavors? Or is it better to keep it simple?
Happy 4th!
Sounds delicious! Good luck and I hope you enjoy!
What a fabulous cake. This would be a showstopper at a party!
This is one gorgeous red, white and blue dessert! I’m going to make it for all the patriotic holidays!
How fun and festive! So great for a summer party!
What size bundt pan? Thank you
Hey Debbi!
I actually spoke at great length about the pan in the post. Copying/pasting for you here again, with links, in case you missed it:
“I purchased my bundt pan at HomeGoods and I have tried so hard to find you guys an Amazon link! I just had no luck, and the best I could do was this. Sorry, it’s ebay 🙁 But it is the exact pan. I also think this one would be soooo perfect, if you have time to run to a Williams Sonoma.
As you can see my pan was just a bit smaller in diameter, yet taller/deeper. But I tested the recipe more than once and it works in a regular bundt too. The cake just comes out wider and shorter, and with a bigger hole in the middle. Also, it bakes faster in the traditional pan, so you’ll really want to watch your cake as it’s baking. I recommend checking it every 5 minutes, after the initial 35.”
Can I halve the recipe? if so will I need to change the temperature and the baking time? Thanks!!
Hi Elizabeth! I wouldn’t recommend halving the recipe unless you happen to have a very small bundt pan. And it’s difficult for me to say exactly what the bake time would be without knowing more about the pan you’re planning to use. I always recommend testing cakes before taking them out of the oven- insert a toothpick into the thickest part of the cake and if it comes out clean you know the cake is done. If it comes out with batter or a lot of moist crumbs clinging to it, bake it for a few more minutes and then test again. Good luck and thanks for reading!
Hello..I am not a great baker and I want to try this but I will be in the mountains. Any tips for higher elevations?
I’m sorry I live just barely above sea level so this is really not my area of expertise. I would try googling “tips for baking at high altitudes.” Good luck!
Dear Allie, what a beautiful bundt! I love how festive it is…the swirls are so pretty. Happy 4th! xo, Catherine
Thank you so much Catherine! And to you too!
My husband and I are celebrating our 25th anniversary on the 4th. I thought I’d found the perfect cake for the 4th and our celebration, then a friend posted this on Facebook. Big switch now. It looks so difficult, but reading your recipe, maybe I could do it? It would be sooooo pretty and delicious.
Hi! You could totally do it! I know it looks intimidating but it’s really no sweat. Just drop the tinted batter into the pan and the oven does the rest! I hope you enjoy, and have a happy, happy anniversary!
Thank you, I’ve printed everything and am going to try to bake the cake Friday and frost it Saturday. Also, we live on a small island in the Caribbean, so I am so hoping I can find fresh blueberries and strawberries, or fresh rasberries and blackberries. I can always find frozen, but that won’t work.
Good luck and I hope you enjoy!
Allie, your photography is just gorgeous! I saw this on foodgawker and thought it was just stunning! I can’t wait to see what else you have on here, everything looks just beautiful!
Wow, thank you so much! I have only recently discovered your blog, but it is so inspiring. You have the loveliest photographs, and your recipes are so tempting! Thank you again for the awesome compliment 😉
Allie, this is beautiful, and it would be such a surprise for guests when you cut the first slice! That glaze looks perfect, too. 🙂
Thanks so much, Marcie! Hope your 4th was lots of fun 😉
This cake is absolutely gorgeous Allie! Definitely a jaw dropper and so perfect for the 4th! Hope you and your beautiful family have an amazing holiday 🙂
Thanks, Kelly! We had a blast on the 4th and are now enjoying a relaxing weekend. Hope you are as well! xoxo