If you’re searching for a show-stopping holiday dessert, look no further than this Christmas Bundt Cake. Imagine a moist, velvety cake, swirled with cheery red and green ribbons, drizzled with sweet glaze, and sprinkled with festive magic. This recipe brings together everything you love about holiday baking: vibrant colors, rich flavor, and a presentation that will have everyone at the table oohing and aahing. It’s a true celebration in cake form, perfect for making memories with family and friends.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Every ingredient in this Christmas Bundt Cake has a special role, coming together to create a dessert that’s as delicious as it is beautiful. These simple staples are the building blocks for irresistible flavor, tender crumb, and eye-catching color.
- All-purpose flour: The sturdy base that gives the cake its soft yet substantial structure.
- Baking powder: Lends a gentle lift, ensuring each bite is light and airy.
- Baking soda: Works with the sour cream to help the cake rise and develop a tender texture.
- Salt: Just enough to balance out the sweetness and intensify the other flavors.
- Unsalted butter (softened): For that rich, creamy foundation and unbeatable flavor.
- Granulated sugar: Adds sweetness and helps build structure as the cake bakes.
- Large eggs: Bind everything together and give the cake a luxurious, velvety crumb.
- Vanilla extract: Adds warmth and depth, enhancing all the festive flavors.
- Almond extract: A subtle, nutty note that brings a hint of holiday nostalgia.
- Sour cream: Guarantees a moist, tender cake that stays fresh for days.
- Whole milk: Adds richness and keeps the batter perfectly smooth.
- Red and green gel food coloring: Gives those brilliant, festive swirls without making the batter runny.
- Powdered sugar: The base for a silky, sweet glaze that clings beautifully to every ridge.
- Milk (for glaze): Transforms powdered sugar into a pourable, luscious topping.
- Festive sprinkles (optional): The crowning touch for extra sparkle and fun.
How to Make Christmas Bundt Cake
Step 1: Prep Your Pan and Gather Ingredients
Start by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). A well-prepared Bundt pan is key to a cake that turns out beautifully, so be generous with your grease and flour, making sure to get into every nook and cranny. Lay out all your ingredients, and let the butter and eggs come to room temperature for the best results.
Step 2: Mix the Dry Ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. This simple step ensures your leaveners are evenly distributed, so the cake bakes up with a perfect, even crumb and just the right amount of lift.
Step 3: Cream Butter and Sugar
In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar until the mixture is light, fluffy, and pale in color. This creaming process helps incorporate air, setting the stage for a tender, melt-in-your-mouth crumb that makes this Christmas Bundt Cake so irresistible.
Step 4: Add the Eggs and Extracts
Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. This keeps the batter smooth and emulsified. Stir in the vanilla and almond extracts, infusing the cake with those classic, festive flavors.
Step 5: Blend in the Sour Cream and Milk
Mix in the sour cream and milk until you have a silky, cohesive batter. The sour cream keeps everything moist, while the milk ensures the batter is smooth and easy to swirl.
Step 6: Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients
Gradually add the dry ingredients to your wet mixture, mixing just until everything is combined. Take care not to overmix — this keeps your Christmas Bundt Cake tender and soft.
Step 7: Color and Swirl the Batter
Divide the batter evenly among three bowls. Leave one plain, tint another with red gel food coloring, and the last with green. Layer the batters in the prepared Bundt pan, alternating colors for a festive look. Use a butter knife to gently swirl the batters together, creating vibrant ribbons without blending the colors too much.
Step 8: Bake to Perfection
Pop the pan into the preheated oven and bake for 50 to 55 minutes. The cake is ready when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes before turning it out onto a wire rack to cool completely — patience pays off here!
Step 9: Glaze and Decorate
Once the cake is completely cool, whisk together the powdered sugar and milk to make a smooth glaze. Drizzle it generously over the top, letting it cascade down the sides. Finish with a flurry of festive sprinkles for that extra holiday cheer.
How to Serve Christmas Bundt Cake
Garnishes
A Christmas Bundt Cake truly shines with a finishing touch of glaze and sprinkles, but don’t be afraid to get creative. Try adding sugared cranberries, a dusting of edible glitter, or even fresh mint leaves for a pop of color and a hint of freshness. Each garnish adds a little personality and makes your cake the centerpiece of the dessert table.
Side Dishes
Pair your Christmas Bundt Cake with light and creamy accompaniments, like a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. For a festive spread, serve it alongside hot chocolate, spiced cider, or fragrant holiday teas. These simple sides complement the cake’s rich flavor and make every bite feel extra special.
Creative Ways to Present
Elevate your presentation by placing the cake on a decorative cake stand and surrounding it with pinecones, holly, or twinkling fairy lights. If you’re gifting the cake, wrap it in clear cellophane and tie it with a bright red ribbon. For parties, slice the cake and arrange the pieces in a wreath shape on a platter, adding extra sprinkles or candies for a fun, interactive display.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
Christmas Bundt Cake stays moist for days! Simply store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days, or in the refrigerator for up to a week. The glaze helps keep the cake from drying out, so you can savor every slice.
Freezing
To freeze, wrap the completely cooled cake (without glaze) tightly in plastic wrap and then in foil. It will keep beautifully in the freezer for up to three months. When you’re ready to indulge, thaw the cake overnight at room temperature, add your glaze and sprinkles, and serve fresh.
Reheating
If you prefer your Christmas Bundt Cake slightly warm, pop individual slices in the microwave for about 10 seconds. This brings out the cake’s buttery aroma and makes the glaze just a touch gooey — pure comfort!
FAQs
Can I make this Christmas Bundt Cake ahead of time?
Absolutely! This cake is perfect for prepping a day in advance. Bake, cool, and glaze it, then store at room temperature in an airtight container. The flavors meld beautifully overnight, making it even more delicious the next day.
What if I don’t have gel food coloring?
Gel food coloring is best for vibrant swirls without thinning the batter, but you can use regular liquid food coloring in a pinch. Just use a little less milk in the batter if needed, and expect slightly softer colors.
Is it possible to make this cake gluten-free?
Yes! Substitute a high-quality 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour blend for the regular flour. Be sure your other ingredients are gluten-free as well, and remember that texture may differ slightly but the festive spirit will remain.
Can I use a different pan if I don’t have a Bundt pan?
While a Bundt pan creates the signature look, you can bake the batter in two loaf pans or a 9×13-inch cake pan. Adjust baking time accordingly and check for doneness with a toothpick.
How do I keep the cake from sticking to the pan?
Generously grease and flour every curve and crevice of your Bundt pan — don’t skip this step! Using a baking spray with flour or a homemade mixture of butter and flour works wonders for a flawless release.
Final Thoughts
The Christmas Bundt Cake is pure holiday magic in every swirl. With its festive colors, irresistible flavor, and impressive presentation, it’s bound to become a new tradition at your table. Gather your loved ones, bake up some joy, and let this cake be the highlight of your season!
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Christmas Bundt Cake Recipe
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Celebrate the holiday season with this delightful Christmas Bundt Cake featuring festive red and green swirled layers inside a moist, buttery cake. Flavored with vanilla and almond extracts and topped with a smooth powdered sugar glaze, this cake is perfect for holiday parties and gatherings.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup whole milk
Coloring and Glaze
- Red gel food coloring
- Green gel food coloring
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 2–3 tablespoons milk (for glaze)
- Festive sprinkles (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Generously grease and flour a 10-cup Bundt pan to ensure the cake releases easily after baking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well combined.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, which will help create a tender cake texture.
- Add Eggs and Extracts: Add the eggs one at a time to the butter and sugar mixture, beating well after each addition to incorporate fully. Stir in the vanilla and almond extracts for a warm, aromatic flavor.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: Mix in the sour cream and whole milk until the batter is smooth and uniform, which adds moisture and richness to the cake.
- Incorporate Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing just until combined to avoid overmixing and a dense crumb.
- Divide and Color Batter: Divide the batter evenly into three separate bowls. Leave one bowl plain, tint one with red gel food coloring, and the other with green gel food coloring, creating a vibrant holiday palette.
- Layer in Pan: Spoon the batter alternately into the prepared Bundt pan in layers, placing plain, red, and green batters in sequence to build a colorful swirl effect inside the cake.
- Create Swirl Effect: Use a butter knife to gently swirl the batters together without overmixing, enhancing the festive marbled appearance.
- Bake the Cake: Place the pan in the oven and bake for 50–55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, indicating the cake is fully baked.
- Cool the Cake: Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes to firm up, then carefully invert it onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare and Add Glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and milk until smooth and pourable. Drizzle this glaze over the cooled cake and optionally decorate with festive sprinkles for a joyful finish.
Notes
- Use gel food coloring to achieve vibrant red and green swirls without thinning the batter consistency.
- This cake can be prepared a day ahead; store it at room temperature in an airtight container to keep it moist and fresh.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 35g
- Sodium: 210mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 54g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 95mg
