Red Velvet Bundt Cake Royale

Happy July 4th, friends!

It’s shaping up to be a rainy holiday, so our fireworks-watching will have to wait. No matter. We’ll save the barbecuing for later and carry on indoors with a big slice of red velvet bundt cake! It’s a little less literal than my red + white + blue concoction from last year’s 4th, but silver crystal sugar on dark chocolate ganache will always remind me of fireworks against a night sky.

The usual topping for this cake is made with cream cheese (no surprise there, right?), but this time I decided to break tradition and completely enrobe the cake in dark chocolate ganache. I can never leave well enough alone, so on went a crown of whipped cream and bunches of chocolate curls (and that’s the royale part!).

If you’re new to making chocolate curls, then clickety-click over to my video. With a little practice, you’ll be curling like a pro! Nowadays, it’s one of my favorite pastimes (along with crystallizing rose petals and stamping chocolate ).

(It’s the little things- always and ever!)

There’s something about the look, feel, and  flavor of this cake… It makes me want to throw a midnight dessert tasting and invite my three closest girlfriends anyone who understands the magic of dark chocolate and the drama of red velvet together. Care to join me?

Red Velvet Bundt Cake Royale

[click for printable version]

Source:Cake portion adapted from the cookbook Kiss My Bundt

Yield: 12 servings

Prep: 1 hour 30 minutes; total time about 2 hours 15 minutes

Red velvet
bundt

1 1/4 cups vegetable
oil

1 cup
buttermilk

2 eggs

3 tablespoons
red food coloring

1 teaspoon
white vinegar

2 teaspoons
vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups
flour

1 3/4 cups granulated
sugar

1 teaspoon
baking soda

3/4 teaspoon
salt

1 tablespoon
unsweetened cocoa powder

Glaze

9 oz. dark
chocolate, finely chopped

1 cup
heavy whipping cream

1 tbsp.
corn syrup (light or dark)

Toppings

2 cups
whipped cream

Chocolate
curls

Silver
crystal sugar

  1. Preheat
    oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a large
    bundt pan, or spray it with a flour-based cooking spray such as Bake Easy or
    Baker’s Joy.
  2. In a large
    bowl, beat together the oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar and
    vanilla with an electric hand mixer at medium speed.In a separate bowl whisk
    together the flour, sugar, baking soda and cocoa powder.
  3. Add the
    dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, in three additions. Pour the batter
    into the prepared pan and bake for 45-50 minutes in an aluminum pan or about 40
    minutes in a dark non-stick pan. The cake is ready when a toothpick tester
    comes out clean. Remove from oven and let
    cool in pan 10 minutes. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Place wire rack inside a large jelly roll pan
    with a lip. Let stand at room
    temperature while you make the glaze.
  4. For the
    glaze, place heavy cream in a large microwaveable bowl. Heat in the microwave at 40 second intervals
    until very hot but not boiling (you can do this on the stove top if you don’t
    have a microwave). Stir in chopped chocolate. Let stand for 3 minutes then begin gently stirring mixture. You can use a whisk, but do not whisk
    vigorously as it will create air bubbles in the finished glaze. When chocolate and cream are thoroughly mixed
    and smooth, add corn syrup. Stir until
    combined. Transfer to a 4-cup measure with a pour spout. *Note: Corn syrup can
    be omitted if desired. It is used to
    give the glaze an extra glossy appearance.
  5. Pour glaze
    over entire surface of the cake. Allow the cake to stand until the glaze
    dripping subsides. Lift the rack from the jelly roll pan and pour excess
    chocolate in the pan back into the 4-cup measure. Rewarm glaze for 20-30 seconds in the
    microwave if it has thickened. Stir, then pour a second coat over the entire
    surface of the cake. When dripping
    subsides repeat warming and pouring process a third time (the more times you
    cover with chocolate, the thicker the surface becomes). Transfer the cake to a serving plate or cake
    stand using a large spatula on one side of the dessert and a hand supporting it
    on the other side. 
  6. Pile whipped cream
    into the center of the bundt cake and top with chocolate curls and silver
    crystal sugar, if desired. Store covered loosely in the refrigerator. Allow slices to stand at room temperature 5-10 minutes before serving.   
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Rosa's Yummy Yums
Rosa's Yummy Yums
10 years ago

A cake fit for a king or queen! What a classy presentation.

Cheers,

Rosa

Ashley
Ashley
10 years ago

This is a spectacularly elegant cake! How do you come up with these decadent recipes?!

Much Love and Desserts,

Ashley D. Matthews

Cookbook Queen
Cookbook Queen
10 years ago

Oh my word, Heather. This is a work of art!!

Emily
Emily
10 years ago

I like your chocolate version way better than the typical red velvet cake. Happy 4th of July!

Marjorie (Sugar for the Brain)
Marjorie (Sugar for the Brain)
10 years ago

So perfect and beautiful!!! Would love a piece right now! 😀

Kiran @ KiranTarun.com
Kiran @ KiranTarun.com
10 years ago

Way too pretty!! How did you cut into this beautiful cake? 🙂

Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar
10 years ago

I want that glaze so, so, bad right now! Oh my!

Unknown
Unknown
10 years ago

So stunning! Totally beats fireworks 😉

Unknown
Unknown
10 years ago

Oh my! I am so with you. I love the dramatic look of dark chocolate and red velvet together. This bundt cake looks absolute amazing! I just need a bundt pan. I think that's what I'm going to ask for Christmas this year 🙂

Unknown
Unknown
10 years ago

Oh and Happy 4th of July! 🙂

Anonymous
Anonymous
10 years ago

That looks gorgeous!!!

Unknown
Unknown
10 years ago

Wow yum!

Sarah - The Sugar Hit
Sarah - The Sugar Hit
10 years ago

Wow – this is magical! It looks like something from a Swiss patisserie. gorgeous!

Renee @ Awesome on 20
Renee @ Awesome on 20
10 years ago

This cake is so incredibly beautiful, I almost don't want to eat, except that I want to eat the whole thing.

Tieghan
Tieghan
10 years ago

Too pretty! Happy 4th!

Heather
Heather
10 years ago

Count me in! Looks decadent!

Elizabeth @ Confessions of a Baking Queen
Elizabeth @ Confessions of a Baking Queen
10 years ago

I would join you for a slice of this at any hour of the night! Looks absolutely gorgeous 🙂

Sara
Sara
10 years ago

So pretty! What a celebration cake! 🙂

Justellamaria
Justellamaria
10 years ago

Looks awesome!! <3

Ella

ThisGirlBlogs
ThisGirlBlogs
10 years ago

Gorgeous cake! Looks delicious 🙂
http://www.thisbakergirlblogs.com

Lauren at Keep It Sweet
Lauren at Keep It Sweet
10 years ago

I would definitely like to be a part of that dessert tasting:-)

Monica
Monica
10 years ago

I can always come here to see really unique desserts, which is a real feat considering everything's been done (it seemed…). But you manage to turn things around and refresh them in such a unique and beautiful way.

claire
claire
10 years ago

Heather, your creations just scream personality every time. For so long now, I've followed your blog and ached to bake many a mere imitation /homage -just hampered by lack of metric weights. Oh please PLEASE embrace grams! A UK edition of your book would go down a treat too -almost as nicely as this awesome red velvet edition. Chocolate always wins it.

Filipa Lemos
Filipa Lemos
10 years ago

Amazing!!

Colette (Coco)
Colette (Coco)
10 years ago

Looks perfect for a party!

Sarah
Sarah
10 years ago

That is insanely amazing. WOW.

Unknown
Unknown
10 years ago

Gosh your chocolate curls are so perfect. I love that pop of red in the cake.

Joan /  My Cookie Clinic
Joan / My Cookie Clinic
10 years ago

This gorgeous cakes belongs of the cover of a magazine!

Anonymous
Anonymous
10 years ago

What a magnificent looking cake! As a chocoholic, I love this modification of a classic red velvet cake. Delish!

Tina @ Sugar Bean Bakers
Tina @ Sugar Bean Bakers
10 years ago

That is stinkin' gorgeous, Heather!

Lindsey @ American Heritage Cooking
Lindsey @ American Heritage Cooking
10 years ago

Me, me! Pick me for your tastings!!!

Can you get fat looking at a photograph because I think I just ate like 5 (really big) slices of that amazing cake in my head?!

I know you use them all the time, but I just can't get over your chocolate curls. So cute! Yet so tantalizing!

Norma
Norma
10 years ago

I think my heart skipped a beat when I saw this.

Sue
Sue
10 years ago

This is a real showstopper! I'd love to to come to your midnight dessert tasting party:)

Anonymous
Anonymous
10 years ago

This looks soo rich and lovley

Lily @ Life, Love, and Cupcakes
Lily @ Life, Love, and Cupcakes
10 years ago

This looks FABULOUS! One of my friends has never had red velvet cake because she hates cream cheese frosting, so I might have to make her this (or in some kind of cupcakes form)!

Lynna
Lynna
10 years ago

What a gorgeous cake! You never disappoint with your skills!

girlsgonescrappin
girlsgonescrappin
10 years ago

Made this and it looks delicious but won't be served until a party tomorrow. But my chocolate curls…..not even close. I followed every step in your video and all I got was chocolate shavings!!!

chanteusevca
chanteusevca
10 years ago

Just sent you a comment about the glaze not turning out, but I figured it out. It wasn't supposed to be a glaze (DUH!) it's ganache. I added more cream and it's perfect now! Thanks for the great inspiration and recipe!