The Perfect Bundt Cake Recipe
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This recipe yields a beautiful golden vanilla Bundt Cake Recipe. Sweet, dense, soft, and golden brown with a simple buttery vanilla glaze, you’re going to love this classic recipe. Includes a how-to video!
A sweet, simple, and unfussy recipe for the perfect vanilla bundt cake. A good bundt cake recipe has been missing from my library for far too long, so after lots and lots (and I mean lots) of testing, I finally have a solid version that I’m proud to share with you.
What IS a Bundt Cake?
A bundt cake is simply a cake that’s baked in a bundt pan. That’s literally all there is to it. A vanilla cake can be a bundt cake, and so can a pound cake or carrot cake, so long as you bake it in the right tin. However, while that might be the technical definition, in my house we take bundt cake seriously (which is why it took over two dozen attempts to get this recipe perfect).
If you ask me, a good bundt cake should be:
- Soft, but sturdy.
- More dense than your average cake recipe, but not as dense as a pound cake.
- Sweet and buttery, but not too sweet and certainly not greasy.
- Beautiful golden brown on the outside.
I actually developed this recipe a while ago but have been holding on to it (it always takes me a while to get the photos to a point where I’m happy with them). If it seems familiar, it’s because I reduced this exact recipe to make the sturdy, soft, and stackable bases for my petit fours.
What’s the Difference in a Pound Cake and a Bundt Cake?
As I mentioned above, any cake can be a bundt cake, so long as it is baked in a bundt pan. Pound cakes are a little bit different. Pound cakes are traditionally dense and were originally made with a pound each of butter, sugar, eggs, and flour. Recipes these days have varied a bit from the original, but are still heavy and very butter-heavy. If you’re looking for a great, buttery, dense and soft recipe, make sure to check out my pound cake recipe! It’s gotten rave reviews and even won a few bake-offs!
That being said, if you bake your pound cake in a bundt cake pan, it’s technically a bundt cake, too, so the lines do get a bit blurry.
Ingredients
A few basic kitchen staples are all you need to make this perfect vanilla bundt cake:
- Butter. As usual, I recommend using unsalted butter and adding salt, but check the link for substituting if you only have salted on hand!
- Cream cheese. My secret weapon for the BEST bundt cake! This ingredient makes the cake extra soft and adds a beautiful depth of flavor (it’s also the secret ingredient in my coffee cake!). Use full-fat, brick-style cream cheese, not the spreadable kind sold in tubs.
- Sugar. I use all granulated sugar in this cake.
- Eggs. 6 eggs may seem like a lot, but it’s half the number that I use in my classic pound cake. The eggs are critical to the structure, moisture, and flavor of the cake, so unfortunately I do not have any advice on making this recipe egg-free.
- Flour. It is important that you use all-purpose flour and not self-rising for this recipe, or your cake will overflow in your oven. Another critical note to make sure your cake isn’t dry: measure your flour properly.
- Salt & Vanilla extract. For flavor, of course.
- Baking powder. This ingredient gives the cake a bit of lift and keeps it from being as dense as my pound cake. So does our next ingredient…
- Milk tenderizes the cake and also keeps it from being too heavy.
You’ll also need powdered sugar and a bit more butter, vanilla, and milk to make the glaze for the top. I talk more about the glaze I chose a bit further on below.
These ingredients combined with your mixer make for a beautiful, smooth, and velvety batter.
How to Grease a Bundt Pan
Arguably the most important step of making a bundt cake is greasing the pan properly, as failing to do so means you’re doomed before your cake’s even in the oven. It’s critical that you get this right, and the more intricate your pan is the tricker this will be. You have a few options to ensure a clean, easy release:
- Grease and flour. This is my preferred method and I demonstrate exactly how I prep my pans in the video in the recipe card. Thoroughly coat the entire inside of the pan with a thin but even layer of shortening. Add several spoonfuls of flour into the pan then tilt and turn until all of the shortening is covered with flour. Tap the pan against your sink to knock out any excess flour so there’s just a fine coating over the grease.
- Baking spray! This is not the same as cooking spray and is made with flour. The flour in the spray is critical and must be listed on the can or in the ingredients for a bundt cake that doesn’t stick. Spray the entire interior of the pan evenly, then I like to use a plastic baggie over my hand (I prefer this to a paper towel as the towel absorbs some of the spray) to make sure the spray is evenly distributed.
- Some people also make their own cake release, or “goop”, I’ve never done this, but after hearing so many rave reviews I really think I need to try it myself.
No matter how you prep your pan, once the cake is finished I recommend using a butter knife to gently (you don’t want to scrape the sides of your pan) loosen the edges and the center, just for extra security. My sister and I made about 25 bundt cakes trying to get this recipe perfected, and we only had one stick (and, in true older-sister form, I blame my sister for that 😉).
Glaze It
No bundt cake is complete without a pretty, delicate dripping of glaze. I used a simple vanilla glaze that can be colored if you choose (another easy decorating tip: scatter sprinkles over the glaze while it’s still wet!). My glaze is similar to classics you’re probably used to, made by whisking together powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and milk, only I also like to add a bit of melted butter to make it a bit richer and reminiscent of buttercream.
It’s foolproof: accidentally make it too thick and you can thin it with milk. Too thin and you can thicken with powdered sugar.
If you’re looking for a chocolate glaze option, try my chocolate ganache or the fudgy frosting that I use on my hot milk cake (👈🏻 I love ganache, but my vote is for the fudge frosting).
Storing
Store at room temperature in an airtight container (or wrap it with plastic wrap) for up to 5 days. I don’t recommend refrigerating, as the fridge will dry it out. You may also freeze, just wrap well (I usually double wrap, first with plastic wrap and then with foil) for up to two months.
More Recipes To Try:
Enjoy!
Let’s bake together! Don’t forget to watch the how-to VIDEO in the recipe card!
Bundt Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 6 oz (170 g) cream cheese, use the kind sold in bricks, not the spreadable kind sold in tubs softened
- 2 ½ cups (500 g) granulated sugar
- 6 large eggs, room temperature preferred
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup (78 ml) whole milk
Glaze¹
- 2 cups (250 g) powdered sugar, AKA Icing sugar
- 2 Tablespoons melted butter, salted or unsalted will work
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1-3 Tablespoons milk, plus more as needed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and very thoroughly grease and flour a 12-cup bundt pan (be sure to tap/shake out excess flour).
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl using an electric mixer, combine butter, cream cheese, and sugar and beat on medium-speed until well-combined and batter is lightened in color.1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, 6 oz (170 g) cream cheese, 2 ½ cups (500 g) granulated sugar
- Add eggs, one at a time, stirring well after each addition (about 10 seconds on medium-speed after each addition). Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and stir in vanilla extract. Mixture should be very smooth, light, and creamy when finished.6 large eggs, 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour, 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder, ¾ teaspoon salt
- With mixer on low-speed, alternate adding the flour mixture and milk mixture to the butter batter, starting and ending with the flour mixture (I usually add the flour in 3 parts and the milk in 2). Pour batter into prepared bundt pan and bake on 350F (175C) for 50-60 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted in the thickest part of the cake comes out clean or (preferably) with a few moist crumbs. If you have a lighter-colored bundt pan, it may take longer in the oven.⅓ cup (78 ml) whole milk
- Allow to cool for 15-30 minutes then carefully invert onto cooling rack to cool completely before covering with glaze.
Glaze
- Prepare glaze by whisking together powdered sugar, melted butter, and vanilla extract. Add milk, one tablespoon at a time, until consistency is thin enough that it falls in ribbons off of whisk but holds its shape for several seconds before melting back into the bowl.2 cups (250 g) powdered sugar, 2 Tablespoons melted butter, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, 1-3 Tablespoons milk
- Drizzle over cooled bundt cake, allow glaze to set for 30-60 minutes (this may be faster or longer, depending on the precise thickness of your glaze) and then dig in!
Notes
Storing
Store covered at room temperature for up to 5 days, or wrap well in plastic wrap and freeze for up to two months. I do not recommend refrigerating.Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this? Leave a comment below!
Hi, Sam. Question about the baking powder. I noticed you didn’t use baking powder in your best pound recipe but you used in this recipe. Is there like a when to use when not to use baking powder
Hi Chandra! They are just different recipes and I wanted this one to be a little bit lighter. With the pound cake I wanted to keep it true to tradition and keep it really dense. 🙂
🤯🥰🥳 One of the best cakes ever! Can’t believe how mouthwatering this was. 🤤Just made it this morning and half is gone already! 😆🍰Definitely going to make it for my family again soon. Always enjoy your recipes. Thank you!!!👏👏👏👏
hank you so much, Barbara! I am so glad that you enjoyed it! 🙂
Can I use butter in the bundt pan rather TJ an shortening? It’s the only ingredient I’m missing!
Hi, Danielle! Yes, you can! If you’re using butter, you can just run it around the pan, bottom, and sides, using the stick. I hope that you enjoy the cake! 🙂
Hi there! I tried another recipe from you before and I’m so excited to try this one! But I was wondering if the cake was dry? I know my family likes moist cakes and I just bought the Bundt pan yesterday. So if it’s dry, can I put a simple syrup to make it moist? If so, how should I do that? Thank you so much!❤️
Hi Alyssa! It’s definitely NOT a dry cake, make sure to measure your flour properly and to not over-bake and it will be perfectly soft and moist, despite being a more dense cake! I can’t wait to hear how you like it!
Thank you so much for replying! So I don’t have a kitchen scale, is there any other way I can measure to make the cake perfect?
Of course! While a scale is preferred, the post that I linked to covers in detail how to measure without one, too 🙂
Okay. One more question. I don’t have any whole milk, will skim milk be okay?
The cake won’t be quite as moist, but in a pinch you could use skim milk. 🙂
I made it last night and I followed the recipe to the T! It came out amazing! My family loves it, and they even asked me to make it for thanksgiving giving! It’s not dry at all and it has a nice butter flavor. It’s delicious! Thank you so much!!!
I am so glad everyone enjoyed it so much, Alyssa! 🙂
This looks great! Is there any way to add rum to it to make it a vanilla rum cake? Can’t wait to try it!
Hi Gabby! I suppose you could poke some holes in it and add rum, but I haven’t tried it so I’m not sure how that would go. I hope you love the cake! 🙂
I only have salted butter on hand, could that work as well? Also my fresh brown eggs are pretty small, should I go ahead and use store bought large?
Hi Stephanie! You can use salted butter, but you will want to cut the salt by 1/2 teaspoon. If your eggs are too small you will probably want to get some larger ones. 🙂
What would you say I could add to this to make it lemon? I trust this recipe and all the others call for artificial pudding 🤢 my mom insists on lemon 😂
Hi Anna! You could reduce the vanilla and add a little bit of lemon extract. Also try adding some lemon zest when creaming the butter. I can’t be sure how much to do here since I haven’t tried it, but another good idea is to serve it with some lemon curd. 🙂
Hi Sam!
My mother is also asking for a lemon bundt cake. Do you think you will make a video on how we can turn your delicious vanilla bundt cake into a lemon bundt cake?
Oh, quick question: Does using a stand mixer vs a hand held mixer make a difference in this recipe?
Thank you so much!
Hi, Trish! I will add Lemon Bundt Cake to my things to make in the future. It may be a while… This recipe would serve as a great base for this. You can experiment by adding in lemon juice, lemon zest to see how it does. I also have a lemon curd recipe that may work swirled with the batter. Again… I have not tried it, just some ideas. As for mixer, either will work. 🙂
This cake was super easy to make and absolutely delicious!! I haven’t made a scratch cake in forever and since I had everything on hand for this one, I had to do it! The glaze is beautiful and that butter flavor is amazing.?
I am so glad you enjoyed it so much, Patty! 🙂
This bundt cake is UNBELIEVABLE! Absolute perfection. If you’ve been looking for the perfect pound/bundt cake…this is it. Just stop looking at other recipes and make this.
I am so glad you enjoyed it so much! 🙂
Embarrassed but excited to say that this is my very first bundt cake ever. I’ve only made pound cakes. Excited to try!
I hope you love it! 🙂
This recipe sounds great! I was going to make your vanilla cake today but I changed my mind I gonna make this Bundt!👌
PS: Love your cinnamon coffee cake!😘
There will always be time to make more cakes. 🙂 I hope you love it. 🙂
Hi! Sam,
Thanks for the recipe, definitely going to bake it on weekend. I have a tub cream cheese, can I use it?
Hi Alice! I do not recommend the tub cream cheese as stated in the ingredients list. 🙂
Ooh, this sounds so good! I can’t wait to try it! We ran out of cream cheese again, though, so it might have to wait until next shopping day. 😞
I hope you love it, Faith! 🙂
Finally a Bundt cake recipe with no pudding or strange ingredients, thank you!
You’re very welcome, I can’t wait to hear how you like it! 🙂
Thanks Sam, I am looking forward to trying this and DEFINITELY try making goop; I never have any more stuck cakes!
I hope you love it, and I know I can’t believe I haven’t done it yet, I’ve heard so many good things!