Grease and flour a bundt pan or use no-stick baker's release spray (works best). Be sure to get it in all the nooks of the bundt pan or your cake may stick!
Shake out excess flour and set aside.
Place all ingredients in a large bowl.
Mix on low with an electric mixer until ingredients are combined, then turn up the speed to medium high and beat for two minutes.
Pour into prepared pan and drop the pan to the counter from about 2-inches up to help release air bubbles.
Bake for 45-55 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted in the middle comes out clean. The internal temperature should be about 200F when using an insta-read thermometer.
Let cool 10 minutes then remove from pan to finish cooling.
For the frosting
Add butter and cream cheese to a large bowl.
Beat with an electric mixer on medium for 2 minutes.
Turn the mixer down to low speed and gradually add the powdered sugar and vanilla until it's combined.
Turn the mixer up to medium high and whip for two minutes.
Use a piping bag to add the frosting to the cake or thin it a little to use as a thick glaze.
Notes
Storage:Due to the cream cheese frosting, you should keep the cake refrigerated at all times. Cover the bundt with a cake dome or cover, or store slices in an airtight container if you don't have a ton of fridge space. It'll keep for up to five days.For best results, I don't recommend freezing anything with a cream cheese glaze or frosting. However, you can freeze unfrosted cake wrapped tightly in two layers of plastic wrap.Tips:
You don't need any red food coloring for this great recipe, so don't add it! The box mix creates a beautiful, vibrant red cake.
For this recipe, the sour cream and eggs should be at room temperature. It helps the wet ingredients mix together better.
If you're combining everything in the bowl of a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment. Though, if using a hand mixer, the whisks are fine.
Use a pastry brush to ensure the oil or cake release thoroughly coats the entire pan. It needs to get into every little nook and cranny!
For a really moist red velvet cake, don't overcook it! Start testing the center of the cake for doneness a few minutes before the timer goes off.
Allow your butter and cream cheese time to soften or it'll be a pain to beat. Plus, the final texture is much smoother if the ingredients have reached room temperature.
Let the cake cool fully before icing. Otherwise, your frosting will melt and slide right off the sides of the cake!