This Red Velvet Loaf Cake is the perfect addition to any celebration, and it's here just in time for Valentine's Day! A simple red velvet cake mix is elevated with the addition of instant pudding, and sour cream, creating a dessert that's incredibly moist, rich, and decadent. Finished with a silky-smooth vanilla cream cheese frosting, each slice feels luxurious and like it's straight from the bakery!
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Whether you make this indulgent delicacy for someone you love, or for a festive gathering with friends, this treat is the perfect way to sweeten up any occasion. With a few simple steps and a handful of easy ingredients, you'll have yourself a top-tier dessert made with love in no time!
If you'd like to check out a full cake instead of these loaf cakes , be sure to try my classic Red Velvet Cake. You can also round out your celebration with festive favorites like Valentine's Sugar Cookie Cake Bars or Valentine Rice Krispie Treats for a dessert table that's sweet, colorful, and perfect for sharing.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
Classic red velvet flavor: A rich blend of cocoa, vanilla, and sour cream delivers that signature red velvet taste.
Ultra-moist texture: Instant pudding mix and sour cream create a dense, tender crumb that stays moist.
Easy cake mix shortcut: Starts with a boxed mix for a quick, reliable, nearly foolproof bake - similar to how cake mix keeps desserts like my Strawberry Cake Mix Brownies simple and delicious.
Simple yet sophisticated: Bakery-style flavor and presentation with minimal effort.
Perfect for Valentine's Day: The vibrant red color makes it a festive, romantic dessert.
Great for sharing: Easy to slice, serve, and transport for gatherings or gifting.
Ingredients
Gather the ingredients below to make this red velvet loaf cake with cream cheese frosting!
- Red velvet cake mix - The base of the cake with a classic cocoa flavor and vibrant red color. Use a quality cake mix for the best flavor
- Instant white chocolate pudding mix - Adds moisture and creates a dense, sweet texture, similar to how it enhances the richness in my White Chocolate Oreo Pudding Poke Cake.
- Sour cream - It may seem out of place for this recipe, but it is the key to achieving an ultra-moist cake!
- Eggs, water, and vegetable oil - Standard mix-ins for the box cake mix, help the cake rise properly and make sure it's soft and fluffy
- Cream cheese, softened - Creates the smooth, tangy base of the frosting. Make sure it's softened to avoid lumps!
- Butter, softened - Helps the frosting whip up extra light and creamy!
- Pinch of salt - Balances sweetness
- Vanilla - Adds warm vanilla flavor
- Powdered sugar - Sweetens the frosting while keeping it silky smooth
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- Vanilla cake: If you prefer a classic vanilla flavor over red velvet, use a vanilla cake mix and add red gel food coloring to achieve the same festive red hue with a lighter, sweeter taste.
- Frosting variation: A traditional buttercream frosting works just as well if you're not a fan of cream cheese frosting.
- Decorative toppings: Make your loaf extra special with heart-shaped sprinkles, edible glitter, cake crumbs, chocolate curls, or other festive candies.
- Sour cream substitute: Plain Greek yogurt or buttermilk can replace sour cream while keeping the cake moist and tender.
- Oil substitute: Melted butter can be used in place of vegetable oil for a richer, more buttery flavor.
- Chocolate boost: Add mini chocolate chips or white chocolate chips to the batter for extra richness and texture.
How to Make Red Velvet Loaf Cake
Once you've gathered all your ingredients, preheat the oven to 350ºF, spray two loaf pans with nonstick cooking spray and follow the steps below for this red velvet loaf cake using cake mix!
- Step 1: In a large mixing bowl, add all cake ingredients.
- Step 2: Beat until fully combined then divide batter between the two prepared loaf pans. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Step 3: Cool for 15 minutes before removing from the pans and cooling completely.
- Step 4: For the frosting, place cream cheese and butter in a medium mixing bowl and beat until smooth.
- Step 5: Add the salt, vanilla, and powdered sugar, then beat for 2-3 minutes until the frosting is smooth and creamy.
- Step 6: Spread frosting over loaf cake and enjoy!
Helpful Tips
- Don't over mix: Mix ingredients just until combined to avoid a dense or tough cake.
- Cool completely before frosting: Allow the loaf cakes to cool fully so the frosting doesn't melt or slide off.
- Chill before piping: For decorative piping, refrigerate the cream cheese frosting for 20-30 minutes to help it hold its shape.
- Check for doneness early: Ovens vary, so start checking for doneness around the 30-minute mark to prevent overbaking.
- Use gel food coloring: Red gel food coloring gives a deeper color without thinning the batter.
- Let flavors set: This cake tastes even better after a few hours or the next day as the flavors have time to develop.
Recipe FAQs
Red velvet cake has a unique flavor that's more than just chocolate. It's a subtle blend of cocoa, vanilla, and tangy buttermilk, creating a rich, slightly tangy taste with a smooth, velvety finish.
This recipe makes two standard-size red velvet loaf cakes, perfect for sharing, gifting, or saving one for later.
Yes! You can bake the loaf cake ahead of time and let it cool before wrapping it in plastic wrap and storing in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Then, when you're ready to serve, you can frost, decorate and enjoy!
Storage & Freezing Instructions
Storage Instructions
To store red velvet loaf cake, lightly cover it with plastic wrap or keep it beneath a cake dome, and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Freezing Instructions
To freeze your red velvet loaf cake, you can wrap it in a few layers of plastic wrap and freeze it for up to 3 months. Let it thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
More Valentine's Day Recipes You'll Love
Looking for other Valentine's Day dessert recipes like this? Try these:
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Red Velvet Loaf Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 1 box red velvet cake mix
- 3.4 ounce box instant white chocolate pudding mix
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup vegetable oil
For the Frosting:
- 8 ounces cream cheese (softened)
- 3 tablespoons butter (softened)
- Pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
Instructions
For the Cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
- Prepare two loaf pans by spraying them with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add all cake ingredients. Beat well until all ingredients are combined. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Divide batter between the two prepared loaf pans.
- Bake for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Allow cakes to cool for 15 minutes before carefully flipping them onto a serving plate.
- Allow cakes to cool completely.
For the Frosting:
- Place cream cheese and butter in a medium mixing bowl. Beat with a hand mixer until smooth.
- Add salt, vanilla, and half of the powdered sugar. Beat well.
- Add remaining powdered sugar and beat for 2-3 minutes until frosting is smooth and creamy.
- Spread frosting over loaf cake and enjoy!
Notes
- Don't over mix: Mix ingredients just until combined to avoid a dense or tough cake.
- Cool completely before frosting: Allow the loaf cakes to cool fully so the frosting doesn't melt or slide off.
- Chill before piping: For decorative piping, refrigerate the cream cheese frosting for 20-30 minutes to help it hold its shape.
- Check for doneness early: Ovens vary, so start checking for doneness around the 30-minute mark to prevent overbaking.
- Use gel food coloring: Gel food coloring gives a deeper red color without thinning the batter.
- Let flavors set: This cake tastes even better after a few hours or the next day as the flavors have time to develop.
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