Festive & Easy Christmas Bundt Cake: Your Ultimate Holiday Dessert

Embrace the joyful spirit of the holiday season with this absolutely stunning and delightfully simple Christmas Bundt Cake. More than just a dessert, this moist, flavorful, and beautifully glazed cake serves as a captivating centerpiece for any festive table. Its vibrant red and green swirls, crowned with a shimmering vanilla glaze and festive sprinkles, promise to bring cheer and deliciousness to your celebrations.

The aroma of a freshly baked cake is truly one of the most comforting scents of the holidays. Our Christmas Bundt Cake captures this magic perfectly, transforming a simple cake mix into a show-stopping creation. Whether you’re planning an intimate family dinner or a grand holiday party, this visually impressive and incredibly tasty dessert is sure to be a crowd-pleaser. Its elegant fluted shape, characteristic of Bundt cakes, requires no elaborate decorating skills, making it accessible for bakers of all experience levels.

This recipe focuses on delivering a wonderfully moist and tender crumb, infused with classic holiday flavors. The vibrant layers of red and green cake batter create a stunning visual effect when sliced, adding an extra touch of festive charm. Topped with a silky-smooth vanilla glaze and adorned with your favorite Christmas sprinkles, this Bundt cake is a true celebration in every bite. Having crafted countless easy Christmas dessert recipes over the years, I can confidently say this colorful Bundt cake has become a beloved family tradition at our annual holiday gatherings.

Table of Contents

• Why You’ll Adore This Christmas Bundt Cake
• Essential Ingredients for Your Festive Bundt Cake
  • For the Colorful Cake Layers
  • For the Luscious Vanilla Glaze
• Step-by-Step Guide to Baking Your Christmas Bundt Cake
• Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
• Pro Baking Tips for a Perfect Bundt Cake
• Creative Variations to Customize Your Holiday Bundt Cake
• Serving Suggestions for Your Festive Dessert
• Frequently Asked Questions about Christmas Bundt Cake
• More Delightful Bundt Cake Recipes

Why You’ll Adore This Christmas Bundt Cake

• Unforgettable Festive Presentation: The distinct shape of a Bundt pan inherently creates an elegant, holiday-ready dessert without the need for intricate piping or extensive decorating. The surprise of the red and green swirls when sliced makes it truly special.
• Incredibly Moist & Delicious: Every forkful is a rich, tender, and melt-in-your-mouth experience. The cake boasts a delicate texture and is infused with flavors that perfectly capture the essence of Christmas, making it an irresistible treat for all ages.
• Effortlessly Simple to Prepare: Utilizing a boxed cake mix streamlines the baking process, making this recipe approachable for even novice bakers. With straightforward steps and readily available ingredients, you can achieve impressive results without any stress.
• Ideal for Sharing & Gatherings: This impressive Bundt cake is perfectly sized to feed a crowd, making it an excellent choice for holiday parties, potlucks, or large family dinners. It’s a guaranteed conversation starter and a dessert everyone will rave about.
• Highly Customizable Flavor Profile: While delicious as is, this recipe is a fantastic canvas for your favorite holiday flavors. Consider adding a touch of peppermint extract to the glaze, incorporating dried cranberries into the batter, or infusing it with gingerbread spices for a unique and personal twist.
• Budget-Friendly Baking: Using a quality boxed cake mix helps keep costs down without sacrificing flavor or presentation, proving that a showstopping holiday dessert doesn’t have to break the bank.

Essential Ingredients for Your Festive Bundt Cake

Crafting this festive Bundt cake requires a few key items, many of which you likely already have in your pantry. The beauty of this recipe lies in its simplicity and the vibrant impact achieved with minimal effort.

For the Colorful Cake Layers

• White Boxed Cake Mix (15.25 ounces): Opt for a good quality white cake mix. The “white” is crucial here, as it provides a neutral base that allows the red and green food colorings to truly pop and remain bright and vibrant. Any brand will work beautifully.
• Standard Cake Mix Ingredients: You’ll need the additional ingredients specified on your chosen cake mix box, typically water, vegetable oil, and eggs. Ensure they are at room temperature for the best mixing and baking results.
• Red and Green Gel Food Coloring: This is a non-negotiable for achieving those bold, brilliant holiday hues. Gel food coloring is much more concentrated than liquid drops, meaning you need less to achieve intense color, which prevents thinning out your cake batter and maintains its perfect consistency.

For the Luscious Vanilla Glaze

• Powdered Sugar (Confectioners’ Sugar): This forms the base of your smooth, pourable glaze. Sifting the powdered sugar beforehand is highly recommended to eliminate any lumps, ensuring a silky finish.
• Milk: Start with a small amount and add gradually until you reach your desired pourable consistency. Any type of milk (dairy or non-dairy) will work.
• Clear Vanilla Extract: This is the secret to a pristine, bright white glaze that contrasts beautifully with the colorful cake. Regular vanilla extract has a brownish tint that would slightly discolor your glaze.
• Christmas Sprinkles (Optional, but highly recommended!): These are the finishing touch that truly makes the cake scream “holidays!” Choose jimmies, nonpareils, or a festive blend of red, green, and white.

You’ll find the complete, detailed list of ingredients with exact measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of the page.

Step-by-Step Guide to Baking Your Christmas Bundt Cake

Baking this festive Bundt cake is simpler than you might imagine, especially with the helpful visual cues and detailed instructions below. Get ready to create some holiday magic!

• Step 1: Prepare Your Oven and Pan. Begin by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). Next, prepare your Bundt cake pan thoroughly. Due to the intricate designs of Bundt pans, a generous coating of non-stick cooking spray (or butter and flour) is essential to ensure easy release. Make sure to get into all the nooks and crannies.
• Step 2: Mix the Cake Batter. In a large mixing bowl, combine the white cake mix with the ingredients specified on the package instructions (usually water, vegetable oil, and eggs). Beat until the batter is smooth and well combined. I find that a stand mixer makes this process quick and effortless.

Step 3: Color the Batter. Divide the prepared cake batter equally into three separate bowls. Leave one bowl of batter as is (white). To the second bowl, add drops of red gel food coloring, mixing until you achieve a deep, rich red hue. For the third bowl, add green gel food coloring until it reaches a vibrant, festive green. Gel food coloring ensures intense colors without altering the batter’s consistency.

Step 4: Layer the White Batter. Pour the uncolored (white) cake batter into the bottom of your prepared Bundt cake pan, spreading it out evenly to form the first layer.

Step 5: Add the Red Batter. Carefully dollop spoonfuls of the red cake batter on top of the white layer in the Bundt pan. Try to distribute it somewhat evenly, but don’t worry about perfection; the swirls will create their own beautiful pattern.

Step 6: Incorporate Green & Swirl. Next, dollop the green cake batter over the red layer. Once all three colors are in the pan, take a butter knife or a skewer and gently swirl the colors together. Be careful not to overmix; a few gentle swirls are enough to create a beautiful marbled effect without blending the colors completely.

Step 7: Bake to Perfection. Place the Bundt cake pan into your preheated oven and bake for 45-55 minutes. The exact baking time may vary based on your oven, so keep an eye on it. The cake is perfectly cooked when a toothpick or thin skewer inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached.

Step 8: Cool the Cake. Once baked, remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for about 10-15 minutes. This crucial resting period allows the cake to firm up slightly, preventing it from breaking when inverted. After this time, carefully flip the Bundt cake onto a wire rack or a serving platter to cool completely. The cake must be entirely cool before glazing.

Step 9: Prepare and Apply the Glaze. While your cake is cooling, whisk together the powdered sugar, clear vanilla extract, and milk in a medium bowl. Start with 1 tablespoon of milk and gradually add more, just a teaspoon at a time, until the glaze reaches a smooth, pourable consistency. You want it thick enough to coat but thin enough to drip beautifully. Once the cake is completely cool, pour the prepared glaze evenly over the top, letting it naturally drizzle down the elegant sides of the Bundt cake.

Step 10: The Finishing Touch – Sprinkles! Before the glaze sets completely, generously adorn your Christmas Bundt Cake with your favorite festive sprinkles. The sprinkles will adhere to the wet glaze, adding a delightful crunch and extra holiday sparkle. Once the glaze has set (which takes about 15-30 minutes), your beautiful cake is ready to be sliced and enjoyed by all!

Storage and Make-Ahead Tips

Proper storage ensures your beautiful Christmas Bundt Cake stays fresh and delicious for days, allowing you to enjoy its festive flavors long after baking. Planning ahead can also minimize holiday stress!

• Room Temperature Storage: Once the glaze has fully set, store any leftover cake in an airtight container at room temperature. This will keep it wonderfully moist for up to 5 days. Keeping it covered prevents it from drying out and absorbing other kitchen odors.
• Freezing for Later: For longer storage, this Bundt cake freezes exceptionally well. Wrap individual slices or the entire cooled (unglazed or fully glazed and set) cake tightly in plastic wrap, then an additional layer of aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months.
• Thawing Instructions: When you’re ready to enjoy a frozen slice or whole cake, simply thaw it at room temperature for several hours or overnight. If the cake was frozen unglazed, prepare and add the fresh glaze just before serving for the best presentation and texture.
• Make-Ahead Baking: You can bake the cake a day or two in advance and store it, unglazed, in an airtight container at room temperature. Prepare the glaze and apply it just a few hours before serving for optimal freshness and sparkle. This makes holiday entertaining much easier!

Pro Baking Tips for a Perfect Bundt Cake

Achieving a bakery-worthy Christmas Bundt Cake is easy with these expert tips:

• Embrace Gel Food Coloring: As mentioned, gel or paste food coloring is crucial. It provides superior color saturation without adding excess liquid to your batter, which can affect the cake’s texture. This ensures your red is truly red and your green is vividly green, not pastel.
• Master the Gentle Swirl: For that beautiful marbled effect, less is more. After layering the colored batters, a few gentle passes with a butter knife or skewer through the batter are enough. Overmixing will cause the colors to blend into a muddy, less appealing hue. Aim for distinct ribbons of color.
• Choose the Right Sprinkles: For the best results, use “jimmies” style sprinkles or other nonpareils that are less prone to bleeding. Some softer, powdery sprinkles can dissolve or bleed into the wet glaze, altering the look.
• Flawless Pan Preparation is Key: Bundt pans have intricate designs, making proper greasing vital for easy release. Don’t just spray; use a baking spray that contains flour, or thoroughly grease with butter and then dust with flour, tapping out the excess. This prevents sticking and preserves the cake’s beautiful shape.
• Patience During Cooling: Resist the urge to flip the cake out of the pan too soon. Allowing it to cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes after baking allows the cake to set and pull away from the edges, making inversion smooth and preventing breakage.
• The Secret to a Bright White Glaze: Always use clear vanilla extract for your glaze. Regular vanilla extract, while delicious, has a natural brown tint that will give your glaze an off-white or yellowish color, diminishing its crisp, snowy appearance.
• Room Temperature Ingredients: Ensure your eggs, milk, and any other liquid ingredients are at room temperature. This helps them emulsify better with the cake mix, resulting in a smoother batter and a more even, tender crumb.

Creative Variations to Customize Your Holiday Bundt Cake

While delicious as is, this Christmas Bundt Cake recipe is incredibly versatile. Feel free to get creative and tailor it to your favorite holiday flavors!

• Peppermint Delight: Add 1/2 teaspoon of peppermint extract to the cake batter (divided among the colors) and another 1/4 teaspoon to the glaze. Top with crushed candy canes or peppermint candies instead of regular sprinkles for a refreshing twist.
• Gingerbread Spice: Whisk 1 teaspoon of ground ginger, 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg into the dry cake mix before adding liquids. This will give the cake a warm, spicy aroma and flavor, perfect for the holidays. You might skip the food coloring for this one or use a golden-brown coloring.
• Cranberry-Orange Zest: Fold 1/2 cup of finely chopped fresh or dried cranberries and the zest of one orange into the white batter portion. The tart cranberries and bright orange flavor would complement the cake beautifully.
• Chocolate Swirl: Instead of dividing into three colors, divide the batter in half. Keep one half white. To the other half, fold in 1/2 cup of melted, cooled chocolate or 1/4 cup of cocoa powder. Swirl the chocolate and white batters for a rich, elegant marble.
• Nutty Crunch: Add 1/2 cup of finely chopped toasted pecans or walnuts to the white cake batter for an added layer of texture and nutty flavor.

Serving Suggestions for Your Festive Dessert

A beautiful cake deserves a beautiful presentation! Here are some ideas to serve your Christmas Bundt Cake:

• Classic Elegance: Serve slices simply on a festive plate, perhaps with a sprig of fresh mint or a few fresh cranberries for garnish.
• Warm & Cozy: Pair a slice with a warm mug of hot chocolate or coffee for a comforting treat on a cold winter evening.
• A la Mode: A scoop of vanilla bean ice cream or a dollop of freshly whipped cream elevates this cake into an even more decadent dessert.
• Fruit Medley: Serve with a side of mixed winter berries (like raspberries and blueberries) or a compote of spiced apples for a refreshing contrast.

Frequently Asked Questions about Christmas Bundt Cake

Here are answers to some common questions you might have about baking this festive cake:

• Can I make this cake from scratch instead of using a mix? Absolutely! If you have a favorite sturdy white cake recipe, you can adapt it for this Bundt cake. Just ensure the batter consistency is similar to a boxed mix to hold the colors well.
• How do I prevent my Bundt cake from sticking to the pan? The key is thorough greasing. Use a baking spray with flour, or meticulously grease with softened butter and then dust heavily with flour, ensuring every crevice is coated. Tap out any excess flour. Some bakers even chill the greased and floured pan before adding batter.
• Can I use liquid food coloring? While technically possible, liquid food coloring requires more drops to achieve vibrant colors, which can thin the batter and potentially affect the cake’s texture. Gel food coloring is highly recommended for its concentrated pigment.
• My cake colors blended too much, what happened? This usually occurs from over-swirling the batter. A light hand and just a few passes with a knife are sufficient to create distinct swirls without fully blending the colors.
• What if I don’t have clear vanilla extract for the glaze? You can still use regular vanilla extract, but be aware that the glaze will have a slightly off-white or yellowish tint. If you prefer a pure white glaze and don’t have clear vanilla, you can try adding a tiny drop of purple food coloring to counteract the yellow, or simply omit the vanilla and use only powdered sugar and milk for a plain white glaze.
• How do I know when the cake is done? A toothpick or thin skewer inserted into the thickest part of the cake should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached. The cake should also spring back lightly when gently touched.

More Delightful Bundt Cake Recipes

If you love the ease and elegance of Bundt cakes, explore some of our other cherished recipes:

• Blueberry Bundt Cake
• Pumpkin Bundt Cake
• Banana Bundt Cake
• Chocolate Bundt Cake Recipe

There you have it – a dazzling, easy-to-make Christmas Bundt Cake that’s guaranteed to be the star of your holiday dessert table. Its stunning appearance and delightful flavor make it a truly memorable treat. Go ahead, bake this fabulous cake, enjoy the process, and share the joy with your loved ones. Don’t forget to leave a comment and a star rating below to let us know how your holiday baking turned out!