The curved shape and intricate designs that Bundt pans give to baked cakes are stunning, and these cakes need a different frosting approach than layered or sheet cakes. Since you took the trouble of carefully unmolding the pretty cake from its pan, here’s how to frost a Bundt cake to give it an equally gorgeous finish.
A rich coating of chocolate or a drizzle of icing are great choices for Bundt cakes. Not only do they add flavor and sweetness, they’re also thin enough to let the design of your cake show through. Cream cheese frosting is also delicious on Bundts and its thick consistency means it can be easily piped to accentuate the shape of the cake.
Tools You’ll Need
- Cake turntable: Smoothly turn your cake while adding the frosting or icing.
- Measuring cup: A sturdy cup with a spout makes it easy to pour ganache on the cake.
- Pastry bags: These reusable frosting bags are made of silicone.
- Large piping tip: A large tip is perfect for piping thick stripes of frosting.
How to Frost a Bundt Cake with Icing
Nancy Mock for Taste of Home
Made from confectioners’ sugar, milk and flavorings like extracts and lemon juice, icings are thinner than regular frostings. (Here’s the difference between frosting and icing, explained.)
Directions
Step 1: Make the icing
Whisk together a simple icing like this quick vanilla glaze. Mix in enough confectioners’ sugar so that the icing easily drips off a spoon, but is also opaque and thick enough that it won’t soak into the cake.
Step 2: Drizzle it on the cake
Use a spoon to scoop up some icing. Let it fall from the spoon onto the cake by moving the spoon back and forth from the inside of the ring to the outside. Continue drizzling around the entire cake. Let the Bundt rest at room temperature until the icing sets, or place it covered in the fridge.
How to Frost a Bundt Cake with Chocolate Ganache
Nancy Mock for Taste of Home
Made of just chocolate and cream, delicious ganache is easy to make and easy to use on your Bundt cake.
Directions
Step 1: Prepare the ganache
Warm heavy cream in a small saucepan until it’s hot, then stir in an equal amount of semisweet chocolate chips or chopped chocolate. Whisk until the chocolate is melted and the ganache is smooth. Transfer it to a measuring cup with a spout or a pitcher. Cool the ganache in the fridge for 20-30 minutes; it should be a little thicker but still pourable.
Step 2: Pour ganache on the cake
Slowly pour the ganache on the cake, moving from inside the ring to the outside, back and forth, while moving around the cake. Some ganache will pool at the bottom but most of it should stick to the cake. (If it seems too thin, chill the ganache several minutes longer.) Continue until the entire cake is finished. You can serve the cake right away or place it in a covered dish and chill it in the fridge until the chocolate is set.
How to Frost a Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Nancy Mock for Taste of Home
Easy-to-pipe, thick lines of homemade frosting give your cake a striking appearance. (You might recognize this technique from Nothing Bundt Cakes cakes.)
Directions
Step 1: Make the frosting
Prepare your cream cheese frosting, being sure to use room-temperature cream cheese so it blends up smoothly. If the frosting is very soft, let it chill briefly in the fridge to firm up a little.
Step 2: Scoop the frosting into a piping bag
Secure a large piping tip to a pastry bag and scoop the frosting into the bag. Secure the open end to keep the frosting inside.
Step 3: Pipe the frosting onto the cake
Pipe vertical lines of thick frosting on the outside of the cake. Start inside the ring, come up and over the top to move down the outside of the cake, then reverse to pipe frosting back over the line you just made. Rotate the cake and continue making thick lines of frosting this way all around the cake. Store the covered cake in the fridge until you’re ready to serve it. Be sure to try this copycat Nothing Bundt Cake recipe.
Tips for Frosting a Bundt Cake
Wait for your cake to cool
Plan for enough time to let your Bundt cool completely, because the frosting will melt and run off a still-warm cake.
Test before you put it on the cake
Use an upside-down Bundt cake pan to practice frosting before you try it on the actual cake. For ganache and icing, this lets you see if they’re thick enough and not too runny. For cream cheese frosting, you can practice your piping—this is especially helpful for intricate Bundt cakes to try out different ways and places to add the frosting.
Use a cake turntable
A cake turntable or lazy Susan makes it easy to turn the cake with one hand while you drizzle, pour, or pipe your icing with the other. If you don’t have one, place your cake plate on a folded dish towel, so you can easily move the cake around while decorating.
Put the frosted cake in the fridge
Whichever frosting you use for your Bundt, place the finished cake in a covered container in the fridge to let the frosting firm up. The fridge is the best place to store the cake as well, and you can either serve slices cold or let the cake come to room temperature first.
Hide imperfections
If bits of cake end up stuck inside the Bundt pan, stick them back into place while the cake is still hot—this helps them adhere. You can also use a little frosting to “glue” the pieces into place. Brush any loose crumbs from the surface.
Ganache and thick icings do a great job of coating the surface and covering up less-than-perfect spots on your cake. If you’re using cream cheese frosting, you can pipe more lines of frosting to hide mistakes.
For a cake with lots of tears and cracks, use a knife to spread cream cheese or buttercream frosting over the entire surface. It’ll have a more rustic look, but the frosting will hide the flaws and the cake will taste amazing.
Our Most Gorgeous Bundt Cake Recipes
Lemon Lover’s Pound Cake
Everyone raves about this pretty lemon sour cream pound cake—and it sure doesn't last long with my family. It also freezes beautifully, so why not make two and pop one into the freezer for another day? —Annettia Mounger, Kansas City, Missouri
Go to Recipe
Cherry Chocolate Marble CakeCherries and chocolate are natural partners that make desserts such as this simply scrumptious! The marbled effect is easily achieved by layering the two contrasting batters. —Sandra Campbell, Chase Mills, New York
Olive Oil CakeGrab your favorite bottle of EVOO and break out the mixer. We'll show you how to make olive oil cake with a hint of citrus and almond.
Chocolate Comfort CakeThis moist and delicious chocolate cake is usually the first dessert to go. People even eat the crumbs. It’s always my top choice for holiday dinners. —Ellen Riley, Murfreesboro, Tennessee
Raspberry Moscow Mule CakeThis Moscow mule cake is my favorite cake I've ever made from scratch. It's so moist and flavorful, and it reminds me of my favorite cocktail. —Becky Hardin, St. Peters, Missouri
Blueberries and Cream Coffee CakeThis
blueberry coffee cake is my go-to recipe for all of our holiday get-togethers because it's perfect for breakfast or dessert. It's easy to make, and it's the most delicious coffee cake I've ever had. —Susan Ober, Franconia, New Hampshire
Key Lime Pound CakeKey lime pound cake with cream cheese frosting is a true pound cake, using a full pound of butter. But it is lightened and brightened with aromatic lime zest and tart lime juice both in the cake and the frosting.
Buttermilk Cake with Caramel IcingThis fabulous cake and caramel frosting are so tender, it melts in your mouth. It's been a family favorite since the '70s and it goes over really well at church potluck meals. —Anna Jean Allen, West Liberty, Kentucky
Streuseled Zucchini Bundt CakeInspired by an abundance of zucchini, I found a new way to use it up in this spiced and lightly sweet cake. It even won a blue ribbon at our county fair! —Regina Stock, Topeka, Kansas
Purple-Ribbon Pumpkin CakeI belong to a Christmas village collectors' club and we all bring a potluck dish to our monthy meetings. The cake is always a hit. It's one of my family's favorite Thanksgiving desserts, too, and disappears before the pumpkin pie does. —Debby Powers, Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida
Jelly Donut CakeCake. Doughnuts. Now you don't have to choose between the two. Impress your family with this easy jelly-filled cake. Try your best to center the jelly in the middle of the half-filled Bundt pan so that it will not leak out the edges of the cake. —Colleen Delawder, Herndon, Virginia
Citrus-Raspberry Coffee CakeOrange and lemon beautifully complement the raspberry flavor in this dense cake. Add a dusting of confectioners’ sugar for a pretty finishing touch. —Pat Harlow, Cataldo, Idaho
Banana Pound CakeThis banana pound cake has mashed bananas mixed into the batter for a treat that's moist, wonderful and tasty. The confectioners' sugar glaze drizzled over the top makes it even more special.
Ginger-Glazed Lemon BundtTangy ginger, tart lemon and puckery cranberries make this melt-in-your-mouth cake as crisp—and gorgeous—as autumn. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Decadent Fudge CakeEveryone loves the rich flavor in this decadent cake made with four types of chocolate. —Anna Hogge, Yorktown, Virginia
Lemon Pound CakeCitrus trees grow abundantly in California, and I'm always looking for new recipes which use the fruit from the orange and lemon trees in my yard. This lemon pound cake is one of my favorites! My mother passed this recipe down to me. —Richard Killeaney, Spring Valley, California
These
fruit Bundt cake recipes are a sweet way to incorporate freshness into your favorite desserts.
Heavenly Praline CakeA moist cake and generous frosting are filled with the fabulous flavor of caramel. The candied pecans are almost a dessert by themselves!—Jennifer Rodriguez, Midland, Texas
Mint Swirl Fudge CakeMint pairs with a silky, mild chocolate flavor for this colorful, beautiful cake that will be the talk of the holiday buffet. —Heidi Kelly, Norwood, Missouri
Blueberry Sour Cream Coffee CakeHoliday breakfasts would not be the same at our house without this delicious coffee cake. Whenever I take it anywhere, everyone raves about it and wants the recipe. —Susan Walschlager, Anderson, Indiana
Cranberry-Almond Pound CakeWhen you want an extra-special dessert for the holidays, it’s hard to beat a seasonal homemade cake. I like to drizzle mine with a simple but elegant glaze flavored with amaretto. —Jackie Howell, Tucson, Arizona
Peanut Butter Bundt CakeThis peanut butter
Bundt cake with frosting is heavenly to me. I use smooth peanut butter, but crunchy would work, too. —Karen Holt, Rock Hill, South Carolina. Learn
how to frost a Bundt cake with three techniques that add flavor, sweetness and an eye-catching finish.
Lemon Poppy Seed CakeThis light and lemony Bundt-style lemon poppy seed cake makes for a delightful (and pretty!) summer treat. Serve it with fresh berries and whipped cream for extra fanfare, or enjoy it as is with your morning cup of coffee. It's as versatile as it is tasty!
Chocolate Almond CakeFluffy white homemade frosting tops this rich chocolate almond cake. Sliced toasted almonds on top add a little crunch. —Sherri Gentry, Dallas, Oregon
Gingerbread with Fig-Walnut SauceI experimented with aniseed this past holiday season and fell in love with the licorice flavor. It really enhances the gingerbread spices and fig sauce in this extraordinary cake. —Shelly Bevington-Fisher, Hermiston, Oregon
Surprise Carrot CakeA cousin gave me this carrot cake recipe. It's a wonderful potluck pleaser with its "surprise" cream cheese center. My husband and our two young children love it, too! —Lisa Bowen, Little Britian, Ontario
Red Velvet Pound CakeThis red velvet pound cake is moist, flavorful and finished with a layer of rich and tangy cream cheese frosting. For extra crunch (and good looks), sprinkle crushed pecans on top.
Coconut Fudge Cake“A big piece of this moist cake is a chocolate and coconut devotee's dream," notes Johnnie. "You should see my husband, children and grandkids smile when I serve it.”
Double Chocolate Espresso Pound CakeTwo of my biggest loves in life—chocolate and coffee—come together in this velvety pound cake. Grate some extra chocolate on top and thank me later. —Rachel Bernhard Seis,
Taste of Home Senior Editor
Almond Apricot Coffee CakeThe nutty aroma and delicate fruit flavor make this cake special enough to serve to company. Strawberry or raspberry preserves can be used as a tasty variation. —Sharon Mensing, Greenfield, Iowa
Brown Sugar Pound CakeThis tender pound cake is the first one I mastered. You'll want to eat the browned butter icing by the spoonful. It tastes like pralines. —Shawn Barto, Winter Garden, Florida
Butter Pound CakeWhether garnished with fresh berries and sprigs of rosemary or just served plain, this rich cake is fabulous. It bakes to a beautiful golden brown and it's definitely a keeper! —Edgar Wright, Silver Spring, Maryland
Choco-Scotch Marble CakeThis recipe was given to me many years ago by a friend. Teaming chocolate with butterscotch for a marble cake makes it more flavorful and colorful than the usual chocolate-vanilla combination. This rich family favorite is very moist and keeps well.
-Pam Giammattei, Valatie, New York
Pear Bundt CakeNext time you make cake from a mix, try my easy and delicious recipe. The pears and syrup add sweet flavor and prevent the cake from drying out. And since there's no oil added to the batter, this tender fall-perfect cake is surprisingly low in fat. —Veronica Ross, Columbia Heights, Minnesota. Don't forget to try our favorite
Nothing Bundt Cake recipe.
Streuseled Zucchini Bundt CakeInspired by an abundance of zucchini, I found a new way to use it up in this spiced and lightly sweet cake. It even won a blue ribbon at our county fair! —Regina Stock, Topeka, Kansas
Contest-Winning Moist Chocolate CakeYou don't have to spend a lot of time to serve an elegant and delicious dessert. Just mix up the batter in one bowl, bake and get ready for people to love this moist dark chocolate cake recipe. —Christa Hageman, Telford, Pennsylvania
Ginger-Walnut Tube CakeMy husband, Ken, loves this tube cake with its bits of crystallized ginger. Feel free to drizzle it with a lemony glaze. —Nancy Zimmerman, Cape May Court House, NJ
Pina Colada Tube CakeWe named this a “pina colada” cake because it has coconut, pineapple and rum. It’s a soothing finish at the end of a big spread. —Debra Keil, Owasso, Oklahoma
Aunt Lou's Fresh Apple CakeMy Great-Aunt Lou made a luscious fresh apple cake recipe that became a family tradition. My mom makes it for our annual beach trip to the Outer Banks. —Cristy King, Scott Depot, West Virginia
Buttermilk Pound CakeThis buttermilk pound cake has a superior texture that is equally moist, tender and light. The recipe is your new go-to for serving with fruit or tea, or on its own as a snack.
Blueberry Sour Cream Coffee CakeHoliday breakfasts would not be the same at our house without this delicious coffee cake. Whenever I take it anywhere, everyone raves about it and wants the recipe. —Susan Walschlager, Anderson, Indiana
Almond Chocolate CakeWhen our son and daughter were teenagers, our house was the hang-out for their whole group of friends. This rich chocolate almond cake was a regular on the menu. —Char Safley, Raleigh, North Carolina
Breakfast Apple CakeBaked in a pretty tube pan and drizzled with icing, this breakfast cake will be a highlight of your holiday menu. I adapted the recipe from one of my grandmother's. —Shaunda Wenger, Nibley, Utah
Raspberry Swirl Pound CakeBake this up when you want to treat your family to something special and sweet. The raspberries and mint add a springtime freshness, too. —Carly Curtin, Ellicott City, Maryland
Easy Pistachio Tube CakeMixes make this light cake easy, and a fluted tube pan gets it holiday party-ready. Go for the pistachios on top—the extra crunch is worth it. —Dina Crowell, Fredericksburg, Virginia
Cranberry-Filled Orange Pound CakeI made this for a holiday dinner with my family. Everyone loved the cran-orange flavor and the sweet glaze drizzled on top. For a fun variation, include 2/3 cup flaked sweetened coconut when adding the orange juice to the batter, and sprinkle the finished cake with toasted coconut. —Patricia Harmon, Baden, Pennsylvania
Fluted Lemon Cake with Fresh FruitThis citrusy, golden-brown cake looks especially beautiful baked in a fancy fluted pan. Serve each slice with a dollop of whipped cream and fresh fruit. —Donna Pochoday, Morristown, New Jersey
Coconut Pound Cake with Lime GlazeThis pound cake is the best! Oven temps will vary, so if the cake is not done after 1 hour and 20 minutes, continue baking in 5-minute intervals. Use fresh, not bottled, lime juice for the glaze. —Jo McFarland, Sterling, Virginia
