Pink Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
This cake is the vanilla-flavored cousin of classic red velvet, with that same signature velvety crumb, a tender, moist texture, and a blush-pink color that turns heads at every celebration.
Equipment
- Stand mixer or hand electric mixer - A stand mixer is highly recommended for proper creaming
- Three 8-inch (20cm) round cake pans - Matching pans ensure even baking
- Parchment paper - To line the bottom of cake pans
- Large mixing bowls
- Kitchen scale - Strongly recommended for accurate flour measurements and even batter distribution
- Rubber spatula
- Wire cooling racks
- Offset spatula - For frosting
- cake turntable - Optional but makes frosting much easier
- Sifter or fine mesh strainer
- Toothpick - For testing doneness
- Serving plate or cake board
- Serrated knife or cake leveler - Optional, for leveling layers
Ingredients
- 3 cups cake flour - 360g, spooned and leveled
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter - 225g, softened to room temperature
- 2 cups granulated sugar - 400g
- 4 large eggs - room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup full-fat buttermilk - 240ml, room temperature
- 1/4 cup sour cream - 60ml, room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon pink gel food coloring - up to 1 teaspoon for more vibrant color
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- 16 oz full-fat cream cheese - 450g, softened
- 1 cup unsalted butter - 225g, softened
- 5 cups powdered sugar - 625g, sifted
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 pinch fine salt
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream - up to 3 tablespoons, as needed for consistency
For Serving (Optional)
- fresh raspberries - for garnish
- fresh strawberries - for garnish
- edible flowers - for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) on conventional setting. Grease three 8-inch round cake pans, line bottoms with parchment, grease parchment, and dust with flour, tapping out excess.
- In a large bowl, whisk together cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and fine salt until thoroughly combined. Set aside.
- In a stand mixer with paddle attachment, beat softened butter on medium speed for 2 minutes until creamy. Add granulated sugar and beat on medium-high for 4-5 minutes until pale, light, and fluffy, scraping down the bowl as needed.
- With mixer on medium speed, add eggs one at a time, beating for 30 seconds after each addition. Scrape down the bowl, then add vanilla extract and mix on low until combined.
- Add pink gel food coloring (start with 1/2 teaspoon) and mix on low until evenly distributed. Add more up to 1 teaspoon for a more vibrant pink.
- Whisk together buttermilk and sour cream in a small bowl until smooth. With mixer on low, add one-third of flour mixture, then half the buttermilk mixture, then another third of flour, remaining buttermilk, and final third of flour, mixing until just combined after each addition.
- Finish by gently folding the batter with a rubber spatula from the bottom of the bowl up. Divide batter evenly among the three prepared pans (about 550-600g each) and smooth the tops.
- Bake for 28-33 minutes until tops spring back when touched, edges pull away from sides, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Cool in pans on wire racks for 15 minutes.
- Run a thin butter knife around each cake edge to loosen, invert onto wire racks, peel away parchment, then flip right-side up to cool completely for 1-2 hours.
- Beat softened cream cheese in stand mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes until smooth. Add softened butter and beat for 2 more minutes until light and fluffy.
- Reduce speed to low and gradually add sifted powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, mixing after each addition. Add vanilla extract and pinch of salt. Increase speed to medium-high and beat for 3 minutes until fluffy and smooth. Add heavy cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, if needed for spreadable consistency.
- Place one cake layer on serving plate. Spread about 3/4 cup frosting evenly to the edges. Add second layer and repeat. Place final layer on top. Apply a thin crumb coat all over, refrigerate for 20-30 minutes, then apply final thick layer of frosting.
- Decorate with piped swirls, fresh raspberries, strawberries, or edible flowers as desired. Chill for 30 minutes before slicing for clean, beautiful slices.
Notes
- Room temperature is crucial: Take all ingredients out of the fridge at least an hour before baking. Cold butter won't cream properly and cold eggs can cause the batter to break.
- Measure flour correctly: Use a kitchen scale for accuracy, or spoon flour into your measuring cup and level it off with a straight edge. Scooping and packing flour is the leading cause of dense, dry cakes.
- Gel vs liquid food coloring: Gel food coloring is essential for this recipe. It gives a vibrant pink color without adding excess liquid that could alter the batter consistency. Liquid coloring would require far too much.
- Don't overmix: Once you add the flour to the wet ingredients, mix only until just combined. Overmixing develops gluten and will make the cake tough instead of tender.
- Color guidance: The baked cake will be slightly lighter than the raw batter, so aim for a slightly deeper pink in the bowl than your final desired color.
- Level your layers: If your cakes have domed tops, use a serrated knife or cake leveler to trim them flat for professional-looking, even layers.
- Make ahead: Unfrosted cake layers can be baked up to 2 days ahead and stored wrapped at room temperature, or frozen for up to 3 months. Cream cheese frosting can be made up to 5 days ahead and refrigerated.
- Storage: Because the frosting contains cream cheese, the frosted cake must be refrigerated. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Remove from fridge 30 minutes before serving for best flavor and texture.
- Freezing: Unfrosted cake layers freeze beautifully. Wrap individually in plastic wrap and foil, freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before assembling.
- Variation tip: For a stunning twist, add 2 tablespoons of freeze-dried strawberry powder to the batter and fold finely diced fresh strawberries into the frosting.