Description

This Pink Velvet Cake is a delightful twist on the classic red velvet, featuring vibrant pink layers made with cake flour, buttermilk, and a blend of egg whites for a light crumb. The cake is beautifully finished with a creamy, tangy cream cheese buttercream frosting, tinted in various shades of pink to create a charming layered presentation. Perfect for celebrations, this recipe provides detailed instructions to bake, assemble, and decorate a stunning and moist pink velvet cake.

Ingredients

Scale

Cake Layers

3 cups cake flour (360g)
3 cups granulated sugar (600g)
2 1/2 tsp baking powder (10g)
1 tsp fine salt (6g)
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature (226g)
1 cup carton egg whites or 7 large egg whites, room temperature (235g)
1 1/2 cups buttermilk, room temperature (360g)
2 Tbsp vegetable or canola oil (30g)
1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste (4g)
Pink gel food coloring, as needed

Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting

2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature (452g)
1 cup cream cheese, room temperature (226g)
1 Tbsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste (12g)
1 tsp fine salt (6g)
11 cups powdered sugar (1375g)
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream, room temperature (60g)
Pink gel food coloring, as needed

Equipment

4, 7-inch cake pans
Spinning cake stand
Electric hand mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment
10-inch greaseproof cake board
Serrated knife
Large offset spatula
Bench scraper
3 small piping bags
3 plastic couplers
3 medium-sized round piping tips (like a Wilton 10)
1 small round piping tip (like a Wilton 3)

Instructions

Preheat and Prepare Pans: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line your four 7-inch cake pans with parchment rounds and grease them well with non-stick spray or homemade cake pan release to ensure easy removal after baking.
Mix Dry Ingredients: In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or using a hand mixer, combine the cake flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt. Mix until fully combined to ensure even distribution of leaveners and salt.
Add Butter: Slowly add the room temperature unsalted butter into the dry mixture on low speed. Continue mixing until the mixture looks like moist sand with no large chunks of butter remaining, ensuring a crumbly texture that will give the cake its lightness.
Incorporate Egg Whites: Pour in the egg whites gradually and mix on low speed just until incorporated. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula to ensure uniform mixing.
Add Wet Ingredients: Mix in the buttermilk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract on low speed until fully combined. Scrape the bowl again and beat on medium speed for about 30 seconds to lighten the batter’s texture. The batter will be thin, which is expected.
Divide and Color Batter: If using four 7-inch pans, divide the batter into two bowls (about 900g each) and color one light pink and the other a deeper pink with gel food coloring. Pour each shade into two pans for a total of four layers. For three 8-inch layers, portion the batter accordingly and color similarly to create two light pink and one deep pink layer.
Bake the Layers: Bake for 33-37 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out with a few moist crumbs. Rotate the pans halfway through baking for even cooking.
Cool the Cakes: Let the pans cool for 10 minutes. Run a spatula around the edges to loosen the cakes, then transfer them to the freezer for 30 minutes to speed up cooling. Once cooled, carefully remove the layers from the pans.
Level and Optional Torte: Use a serrated knife to level the cake tops and trim any caramelization on the sides. Optionally, cut the layers horizontally to create thinner layers for a more polished cake.
Make the Buttercream: Beat the softened butter and cream cheese together on medium speed for 30 seconds until smooth. Add vanilla extract and salt, mixing on low. Gradually add powdered sugar and heavy cream, mixing on low until the desired frosting consistency is reached. Adjust by adding more cream or sugar as needed. Cover and set aside.
Assemble the Cake: Place a cake layer on a greaseproof board and secure it with a dab of frosting. Spread an even layer of buttercream over the layer. Repeat stacking and frosting all layers.
Crumb Coat and Chill: Apply a thin crumb coat of frosting around the entire cake. Smooth with a bench scraper and chill the cake in the fridge for 30 minutes or freezer for 10 minutes until firm.
Final Frosting Layer: Add a thicker layer of frosting and smooth again using the bench scraper for a clean finish.
Decorate with Colored Buttercream: Divide the remaining frosting into three portions and tint each a different shade of pink. Fit piping bags with couplers and tips, then pipe hearts and dots around the cake using a small heart-shaped cookie cutter as a guide for consistent shapes.
Serve and Store: Enjoy your Pink Velvet Cake! Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to one week or keep at room temperature for a few hours before serving.

Notes

Make sure all wet ingredients are at room temperature for better mixing and a uniform batter.
Use gel food coloring to avoid thinning the batter or frosting; add color gradually to reach your desired shade.
Freezing cake layers after baking helps with easier handling and cleaner cuts when leveling or torting.
If frosting is too thick, add heavy cream 1 tablespoon at a time; if too thin, add powdered sugar 1/4 cup at a time.
Using a scale to portion batter ensures evenly sized cake layers for uniform baking and stacking.
If making the cake in advance, wrap layers tightly and freeze, thaw briefly before assembling.
For smooth frosting edges, chill the cake between crumb coat and final frosting application.

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Keywords: pink velvet cake, cream cheese frosting, layered cake, birthday cake, celebration dessert, pink cake recipe