Introduction

This Pink Velvet Cake is a delightful twist on the classic red velvet, featuring vibrant pink layers and a smooth cream cheese buttercream frosting. It’s perfect for celebrations or any time you want a beautiful, tasty dessert that stands out.

Pink Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting Recipe - Recipe Image

Ingredients

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
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 (for frosting)

Instructions

Preheat and prepare pans: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line four 7-inch or three 8-inch cake pans with parchment rounds and grease them well.
Combine dry ingredients: In a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, mix the cake flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt until fully combined.
Add butter: Slowly mix in 1 cup of room temperature unsalted butter on low speed until the mixture resembles moist sand with no large butter chunks.
Mix in egg whites: Pour in 1 cup of egg whites and mix on low until just incorporated, scraping the bowl as needed.
Add liquids: Mix in the buttermilk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract on low speed until fully blended. Scrape down the bowl, then beat on medium speed for 30 seconds to lighten the batter. The batter will be thin.
Divide and color batter: If using four 7-inch pans, divide the batter into two bowls, tinting one light pink and the other a deeper pink with gel food coloring. Distribute evenly among pans (2 light pink, 2 deep pink). If using three 8-inch pans, divide into two bowls similarly for 2 light pink and 1 deep pink layer.
Bake: Bake for 33-37 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out with a few moist crumbs. Rotate pans halfway through baking.
Cool the cakes: Let pans cool 10 minutes, then loosen edges with a small offset spatula. Freeze layers for 30 minutes to cool faster, then remove from pans.
Level and optionally torte layers: Use a serrated knife to level tops and trim edges. For thinner layers, you may split (torte) layers horizontally. Wrap and freeze if preparing ahead.
Make cream cheese buttercream: Beat together 2 cups unsalted butter and 1 cup cream cheese on medium speed until smooth. Add vanilla and salt on low speed.
Add powdered sugar and cream: Gradually beat in powdered sugar and heavy cream at low speed until smooth. Adjust thickness by adding more cream or powdered sugar as needed.
Assemble the cake: Place first cake layer on a cake board or plate, securing with a dab of frosting. Spread an even layer of buttercream between layers. Cover the assembled cake with a thin crumb coat and chill until firm.
Final frosting layer: Add a second thicker coat of frosting. Smooth using a bench scraper. Chill if needed to firm the buttercream.
Decorate: Tint remaining buttercream in three shades of pink. Fill piping bags with round tips. Pipe heart shapes around the cake using a small cookie cutter as a guide, then add dots and small hearts in gaps with a smaller tip.
Serve or store: Enjoy immediately or store as directed below.

Tips & Variations

Using a scale to evenly distribute batter ensures uniform cake layers and even baking.
For a smoother frosting, make sure all ingredients are at room temperature before mixing.
If you don’t have pink gel food coloring, a few drops of natural beet juice can provide color but may affect flavor slightly.
Torting the cake layers creates thinner, more elegant layers but is optional.
To avoid frosting crusting, cover the buttercream tightly with plastic wrap while not in use.

Storage

This cake can be stored covered in the refrigerator for up to one week. Allow it to come to room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving for the best texture and flavor. You can also freeze the cake layers wrapped tightly for up to two months; thaw partially before assembling. The assembled cake can be frozen as well, but the decoration may need touching up after thawing.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use whole eggs instead of egg whites?

Using whole eggs will change the texture and color of the cake. Egg whites keep the cake lighter and help maintain the bright pink color without yellow tones.

How do I prevent the cake from drying out?

Be careful not to overbake the layers and store the cake properly wrapped or covered. Applying a crumb coat before the final frosting helps seal in moisture as well.

Pink Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting Recipe

Print Recipe

★★★★★

4.5 from 55 reviews

This Pink Velvet Cake recipe features tender, moist cake layers in varying shades of pink, layered and frosted with a creamy, smooth cream cheese buttercream. Perfect for celebrations and special occasions, this cake is beautifully decorated with piped heart details in three different pink hues. The recipe includes detailed steps for making the cake layers, frosting, and assembling a stunning multi-layered cake.

Author: Tara
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Yield: One 4-layer 7-inch cake or 3-layer 8-inch cake 1x
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American
Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

Scale

Pink Velvet 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 egg whites or carton 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)

Instructions

Preheat and Prepare Pans: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line four 7-inch or three 8-inch cake pans with parchment rounds and grease them with non-stick spray or homemade cake pan release.
Mix Dry Ingredients: In a mixer bowl, combine cake flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt with a paddle attachment or hand mixer until fully blended.
Add Butter: Slowly incorporate the room temperature unsalted butter on low speed until mixture resembles moist sand without large butter chunks.
Add Egg Whites: Pour in the egg whites and mix on low until just incorporated, scraping bowl sides as needed.
Add Liquids and Vanilla: Mix in buttermilk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract on low speed until combined. Scrape the bowl and beat on medium for 30 seconds for a light texture; batter will be thin.
Color Batter: For four 7-inch layers, divide batter evenly into two bowls (~900g each). Tint one light pink and the other deeper pink with gel food coloring. Pour into pans evenly. For three 8-inch layers, divide into two portions (two light pink and one darker pink).
Bake: Bake for 33-37 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out with a few moist crumbs. Rotate pans halfway through baking for even results.
Cool Cakes: Let pans cool 10 minutes, then run an offset spatula around pan edges. Freeze layers for 30 minutes to speed cooling. Carefully remove cakes from pans once cooled.
Level Cakes: Use a serrated knife to level tops and trim caramelized edges. Optionally, torte layers horizontally for thinner cakes. Wrap and freeze if preparing ahead.
Prepare Frosting: Beat butter and cream cheese on medium speed for 30 seconds until smooth. Add vanilla extract and salt on low speed. Gradually add powdered sugar and heavy cream on low until desired consistency is reached. Adjust with additional cream or sugar as needed. Cover and set aside to prevent crusting.
Assemble Cake: Place first cake layer on a greaseproof board using a dab of frosting to secure. Spread an even layer of buttercream between each layer with an offset spatula.
Crumb Coat and Chill: Apply a thin crumb coat to cover the cake. Smooth with a bench scraper and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes or freezer for 10 minutes until firm.
Final Frosting Layer: Apply a thicker layer of frosting, smoothing the sides carefully with a bench scraper for a polished look.
Color and Pipe Decorations: Divide remaining frosting into three portions. Tint with varying shades of pink gel color. Place each color in separate piping bags fitted with round tips. Use a heart-shaped cookie cutter as a guide to pipe hearts around the cake with each color. Swap to a smaller tip to pipe dots and smaller hearts filling gaps.
Serve or Store: Enjoy immediately or store the cake at room temperature for a few hours, or refrigerate up to one week. Thaw refrigerated cake for about 15 minutes before serving for best texture.

Notes

For consistent cake layer heights, use a kitchen scale to evenly distribute the batter between pans.
Torting the layers for thinner cakes is optional but creates a more elegant multi-layer effect.
The frosting consistency can be adjusted with additional cream or powdered sugar depending on humidity and temperature.
Chilling the cake after crumb coating helps achieve smooth final frosting and easier decorating.
Gel food coloring is preferred for vibrant color without altering the batter consistency.
Use a serrated knife gently to avoid tearing when leveling and torting cakes.
Room temperature ingredients ensure smooth batter and frosting without lumps.

Keywords: Pink Velvet Cake, Cream Cheese Buttercream, Layer Cake, Valentine’s Cake, Pink Cake, Celebration Cake