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Pink Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.8 from 84 reviews
  • Author: Lisa
  • Prep Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 35 minutes
  • Total Time: 4 hours 5 minutes
  • Yield: 12 servings 1x
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Description

This Pink Velvet Cake recipe features moist, tender layers of pink-hued cake, perfectly balanced with a rich and creamy cream cheese frosting. Ideal for celebrations, this delightful cake is stunning in appearance and deliciously flavorful, combining traditional velvet cake elements with vibrant pink coloring and a smooth, tangy frosting that complements the sweet cake layers beautifully.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Cake:

  • 2½ cups all-purpose flour (350 grams)
  • 2 cups granulated sugar (400 grams)
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda (6 grams)
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder (4 grams)
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1½ cups buttermilk (341 grams), room temperature
  • 3 large eggs (150 grams), room temperature
  • ½ cup vegetable oil (100 grams)
  • 1 tablespoon white vinegar (14 grams)
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract (8 grams)
  • Pink gel food coloring, amount as needed to achieve desired color

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

  • 8 ounces cream cheese (227 grams), room temperature
  • ¾ cup unsalted butter (170 grams), slightly melted
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract (12 grams)
  • 5 cups powdered sugar (600 grams)

Instructions

  1. Prepare Cake Pans: Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray two 8-inch round cake pans with nonstick spray and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Set aside.
  2. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until well combined. Set aside.
  3. Combine Wet Ingredients: Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together buttermilk, eggs, vegetable oil, white vinegar, vanilla extract, and pink gel food coloring on low speed until just combined. Add more coloring to reach desired shade.
  4. Combine Wet and Dry Mixtures: Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and gently beat on low speed just until mixed. Scrape down sides with a spatula, being careful not to overmix to keep the cake tender.
  5. Divide Batter: Evenly divide batter between the two prepared pans, approximately 687 grams per pan, to ensure even layers.
  6. Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 33-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  7. Cool Cakes: Allow cakes to cool in pans for 15 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.
  8. Chill Cakes: Once cooled, wrap each cake layer tightly in food-safe plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours to firm up before frosting.
  9. Prepare Frosting: With a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla on high for about 2 minutes until smooth and creamy.
  10. Add Powdered Sugar: Gradually add powdered sugar and continue beating for an additional 2 minutes until frosting is smooth and fluffy.
  11. Level Cakes: After chilling, slice the dome tops off each cake layer with a serrated knife for flat, even surfaces. Reserve cut tops for snacking.
  12. Assemble Base Layer: Spread about 2 tablespoons of frosting on a cake board or plate to secure the first cake layer (cut side facing up) to the base.
  13. Add Middle Frosting Layer: Spread a generous layer of frosting on the first cake layer, then place the second cake layer on top, flipped bottom side up.
  14. Apply Crumb Coat: Coat the entire cake lightly with frosting to trap crumbs, smoothing with a cake scraper. It’s okay if the cake is slightly visible.
  15. Freeze for Firming: Place crumb-coated cake in freezer for 10 minutes to set the frosting.
  16. Divide and Color Frosting: Separate remaining frosting into three portions. Tint one portion light pink, another dark pink, and leave one white. Place each in separate tipless piping bags.
  17. Pipe Colored Frosting: Starting at the cake base, pipe the darker pink around the bottom third, lighter pink around the middle, and white around the top third and cake top.
  18. Smooth Frosting: Gently smooth the frosting layers with a cake scraper, collecting excess frosting in a bowl.
  19. Combine and Recolor Frosting: Combine all collected frosting, recolor to desired pink shade, and pipe decorative circles around the cake top using a large round tip (Wilton 1A).
  20. Final Chill: Return cake to freezer for about 10 minutes to firm up the decorative frosting details before serving.

Notes

  • Store pink velvet cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
  • The cake can be frozen for up to 3 months when wrapped properly to maintain freshness.
  • Room temperature ingredients ensure better mixing and texture.
  • Do not overmix the batter to avoid a dense cake texture.
  • Chilling the cake layers before frosting helps prevent fogging and crumbling during decorating.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 slice (1/12 of cake)
  • Calories: 460
  • Sugar: 38g
  • Sodium: 280mg
  • Fat: 22g
  • Saturated Fat: 9g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 11g
  • Trans Fat: 0g
  • Carbohydrates: 60g
  • Fiber: 1g
  • Protein: 4g
  • Cholesterol: 65mg

Find it online: https://yumyy.com/pink-velvet-cake-with-cream-cheese-frosting-recipe/