Homemade Pink velvet cake covered in a thick layer of stabilized whipped cream and fresh raspberries. If you loved my white velvet buttermilk cake and my red velvet cake, this is the cake for you. This pretty pink cake is perfect for Valentine's Day.
What does pink velvet cake taste like?
Pink velvet cake is a vanilla-flavored cake. The pink color comes from just a touch of pink food coloring although you could use natural colorings like strawberry or raspberry emulsion to get that pretty pink color without any artificial colors.
I like to use a liquid pink food coloring instead of a gel because it mixes into the milk/egg mixture better than a gel which can leave behind a few specks. If all you have is gel food coloring then mix it with a teaspoon of warm water and stir well before adding it into your cake batter.
How do you make a pink velvet layer cake?
Making a layer cake doesn't have to be hard. Follow these simple steps to making a beautiful pink velvet layer cake.
- Bake your pink velvet cake layers and let them cool
- Trim off the dome and the brown sides of the cake if you want your cake slice to be really pretty
- Make your stabilized whipped cream
- Place your first layer of cake onto your cake board or plate
- Use an offset spatula to spread a layer of whipped cream on top of the cake then place your second layer of cake on top of the whipped cream. Repeat with the final layer of cake.
- Spread a thin layer of whipped cream all over your cake and then put the whole cake into the freezer for 10 minutes
- Spread a final layer of whipped cream on top of the cake
- Use a bench scraper to make the sides straight and an offset spatula to make the top flat
- Optional: use a cake comb to make the sides more interesting
- Finish the cake design with some swirls of whipped cream on top using a 1M piping tip and finish with some fresh raspberries.
If you want to learn more about the basics of stacking and frosting a cake you can check out this tutorial on making your first cake.
What makes a cake velvet cake?
A lot of people ask what makes a cake a velvet cake. The answer is in the texture of the cake. Velvet cakes make use of buttermilk and sometimes vinegar that reacts with baking soda to create a delicious velvet-textured cake.
Buttermilk is one of those magical ingredients that really adds tenderness to baked goods. It also leaves behind a slightly tangy flavor that cuts down on the sweetness of a cake.
What makes velvet cake so moist?
Velvet cakes are super moist because of the buttermilk and the oil. No need for simple syrup, these cakes stay moist for days.
Don't have buttermilk? It's ok! You can substitute buttermilk for 10 ounces of milk with 2 Tablespoons of white vinegar or lemon juice added. Stir and let sit for 5 minutes then add it to your recipe.
Pink velvet cake with stabilized whipped cream should be stored in the refrigerator because of the dairy in the whipped cream but cold cake doesn't taste so great. I take my cake out of the fridge for about an hour or two before it will be served to give the cake a chance to warm up.
Other velvet cake recipes you might enjoy
Black Velvet Cake
Authentic Red Velvet Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting
White Velvet Cake With Ermine Frosting
Green Velvet Cake
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Cups of Batter Needed
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5 cups
Note: measurements are estimated based off the vanilla cake recipe using standard US cake pans and sizes. Measurements used are for 2" tall cake pans only. Your results may vary. Do not overfill cake pans above manufacturer's recommended guidelines.
Recipe
Equipment
- Stand Mixer
- Whisk Attachment
- Paddle Attachment
Ingredients
Pink Velvet Cake Ingredients
- 13 oz cake flour
- 12 oz granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 5 oz egg whites room temperature
- 4 oz vegetable oil
- 10 oz buttermilk room temperature or slightly warm
- 6 oz butter unsalted and softened
- 2 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 drops electric pink food coloring
Stabilized Whipped Cream
- 24 ounces Heavy whipping cream
- 4 ounces powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons powdered gelatin
- 1 Tablespoon cold water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup fresh raspberries (optional) garnish
Instructions
- NOTE: It is SUPER IMPORTANT that all the room temperature ingredients listed above are room temperature and measured by weight so that the ingredients mix and incorporate correctly. Heat oven to 335º F/168º C — 350º F/177º C. I tend to use lower setting to prevent my cakes from getting too dark on the outside before the inside is done baking.
- Prepare two three 6"x2" cake pans with cake goop or another preferred pan spray. Fill your pans about ¾ of the way full of batter.
- Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Mix 10 seconds to combine.
- Combine ½ cup of the milk and the oil together and set aside.
- Combine the remaining milk, egg whites, pink food coloring and vanilla together, whisk to break up the eggs and set aside.
- Add your softened butter to the dry ingredients and mix on low until mixture resembles a coarse sand (about 30 seconds). Add in your milk/oil mixture and let mix until dry ingredients are moistened and then bump up to med (setting 4 on my kitchenaid) and let mix for 2 minutes to develop the cakes structure. If you don't let your cake mix on this step your cake could collapse.
- Scrape your bowl and then reduce speed to low. Add in your egg white mixture in three batches, letting the batter mix for 15 seconds between additions.
- Scrape down the sides again to make sure everything has incorporated then pour into prepared pans. Bake 35-40 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out cleanly but the cake has not begun to shrink yet from the sides of the pan. IMMEDIATELY TAP PAN FIRMLY on countertop once to release the steam from the cake. This stops the cake from shrinking.
- Let cakes cool for 10 minutes inside the pan before flipping them out. The cake will shrink a bit and that is normal. Flip onto a cooling rack and let cool fully. I chill my cakes before handling or you can wrap them in plastic wrap and freeze them to trap moisture in the cake. Thaw on the countertop while still wrapped before frosting.
Stabilized Whipped Cream
- Sprinkle your gelatin over the water and let bloom for 5 minutes.
- Melt gelatin for 5 seconds in the microwave. If not fully melted do another 3 seconds. You can tell gelatin is melted when there are no granules of unmelted gelatin visible.After dissolving your gelatin, add in 1 teaspoon of heavy cream and mix. If your gelatin is too cold, heat again until it's melted (5 seconds).
- In a cold mixing bowl, whip your heavy cream to soft peaks
- Add in your powdered sugar and vanilla and mix until combined
- Turn your mixer down to low and drizzle in your gelatin and mix until whipped cream forms stiff peaks. Do not over-mix or your whipped cream will turn into butter.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Cindy says
Can we use almond milk instead of buttermilk ?
The Sugar Geek Show says
I think you could but you would have to add two Tablespoons of white vinegar to the milk
Sherry says
Can this be made in two 8”pans ?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Yes you can use two 8" pans instead of 6" pans
Judy Caputo says
This cake is beautiful. I think has bake sale possibilities. Our garden club is having a Rummage/Craft/Bake Sale in March. I have been looking for some different recipes to make for the bake sale. I wonder, could a white cake mix be used instead of making the cake from scratch?
The Sugar Geek Show says
If you used white cake mix that would be a completely different recipe. You would literally be replacing every ingredient so I'm not sure what you're asking 🙂 If you want to bake with a white cake mix you can but it won't be this recipe.
Chris says
This looks and sounds delicious! Any recommendations for gluten free? Will almond flour or coconut flour work?
The Sugar Geek Show says
For gluten free I would use a good gluten free flour mix like bobs red mill 1:1 baking mix
Lauren says
Look into cake bands..there are several different makers. I just ordered some off Amazon...you are able to totally remove the need for trimming the dome and the dark sides. I didn’t know anything about bands until recently, but now my life is forever changed❤️?
The Sugar Geek Show says
I know about them, I just don't like using them but to each their own 😀
Deborah Kawamoto says
Will this cake hold up for a 10" and 6" round tiered cake w/ three layers each?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Yes, this cake makes great tiered cakes
Ivye Sowders says
What kind (name is mixer) of mixer is used in the video to make the pink cake? Name, where did you get it, costs of mixer? Can you get it in North Carolina?
Ivye
The Sugar Geek Show says
This is my bosch universal plus mixer, I did a review on it on my blog a few months ago 🙂 https://sugargeekshow.com/bosch-mixer-review/
Bobbie says
In description above the recipe, you wrote Velvet cakes make use of buttermilk and vinegar that reacts with baking soda to create a delicious velvet-textured cake. " But I don't see vinegar listed in your ingredients. Should there be vinegar added??
The Sugar Geek Show says
It depends on the velvet recipe, red velvet and black velvet has vinegar in it but white velvet and pink velvet does not, unless you substitute buttermilk for milk/vinegar
Natalie says
This cake is AMAZING! I made it for Valentine's day and had it with whipped cream frosting and strawberry reduction in the middle. Perfectly moist, fluffy and delicious. Thank you!
Mercy says
How long, how many days can d cake stay in room temperature
The Sugar Geek Show says
Two days but if you're using whipped cream it has to be refrigerated
Diana says
I am sad cause everytime i see an amazing recipe here, i found i can´t do it cause i can´t get the right ingredients, cake flour simply does not exists here, so imposible to make.
The Sugar Geek Show says
Sorry about that 🙁
Deborah Kawamoto says
May I use boxed egg whites?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Yes you can use boxed egg whites for this recipe
Deborah Kawamoto says
Thank you....I just started getting my ingredients ready and noticed my dad bought canola oil...Can I substitute the canola oil for vegetable oil? I hope so, the market is a drive away.
The Sugar Geek Show says
Yes you can use either 🙂
Grace says
How could I make this cake in a 9x13 pan?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Just pour the batter into a 9X13 pan and bake until the a toothpick comes away from the center cleanly. Could be at least 40 minutes or more.
Linda Jennings says
Thanks for answering this question! Am thinking of tackling this cake, but don’t know about the stabilized whipping cream..Is there another frosting that can be used that will give the same dramatic effect?
The Sugar Geek Show says
You can use any frosting recipe that you like for this recipe. Check out my frosting and fillings section for lots of ideas!
Brandi says
Hi Liz,
I’m trying to make this recipe in a half sheet cake pan. What would I change the recipe servings to? 54 is the amount of servings I found online for a half sheet cake pan but I wanted to check first so I don’t make more than needed. Thank you!!
The Sugar Geek Show says
You would need to triple this recipe to have enough batter for a half sheet pan
Linda S says
Where do you find electric pink food color?
The Sugar Geek Show says
On Amazon or from the americolor website