Pink velvet cake is fluffy, moist and has a velvety crumb that melts in your mouth
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
Cake Batter and Frosting Calculator
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Cups of Batter Needed
8 cups
Cups of Frosting Needed
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
Fatima Reis says
Hell Liiz, thanks for this lovely recipe. I love cakes with whipped cream. I could not find the card for the metric
system. Could you please indicate where the card can be found? I appreciate. Cheers all the way from S. Paulo, Brasil.
The Sugar Geek Show says
You can change the measurements to metric by going to the bottom of the recipe card and clicking the option that says "metric"
Irene says
Look at bottom of ingredient list for Metric conversion
iza says
Love U for metric version of ingredients 😀
This Cake is sooooo cooooool 😛 ;P
KELLEY says
This sounds lovely! Would you recommend any changes for high altitude? I'm at a mile high:)
thank you always and forever for sharing so much awesome knowledge with all of us!
The Sugar Geek Show says
This might help 🙂 https://sugargeekshow.com/news/high-altitude-baking-hacks/
Laura Estep says
I can't wait to try your cake and frosting recipes. They look absolutely amazing and I will be trying these with my 8year granddaughter that loves to help me in the kitchen anytime I'm in there
Alexis says
Good Morning,
I would like to use your recipe for cupcakes, but i'm unsure of the conversion to figure out how many cupcakes it'll make. Do you have a suggestion?
Thank you!
The Sugar Geek Show says
I don't know exactly how many cupcakes this will make. Probably around 24
N says
Hi
I don’t think we sell cake flour. What can I replace it with?? Is it self raising flour?
The Sugar Geek Show says
There is not a replacement for cake flour for this particular recipe because of the reverse creaming method. If you are in the UK you can search for Shipton Mills soft cake flour online. Cake flour has a protein level of 5%-8% so you can also search for low protein cake flour. All purpose flour has a protein level of 10% or more so it wont work for a cake recipe. The texture will be more like cornbread
Olanrewaju zainab says
Hello,I love dat cake back but I have a small experience on it,I know how to do d cake but I want to learn more in different style.
The Sugar Geek Show says
Check out my how to make your first cake video https://sugargeekshow.com/news/how-to-make-a-cake/
Marti Scruggs says
Hi Liz, are the measurements for the stabilized whipped cream correct, specifically, 1 T water to 2 teaspoons gelatin? I've tried it a couple times with no success. Probably something I am doing, but would appreciate your input.
The Sugar Geek Show says
What are you having issues with? I just made this and those were the measurements I used 🙂
Jane says
I had the same problem. Also my brother said the cake tasted like flour but I followed all the directions.
The Sugar Geek Show says
Perhaps you didn't bake it long enough
Nilda Jacobe says
Hi Liz, been watching your youtube channel, as well as following you on instagram. My question is can I used pasteurised egg whites?Thanks
The Sugar Geek Show says
Yes you can. 1 egg white = 1 ounce
Macy says
Hey could I use a buttercream instead of the whipped cream?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Absolutely 🙂
Fiorefer says
Hi, I don't see the vinegar in this recipe.
The Sugar Geek Show says
There isn't any vinegar in this recipe 🙂
Priyanka says
Plz can you tell if i want to make only 1 6" cake can i halve the ingredients . Will it work?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Yes you can half the recipe
Bea says
I am so MAD at you! I found this recipe & have made it almost weekly for first one then another. Now I think I'm addicted to eating it....lol..it's so delicious, fluffy & the whipped cream is my favorite thing to. Thank you so much!!
The Sugar Geek Show says
Haha sorry about that 😀
Gayle Yu says
Can the cake be covered in ganache and fondant? will it hold the weight? Love your recipes btw ?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Yes you can use this cake for anything, just make sure the cake is chilled for easier handling since it is delicate
Holly says
What are the best cake pans in your opinion please ?
The Sugar Geek Show says
I really like fat daddio and magic line pans
MJ says
Can the iced cake be frozen?
Sounds YUMMY!
The Sugar Geek Show says
Yes you can freeze an iced cake and defrost for 24 hours in the fridge before serving
Joanna Duran says
Great cake, so smooth and beautiful.
But my question is in relation to the mixer you are using. What type is it? I have used many a mixer including those in bakeries, but I don't ever recall seeing one quite like the one you have.
The Sugar Geek Show says
This is a bosch mixer, I have a review if you want to check it out https://sugargeekshow.com/news/bosch-mixer-review/
Linda S says
Where do you find electric pink food color?
The Sugar Geek Show says
On Amazon or from the americolor website
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
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!
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 🙂
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 🙁
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
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!
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
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/news/bosch-mixer-review/
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