Pink Cake (VIDEO)

With notes of vanilla and delightfully sweet cream cheese frosting, this moist and fluffy Pink Cake (Pink Velvet Cake) isn't just beautiful but incredibly delicious! Whether you're hosting a baby shower, a princess-themed birthday party, or surprising a loved one with a beautiful Valentine's Day treat, this easy Pink Layer Cake recipe will impress everyone!

Jump to:

• 💡 What flavor is this Pink cake?
• 🌟 Why this is the best Pink Velvet cake recipe
• 📝 Ingredient notes
• 👩‍🍳 How to make this recipe
• 💡 Flavor variations & Substitutions
• 🎓 Expert tips
• 🥣 Equipment Notes
• ❓Pink Velvet Cake FAQs
• 🍰 More Cake recipes
• Pink Cake (VIDEO)

💡 What flavor is this Pink cake?

Unlike your typical Red velvet cake that uses cocoa powder to enhance the flavor, this Pink Cake has vanilla and cream cheese notes. It is super light, refreshing, and not overly sweet, the perfect cake for Valentine´s day, a Baby shower, or birthdays. Why not try also my Pink cupcakes?

🌟 Why this is the best Pink Velvet cake recipe

1. It has the best taste - In addition to using the highest quality ingredients, my pink cake recipe has the perfect balance of sweetness and vanilla and cream cheese flavor for a moist and decadent cake you won't forget!
2. It is easy to make - No fancy ingredients are tools are needed to make this recipe. With easy-to-follow steps, even beginners will feel confident about making this delicious dessert.
3. It is made entirely from scratch - You won't find any boxed cake mix in this recipe! The Pink Cake is made from scratch, giving you complete control of its ingredients.
4. It is versatile - You can also use this recipe to make pink cupcakes, a pink drip cake, or swap out the vanilla for other flavors.
5. It's beautiful - The pretty pink cake color and the creamy marble-colored frosting will impress all of your guests!

📝 Ingredient notes

For the pink sponge cakes

1. Butter - Always use unsalted butter when baking to fully control the amount of salt. The butter should be at room temperature.
2. Sugar - Plain, granulated sugar is all you need for this recipe. Check out my sugar guide for other types of sugar and how to use them in baking.
3. Eggs - For the batter, you will need two whole room-temperature eggs.
4. Flour - I use plain white, all-purpose flour in this recipe. I recommend reading my flour guide for the different types of flour and how to use it in baking.
5. Salt - Salt is a required ingredient that helps to balance out the sweetness.
6. Baking Powder - Baking powder helps create a fluffy cake.
7. Milk - A full-fat whole milk gives the best quality cake. I prefer to use 3% whole milk. The milk should be at room temperature.
8. Vanilla Extract - For the best result and taste, use pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste.
9. Food Coloring - Use a high-quality pink gel food coloring such as Americolor.

🛒 You’ll find detailed measurements for all Ingredients in the printable version of the Recipe Card at the bottom of this post

For the cream cheese frosting

1. Cream cheese - A plain, full-fat cream cheese (eg. Philadephia) with a fat content of at least 33% is a must for the best taste and consistency.
2. Mascarpone - To avoid a runny frosting, use a high-fat mascarpone cheese with at least 41% fat. You can even make your own mascarpone.
3. Powdered Sugar - You will need powdered sugar for the cream cheese frosting.
4. Vanilla Extract - You can also use vanilla bean paste if you do not have access to vanilla extract.
5. Food coloring - A strong gel food coloring such as Americolor gives the best result.

🛒 You’ll find detailed measurements for all Ingredients in the printable version of the Recipe Card at the bottom of this post

👩‍🍳 How to make this recipe

1. How to make the pink cake layers

1. Prepare your baking pans by lightly greasing the bottom with oil and adding parchment paper to the bottom and sides. This recipe uses 3 x 6-inch (15cm) baking pans. For larger or smaller cakes, refer to the conversion table in my chocolate sponge cake recipe.
2. Preheat your oven to 175 C / 347°F. Do not use the fan!
3. Mix your room-temperature butter and sugar using a stand mixer until the color and texture become pale and fluffy.
4. Then, slowly whip your room-temperature eggs into the mix, one at a time.
5. Sift your dry ingredients (flour, salt, and baking powder) together. Set aside your wet ingredients (milk and food coloring) for the next step.
6. Using a rubber spatula, fold the wet and dry ingredients with the butter-sugar-egg mixture in the following order: Wet, dry, wet, dry. You can add more food coloring to make a deeper color if desired.
7. Using a digital scale, evenly divide the cake batter between the three baking pans.
8. Place the cakes in the preheated oven and bake them for roughly 20 minutes or until you can insert a skewer and have it come out clean.
9. Cool the cakes completely before adding the frosting.

💡 Top Tip: You can also look at the cake's sides to check for doneness. If it has started to separate from the pan, it is usually a good indication that the cake is well-baked.

2. How to make cream cheese frosting

1. Using a hand mixer, gently whip the mascarpone, cream cheese, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar in a mixing bowl until you reach a smooth and fluffy texture.
2. Stop whipping the mixture as soon as you reach a good piping consistency. Otherwise, you risk the frosting becoming too runny.

For a deeper cream cheese frosting tutorial, check out my cream cheese frosting recipe.

💡 Top Tip: To help thicken the frosting, place it in the refrigerator for 30-60 minutes before using.

3. How to assemble the Pink velvet cake

1. Using a digital scale, measure 200g of cream cheese frosting to be applied between each cake layer.
2. Build the cake layers from the bottom to the top, applying the frosting between each layer. Once you place the last layer, let the cake chill for at least 30 minutes.
3. Use a thin layer of frosting to crumb coat the cake. Then, let the cake chill for an additional half-hour before applying the final coating. Leave some frosting for decoration.

💡 Top Tip: If at any point you notice the frosting is too soft or the cake is unstable, place it in the refrigerator for about an hour to chill and then continue the process.

4. How to decorate the Pink color cake

1. Mix some leftover frosting with the pink food coloring to create the marble effect. Place dots of the pink frosting on the cake and smooth the frosting using a cake scraper.
2. Add the remaining frosting to a piping bag and use the star nozzle tip to decorate the top of the cake.
3. Serve and enjoy, or store the cake in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.

💡 Top Tip: Before applying the frosting, test its consistency by piping some on a plate to see if it holds its shape. If the frosting is too runny and loses its form, place it in the refrigerator to chill and firm up.

💡 Flavor variations & Substitutions

Chocolate pink cake: If you prefer chocolate sponge cake, follow my delicious chocolate sponge cake recipe before decorating the cake with the pink cream cheese frosting.

Strawberry pink cake: For a pink cake inside and out, try substituting the vanilla layers with my mouthwatering strawberry sponge cakes.

Decorate the cake with these white chocolate covered strawberries.

For Valentine´s day, why not try also my heart shaped cookies or red velvet brownies recipe?

🎓 Expert tips

1. Always preheat your oven before baking. For the best results, use a digital oven thermometer.
2. It is important to bring your wet ingredients (egg, butter, and milk) to room temperature before beginning.
3. To prevent your dry ingredients from becoming too lumpy, sift them before adding them to the mixture.
4. Salt is an essential ingredient to balance out the sweetness. Do not skip it!
5. Since baking times can vary between ovens, it is best to use a skewer to ensure that the cake is well-baked in the center.
6. As soon as the cake is done, remove it from the oven. Otherwise, you risk drying out your cake.
7. When making the frosting, stop whipping as soon as it becomes fluffy. Overwhipping can result in your frosting becoming too soft and runny.
8. Refrigerate your frosting for at least a half hour to ensure it is nice and firm before decorating the cake. You should also refrigerate it if it ever becomes soft or unstable to frost the cake.

🥣 Equipment Notes

In this recipe, I use three 15 cm (6-inch) round cake pans. However, to make a smaller or larger cake, refer to my chocolate sponge cake recipe to adjust your ingredients and cooking times accordingly.

For the best results, use a digital oven thermometer, as some ovens can vary by a few degrees, changing the cake's outcome. Additionally, use a digital scale to ensure you have the most accurate and consistent measurements for your ingredients.

An electric hand mixer will be handy while whipping your cream cheese frosting. A rubber spatula is helpful for folding together the wet and dry ingredients in the batter without overmixing.

When decorating, a cake turntable will make it easy to evenly apply your frosting without having to walk in circles around the cake. Use a piping bag with a French star nozzle tip to neatly and evenly apply your decorations!

❓Pink Velvet Cake FAQs

🍰 More Cake recipes