Is it too late to share a Valentine’s Day recipe? I’m crossing my fingers we can sneak one in here before the big day, because today’s pink velvet cake is ADORABLE. If cute and sweet is what you’re after this Valentine’s Day, you’re going to love this one!
I’ll be honest- Valentine’s Day totally snuck up on me. In years past, I have been eager to go all-out for my kids and husband on February 14th, but I’ll admit- I’m behind! Maybe that’s reason for today’s cake’s message. I knew I wanted to make a heart-shaped pink velvet cake for this blog, but I wasn’t sure who it would be for. I decided on “You are so loved,” because it’s the single Valentine’s Day sentiment that is appropriate for any recipient. My husband is loved. My kids are loved. You, sweet reader, are loved too. Don’t be afraid to remind the people around you how loved they are today and this week. And if someone hasn’t told you lately, let me be the one to do it- YOU ARE SO LOVED.
What is Pink Velvet Cake?
I’ll be honest- when I set out to make a pink velvet cake for the first time, what I really wanted was a red velvet-flavored cake that was pink in color. But did you know that pink velvet and red velvet are actually two different flavors? I sure didn’t. Where red velvet is a moist oil and butter cake that is barely scented with cocoa powder, pink velvet has no chocolate whatsoever! What you’re left with is a lightly sweetened, almost tangy cake that has a hint of vanilla. In a word- yummy.
How to Make a Pink Velvet Cake
We start with oil, butter, and sugar. These three ingredients stir together in a mixing bowl until creamed. Next, eggs stir in along with the dry ingredients which alternate with the wet ingredients. One unique inclusion in this cake is vinegar! Just a smidge adds a tang to this cake that is undeniably delish. Finally, if you’d like, a couple drops of pink food coloring add to the mix. Bake the layers in a 350 degrees oven until a toothpick inserted comes out clean! (PS- I used this Wilton heart pan!)
The frosting for this cake is a simple buttercream made with butter, vanilla, salt, powdered sugar, and milk. You’ll notice in the instructions that this recipe calls for A LOT of frosting. Keep in mind that you only need to make that much if you plan to decorate it all fancy like this frilly heart cake pictured. If you plan to make a simple round frosted cake, you can halve the frosting recipe.
Decorating a Vintage Heart Cake
I LOVE the vintage cake trend. Piping onto cakes is not something I’m especially good at, but I absolutely love anything that is unabashedly girly and over-the-top. So I knew I had to go for it. A few things on decorating a vintage-style cake:
First, you need loads of frosting. All those piped swirls really require tons of buttercream, so don’t be shy. Second, stick with 2-3 different shaped piping tips. For this cake, I opted for star tips in two sizes, round tips in two sizes, and a ruffle tip. I think limiting yourself to a few different styles keeps things cohesive. Finally, don’t let your frosting get too warm! Holding onto that piping bag for dear life will warm up your buttercream and make it difficult for the swirls to hold their shape. For your convenience, I’ve listed the tips I used for this cake in the notes section of the recipe- be sure to check it out! In the meantime, I hope you guys have the happiest Valentine’s Day- happy baking!
Pink Velvet Cake
This pink velvet cake is a tangy vanilla cake with a pink hue and a lightly sweetened buttercream frosting!
- Prep Time: 25
- Cook Time: 25
- Total Time: 1.5 Hours
- Yield: 9 Servings
- Category: Cake
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 3/4 cup (170 gm) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (120 gm) canola oil
- 2 cups (400 gm) sugar
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2–2/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1–1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1–1/4 cups (300 g m) whole milk, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup (60 gm) white vinegar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon pink food coloring
For the frosting
- 2–1/2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 6 cups powdered sugar
- Up to ¼ cup milk
Instructions
To prepare the cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease and flour 3-8” round pans (or 8” heart-shaped pans).
- In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter, oil, and sugar on medium speed for 3 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the eggs one at a time, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. Stir to combine.
- In a separate bowl, gently whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, combine the milk, vinegar, and vanilla. Add half of the dry ingredients mixture to the butter and stir on low to combine. Add half of the liquid ingredients and stir just to combine. Scrape the sides of the bowl and then repeat this process. Add the pink food coloring and stir to combine. Divide the batter equally among the three pans and bake in the preheated oven until puffed and a toothpick inserted comes out clean, about 22-25 minutes. Allow to cool completely prior to frosting.
To prepare the frosting:
- In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter on medium speed (I use 4 on my stand mixer) for 2-3 minutes until light and creamy, scraping the bowl as necessary. Add the salt, vanilla, and powdered sugar and beat on low speed until incorporated. Scrape the sides of the bowl and continue to beat until well combined. Add the milk 1 tablespoon at a time until you reach your desired consistency.
To assemble the cake:
- Use a serrated knife to level the cakes, if necessary. Smooth a small amount of frosting on an 9” cake board or plate and center a single cake layer on top (I trimmed my board into the shape of the heart pan). Smoothly spread a thick layer of frosting on top, extending the buttercream all the way to just eby9ond the edge of the cake. Stack the second cake layer on top and repeat the entire process once more. Place the final cake layer on top. Spread a thin coat of frosting (crumb coat) all over the cake and allow it to set up in the fridge prior to applying the final coat of frosting. You can skip this step if desired. Finish frosting and decorating the cake as desired with the rest of the buttercream. Cake will keep in the refrigerator covered in plastic for up to three days.
Notes
I used the following tips for my decorations: (Wilton 102, 21, 4, and 2)
