Earlier this week, I made this pink velvet cake for my thirty ninth birthday. I introduced it to my e-book membership, which occurred to be assembly that night, and it was devoured. And sure, I made them sing so I might blow out candles and make a want. I’m shameless! The reality is I’ve been making this pink velvet cake recipe for almost twenty years now. That is the recipe I used again once we had a neighborhood retailer with a candy store stocked with cupcakes inside. IMHO, it’s the greatest pink velvet cake recipe!
What I like about this pink velvet cake is it’s tremendous, and I imply tremendous, moist. The cake is gentle and spongy, frivolously chocolate and stained a deep pink. The cream cheese frosting is creamy, decadent, however not too candy. And what’s sort of attention-grabbing about this pink velvet cake recipe is it doesn’t comprise any buttermilk, or milk, or eggs and even butter. The cake occurs to be dairy free and made with all-purpose flour. So even essentially the most informal baker doubtless has all of the elements wanted readily available. The cream cheese frosting is totally NOT dairy-free, however it’s easy with solely 5 elements. So, in case you are in search of a straightforward pink velvet cake with cream cheese frosting that doesn’t compromise on taste or texture, that is it!
Associated: In case you love this recipe, subsequent up, strive pink velvet cookies or pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting.

Components
- All-purpose flour
- Granulated white sugar
- Cocoa powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Vanilla extract
- Canola oil
- White vinegar
- Water
- Crimson meals coloring – I like to make use of gel meals dye
- Cream cheese
- Unsalted butter
- Powdered sugar – additionally known as confectioner’s sugar
- Salt

Directions
For the cake, whisk collectively the dry elements: flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Then stir within the moist elements: vanilla, oil, vinegar and water. It will make a really moist cake batter. Final, stir within the pink meals coloring.
Put together the baking pans. I add parchment paper to the bottoms after which spray properly across the edges with nonstick cooking spray. Pour the batter into the pans, dividing it evenly. Place the pan on a baking sheet, to make them simpler to maneuver, and bake at 350°F for half-hour. To test if they’re carried out, insert a toothpick to the middle of the cake. If it comes out clear (no moist batter hooked up), it’s carried out. Enable the desserts to chill within the pans earlier than eradicating.
To make the frosting, begin with softened (room temperature) cream cheese and butter. I normally set mine out (within the package deal) the evening earlier than on my kitchen counter. In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or massive bowl with an electrical hand mixer, whip collectively the cream cheese and butter till easy. Then combine within the vanilla extract. Then add the powdered sugar a cup at a time, mixing in between (or with a stand mixer operating on low) till the frosting comes collectively. Scrape down the edges of the bowl with a rubber spatula to verify all of the sugar is getting integrated properly. Add the salt with the final of the powdered sugar.
Take away the desserts from the pan. I normally run a knife alongside the perimeters between the cake and pan to verify they’re loosened. Then I invert them onto a cooling rack. Assemble your cake with a thick layer of frosting between the cake layers and on prime. I like to make use of an offset spatula to frost a cake. You’ll have loads of frosting if you wish to frost the edges as properly.

Suggestions and Notes
- As an alternative of canola oil you can use vegetable oil or every other flavorless or gentle flavored cooking oil.
- In case you don’t wish to use pink dye, you can strive one thing pure like powdered (dehydrated) raspberries, cranberries or beets. Whereas I don’t vital need pink meals dye in my meals more often than not, I are inclined to make an exception for a cake I solely eat a few times a 12 months, however that’s simply me.
- I baked this cake in two 8-inch spherical cake pans at 350°F for half-hour. In case you use two 9-inch spherical pans, you could wish to cut back the bake time to round 25-27 minutes. In case you bake this recipe in a big cupcake pan, you could wish to cut back the bake time to 22-24 minutes. The toothpick take a look at is the best way to go to make sure they’re carried out!
- In case you do make this recipe into pink velvet cupcakes, I’d advocate reducing the frosting recipe in half or possibly 2/3. It makes loads of frosting for a cake however an excessive amount of for cupcakes, IMO. (And I like loads of frosting, for the file.)
- You possibly can retailer leftover pink velvet cake in an hermetic container within the fridge for no less than 3 days. I do advocate refrigerating as soon as the cake is frosted because the cream cheese frosting does, in fact, comprise dairy.

Extra Cake and Dessert Recipes

Get our FREE recipe information with our hottest recipes of all time!
Free Widespread Recipe Information
Our prime 25 recipes of all time!
Get the Recipe
A brilliant moist and spongy cake with cream cheese frosting.
Directions
-
For the cake, whisk collectively the dry elements: flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt.
-
Then stir within the moist elements: vanilla, oil, vinegar and water. It will make a really moist cake batter. Final, stir within the pink meals coloring.
-
Put together the baking pans. I add parchment paper to the bottoms after which spray properly across the edges with nonstick cooking spray.
-
Pour the batter into the pans, dividing it evenly. Place the pan on a baking sheet, to make them simpler to maneuver, and bake at 350°F for half-hour.
-
To test if they’re carried out, insert a toothpick to the middle of the cake. If it comes out clear (no moist batter hooked up), it’s carried out. Enable the desserts to chill within the pans earlier than eradicating.
-
To make the frosting, begin with softened (room temperature) cream cheese and butter. I normally set mine out (within the package deal) the evening earlier than on my kitchen counter.
-
In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or massive bowl with an electrical hand mixer, whip collectively the cream cheese and butter till easy.
-
Then combine within the vanilla extract.
-
Then add the powdered sugar a cup at a time, mixing in between (or with a stand mixer operating on low) till the frosting comes collectively. Scrape down the edges of the bowl with a rubber spatula to verify all of the sugar is getting integrated properly.
-
Add the salt with the final of the powdered sugar.
-
Take away the desserts from the pan. I normally run a knife alongside the perimeters between the cake and pan to verify they’re loosened. Then I invert them onto a cooling rack.
-
Assemble your cake with a thick layer of frosting between the cake layers and on prime. I like to make use of an offset spatula to frost a cake. You’ll have loads of frosting if you wish to frost the edges as properly.
Notes
- As an alternative of canola oil, you can use vegetable oil or every other flavorless or gentle flavored cooking oil.
- In case you don’t wish to use pink dye, you can strive one thing pure like powdered (dehydrated) raspberries, cranberries or beets. Whereas I don’t vital need pink meals dye in my meals more often than not, I are inclined to make an exception for a cake I solely eat a few times a 12 months, however that’s simply me.
- I baked this cake in two 8-inch spherical cake pans at 350°F for half-hour. In case you use two 9-inch spherical pans, you could wish to cut back the bake time to round 25-27 minutes. In case you bake this recipe in a big cupcake pan, you could wish to cut back the bake time to 22-24 minutes. The toothpick take a look at is the best way to go to make sure they’re carried out!
- In case you do make this recipe into pink velvet cupcakes I’d advocate reducing the frosting recipe in half or possibly 2/3. It makes loads of frosting for a cake however an excessive amount of for cupcakes, IMO. (And I like loads of frosting, for the file.)
- You possibly can retailer leftover pink velvet cake in an hermetic container within the fridge for no less than 3 days. I do advocate refrigerating as soon as the cake is frosted because the cream cheese frosting does, in fact, comprise dairy.
Diet
Diet Details
Crimson Velvet Cake
Quantity per Serving
% Day by day Worth*
* % Day by day Values are based mostly on a 2000 calorie eating regimen.
Discover: Diet is auto-calculated, utilizing Spoonacular, in your comfort. The place related, we advocate utilizing your personal diet calculations.