The Crafting Foodie

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Valentine’s Day Red and Pink Velvet Cake

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I love Valentine’s Day. Mainly because of delicious treats like this Valentine’s Day Red and Pink Velvet Cake. I’ve talked about how my little one is obsessed with pink cakes, so you can imagine how excited she was about this one. I’ve made my fair share of cakes, and this cake, even for me, is a favorite.

Valentine's Day Red and Pink Velvet Cake

It’s a four-layer cake lathered in a rich vanilla frosting. Since I made this Valentine’s Day Red and Pink Velvet Cake using 8-inch pans, it’s quite a towering cake. Frosting it in all white gives it an even loftier impression. And it’s topped with a simple nonpareil heart. Since I didn’t shower the entire cake in sprinkles (like I usually do), I felt compelled to add just a few jumbo heart sprinkles to the bottom of the cake. As soon as my older daughter got her hands on a piece of cake, the first thing she did was pick off and gobble up those heart sprinkles.

Valentine's Day Red and Pink Velvet Cake

While the outside of the cake is nothing special, when you cut into it, that’s the wow moment. The fluffy and moist layers of red and pink velvet reveal themselves in the most striking stripped pattern.

Valentine's Day Red and Pink Velvet Cake

If you’re wondering how it tasted, let’s just say that the guests who came over for dinner happily took half of the cake home to enjoy the next day. Usually my husband is all for sending guests home with baked goods, but this time he regretted it. The next day my husband had a huge slice of the small piece of cake we kept at home, and he lamented how generous I was with the cake. I reassured him that I’d be making a Valentine’s Red and Pink Velvet Cake again, soon, very soon!

Valentine's Day Red and Pink Velvet Cake

Before making this cake, I wasn’t really sure what a pink velvet cake was. What I learned is pink velvet is exactly the same as a red velvet cake with two differences. Pink velvet cake doesn’t have the cocoa powder in it, and it’s tinted with pink food color instead of red. The difference in taste is pretty subtle, but both cakes are fluffy, moist, and most importantly, delicious!

Valentine's Day Red and Pink Velvet Cake

Valentine’s Day Red and Pink Velvet Cake
Author: Aida Arain
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 1, 4-layer, 8 Inch cake
This gorgeous Valentine’s Day Cake is four-layers of alternating red and pink velvet slathered with a creamy, fluffy vanilla frosting.
Ingredients
  • For the Red Velvet Cake: 2 1/2 cups (10 1/2 oz) all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cups (10 1/2 oz) granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tbs unsweetened cocoa
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
  • 2 large eggs at room temperature
  • 1 tbs red gel food coloring (which can be purchased at a craft store) or 2tbs liquid red food color
  • 1 tsp white vinegar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • For the Pink Velvet Cake: 2 1/2 cups (10 1/2 oz) all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cups (10 1/2 oz) granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
  • 2 large eggs at room temperature
  • 1 tsp pink gel food color
  • 1 tsp white vinegar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract (for the pink velvet I used Vanilla-Butter Emulsion by LorAnn Oils. I thought that it gave the pink velvet a more buttery taste.)
  • For the Frosting: 2 1/2 cups (5 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 6 cups confectioners’ sugar
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 tbs of cream or whole milk
Instructions
  1. For each of the cakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Line the bottom of of two, 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper. Grease the bottom and sides of the pans.
  3. In a medium bowl, sift the flour, baking soda, salt, (and cocoa for the red velvet cake).
  4. Pour the oil in a large bowl. Slowly whisk the sugar into the oil (about 1/4 of a cup at a time).
  5. Then add the eggs to the oil mixture, one at a time.
  6. Add the buttermilk, food color, vinegar, and vanilla. Mix until combined.
  7. Add the dry ingredients and whisk until combined.
  8. Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans.
  9. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the center of each cake bounces back when lightly pressed.
  10. Allow the cakes to cool in the pan, on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Once cooled slightly, turn the cakes out of their pans. Allow them to cool completely on a wire cooling rack.
  11. While the cakes are cooling, make the frosting.
  12. For the Frosting: Beat the butter in a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until it’s light and fluffy.
  13. Add the powdered sugar and mix slowly until the sugar is incorporated. Then beat at a higher speed until fluffy.
  14. Add the vanilla, salt, and cream. Beat until fluffy.
  15. To Assemble the Cake: Prepare a heart stencil by tracing a heart on a piece of wax paper. Set the stencil aside.
  16. Once the cakes are cooled, level them by using a serrated knife.
  17. Place a red velvet layer on a cake board or cake platter. Spread a scant 1/4 cup of frosting on top of the cake. Continue in the same fashion, alternating between red and pink velvet cake layers. Chill the cake for about 20 minutes.
  18. Crumb coat the cake, and put it back in the fridge to cool for another 20 minutes.
  19. Apply the final layer of frosting. While the frosting is still fresh, lay the wax paper stencil over the top of the cake, pressing down the edges of the stencil.
  20. Spread an even layer of red nonpareils over the template. Carefully remove the template. Decorate the edges and bottom of the cake in whatever manner you wish.

 

The cake recipe is adapted from Sugar Hero. The frosting recipe is all mine 🙂

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Comments

  9. Wow! Its hard to believe you are a self taught baker. What perfection in each layer!

    Glad to have come across your blog Aida 🙂 Lovely name, BTW

    Reply

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