The Best Easy Pink Velvet Cake
If you have never had a slice of Pink Velvet Cake, now is your chance! With only a few simple ingredients you can create the ultimate pink cake that is perfect for any occasion. A drizzle of cream cheese glaze and it is absolutely perfect!
Table of Contents
Most people have eaten a slice of red velvet cake but not a pink velvet cake. This pink version is different because it starts with a vanilla base instead of chocolate.
Doing this allows you to get a wonderful pink color without much food coloring. Adding the cream cheese glaze to the top is the perfect combination. You will not be able to get enough.
This easy pink velvet cake recipe also works wonderfully as the base for this Easter Bundt Cake and is perfect for a birthday party, Valentine’s Day or a baby shower!
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What goes into this Recipe
Bundt Cake
- Vanilla Cake Mix- Using a boxed cake mix is an easy way to make a delicious pink velvet cake- way easier than a scratch cake! A white or yellow cake mix would also work wonderfully.
- Buttermilk- The secret ingredient to getting a velvet cake.
- Pink Food Gel Coloring– A drop or two is all you need for a beautifully colored cake.
Cream Cheese Glaze
- Cream Cheese- Using a full fat variety that is softened works best.
- Butter- Softened butter adds great flavor to this cream cheese frosting.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations
- Raspberry Swirl Pink Velvet Cake: Add a raspberry swirl to the cake batter by folding in 1/2 cup of raspberry preserves before pouring it into the bundt pan. Swirl it gently with a knife for a marbled effect.
- Strawberry Delight Pink Cake: Fold in 1 cup of diced fresh strawberries {or pureed strawberries} to the cake batter for a fruity variation. Top the strawberry cake with cream cheese glaze with additional sliced strawberries or strawberry frosting for a decorative touch.
How to make a Pink Velvet Cake
- Begin by adding the cake mix, eggs, buttermilk, vegetable oil, vanilla extract and pink food coloring to a large bowl. Mix using a hand held mixer {or by hand} at medium speed until you have a thick light pink batter.
- Pour the batter into a bundt pan that has been prepared with nonstick cooking spray. Spread the batter out into an even layer.
- Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out with only a few crumbs but no raw cake batter.
- Allow it to cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes. Invert the cake onto your plate.
- Once the cake is completely cooled, add the softened cream cheese to a medium bowl and mix until light and fluffy. Add the butter and mix to combine. Finally add the vanilla extract and powdered sugar. Mix until everything is combined. Microwave the bowl for 30 seconds and stir. Continue to microwave at 15 second increments until you get a pourable consistency.
- Pour the cream cheese buttercream frosting over the top of the baked cake. Use the back of a spoon to spread if necessary.
Expert Tips
- Don’t spray the pan with nonstick spray until right before you add the batter. Doing this too soon allows the spray to pool at the bottom of the pan and the cake might stick.
- Only add a drop or two of pink food coloring to the batter. Adding too much will change the texture of the cake. You can also try these awesome Pink Velvet Cake Crumbl Cookies!
- Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before inverting. Trying to turn it out too soon will not work as well.
- Do not add the cream cheese glaze on top of the cake until it is completely cooled. Adding it too soon will melt the tangy glaze so wait until the cake is room temperature.
Storage and Freezing
Store – The best way to store this cake is tightly covered and in the refrigerator. The cream cheese frosting should be refrigerated and it gives the cake a wonderful texture.
Freeze – This cake freezes well for up to 3 months in an airtight container or tightly wrapped in a couple layers of plastic wrap.
Recipe FAQs
The main difference, besides the red food coloring being added to the batter, is that a red velvet cake starts with a chocolate base giving it the flavor of chocolate. This pink cake begins with a vanilla or white cake base.
If you love red velvet cakes, try this Red Velvet Bundt Cake or Black Bottom Red Velvet Cake.
There are a few things you can do to ensure that you end up with a moist cake. First of all, don’t over bake the cake. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs {but no raw batter}. Over baking will give you a dry cake.
You can also add sour cream, buttermilk or applesauce to the cake batter and give the cake more moisture and flavor!
The main thing that makes a velvet cake different from a regular cake is that it contains buttermilk. Adding this one ingredient to your cake batter results in a light silky {velvety} texture and a bit of a tangy flavor that works great with the sweet cake.
If you don’t have buttermilk there is an easy solution. Make your own by combining a cup of milk with 1 teaspoon of either lemon juice or white vinegar. Allow it to sit for 4-5 minutes and it is ready to use.
Do you love easy bundt cakes? Try these amazing recipes…
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Easy Pink Velvet Cake
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 box vanilla cake mix {15.25 ounces}
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1-2 drops pink food coloring
Cream Cheese Glaze
- 4 ounces cream cheese {softened}
- ¼ cup butter {softened}
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- In a medium bowl combine the cake mix, eggs, buttermilk, vegetable oil, vanilla extract and pink food coloring. Use a hand held mixer {or mix by hand} to incorporate the ingredients until you have a thick pink cake batter.
- Spray a bundt pan liberally with nonstick cooking spray. Pour the cake batter into the pan and spread out into an even layer. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs {no raw cake batter}. Remove from the oven and allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before inverting it onto a cake plate.
Cream Cheese Glaze
- Once the cake is completely cooled {about an hour} add the cream cheese to a small bowl and mix until creamy and smooth. Add the softened butter and continue to mix until incorporated. Finally, add the vanilla extract and powdered sugar. Mix into the cream cheese and butter until you have a smooth frosting.
- To get a glaze consistency, microwave the cream cheese frosting for 30 seconds. Stir and continue with 15 second intervals until you have a pourable glaze. Pour the glaze over the top of the cooled bundt cake. Use the back of a spoon to spread it out evenly if needed.
Notes
- If you don’t have buttermilk there is an easy solution. Combine a cup of milk with 1 teaspoon of either lemon juice or white vinegar. Allow it to sit for 4-5 minutes and it is ready to use.
- Only add a drop or two of pink food coloring to the batter. Adding too much will change the texture of the cake.
- You can bake this cake in a 9×13 pan. Adjust the bake time to 28-33 minutes.
- Do not add the cream cheese glaze until the cake is completely cooled. Doing this step while the cake is warm will melt the glaze.
