If you're looking for a cake that's as pretty as it is delicious, this Pink Velvet Sheet Cake is it. With its soft, tender crumb, naturally pink color, and fruity raspberry flavor, it's a show-stopping dessert that's easy enough to make at home. Topped with creamy cream cheese frosting and a sprinkle of pink on top, this cake is perfect for celebrating all kinds of special moments.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
This pink velvet cake is more than just a pretty dessert. It's made with love, packed with flavor, and perfect for sharing. There are so many reasons this recipe will be a favorite:
Pretty pink color - The beautiful pink hue comes from freeze-dried raspberries or strawberries, giving the cake a natural and eye-catching color.
Fruity flavor - Ground raspberries (or strawberries) add real fruit flavor that shines through every bite.
Simple ingredients - This cake is made with easy-to-find ingredients you may already have on hand.
Made from scratch - No cake mix here. This is a homemade cake with a soft, velvety texture.
Perfect for special occasions - This cake is great for birthdays, Valentine's Day, Easter, Mother's Day. gender reveal celebrations, and any time you want something festive and fun.
Ingredients and Their Role in the Cake
Each ingredient works together to create a moist, flavorful cake and creamy frosting. Here's what you'll need:
For the cake:
- Freeze-dried raspberries or strawberries - Add fruity flavor and natural pink color.
- Buttermilk - Keeps the cake tender and moist.
- Salted butter - Adds richness and flavor.
- Vegetable Oil - Adds softness and moisture.
- Granulated sugar - Sweetens the cake and helps create a light texture.
- Eggs - Bind the batter and add structure.
- Vanilla extract - Enhances the strawberry flavor. Use clear extract for a brighter pink color.
- Cake flour - Creates a soft, velvety crumb.
- Baking powder - Helps the cake rise.
- Baking Soda - Helps give an early lift to the cake as well as aids in browning.
- Salt - Balances sweetness and enhances flavor.
For the frosting:
- Cream cheese - Creates a tangy, creamy frosting.
- Butter - Adds richness and smooth texture.
- Vanilla extract - Adds classic flavor.
- Powdered sugar - Sweetens and thickens the frosting.
- Pink sprinkles - Add a fun finishing touch.
How to Make Pink Velvet Sheet Cake
This cake comes together easily and bakes beautifully in a sheet pan. Here's what to do:
For the cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 9x13-inch baking pan and set aside.
- Whisk together 3 cups of cake flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream ¾ cup butter and 1 ½ cups sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Beat in ¾ cup oil.
- Sprinkle in ground freeze-dried raspberries or strawberries. Add an additional ½ ounce ground berries if you want a deeper color and more enhanced flavor. Beat until well mixed.
- Beat in the 3 eggs, one at a time.
- Mix well.
- Alternate adding dry ingredients and buttermilk (1 ¼ cups) to the wet ingredients.
- Add about ⅓ of the buttermilk.
- Keep alternating dry ingredients and buttermilk until just incorporated. Do not overmix as it will cause a more dense cake result.
- Pour into prepared pan. Batter will be stiff.
For the frosting:
- Place 8 ounces of cream cheese and ½ cup butter in the mixing bowl of an electric mixer. Beat for 2 minutes.
- Cream well then add vanilla extract.
- Reduce speed on mixer and slowly add powdered sugar.
- Beat until well mixed. If it is too thick to spread, add a little milk. If it is too liquidy, add a bit more powdered sugar.
Finishing Raspberry Pink Velvet Cake:
- Bake the cake at 350°F for 30-35 minutes. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. Let cool on wire rack before frosting.
- Spread the frosting on the cake.
- Smooth frosting.
- Sprinkle with pink and red sprinkles for a festive look. Store in the refrigerator.
Recipe Tips for Success
A few helpful tips will make sure your raspberry pink velvet cake turns out perfectly.
- Use room temperature ingredients so the batter mixes smoothly.
- Grind the freeze-dried raspberries or strawberries into a fine powder for even color and flavor.
- Do not overmix the batter or the cake may turn out dense.
- Line the pan with parchment if you want to easily lift the cake out of the pan before frosting.
- Let the cake cool completely before adding the frosting so it doesn't melt.
Recipe Variations to Make It Your Own
This recipe is easy to customize with different flavors and finishes.
Fruit - Swap the raspberries for freeze-dried strawberries, blueberries, peaches, bananas, mangoes, or pineapple.
Frosting - Use vanilla buttercream, white chocolate frosting, or lemon cream cheese frosting instead.
Decorating - Top with fresh raspberries or strawberries or drizzle melted pink baking chips on top.
How to Store the Cake and How Long It Lasts
Store the cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. The frosting holds up well, and the flavor stays fresh.
For longer storage, wrap the cake tightly in plastic wrap, then foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
More Strawberry Cake Recipes
If you love fruity berry desserts, here are more sweet treats to try next.
- Chocolate Strawberry Cake combines rich chocolate with strawberry filling for an indulgent dessert.
- Strawberry Cake Balls are bite-sized and perfect for parties.
- Strawberry Lemon Cake is bright, fresh, and full of spring flavor.
- Strawberry Mug Cake is quick, easy, and perfect for a small treat.
- Strawberry Swiss Cake Roll is soft, sweet, and fun to slice.
Find lots of easy cake recipes to make for any fun occasion right here on 2CM!
LOVE QUICK & EASY RECIPES? FOLLOW ME ON INSTAGRAM, FACEBOOK, & PINTEREST FOR ALL THE LATEST RECIPE INSPIRATION! PLUS JOIN MY EMAIL LIST AND RECEIVE A FREE E-BOOK.
Pink Velvet Sheet Cake
Ingredients
Cake
- 3 cups cake flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup salted butter, room temperature
- ¾ cup vegetable oil (avocado oil can be used but the color will mute the pink of the strawberries)
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract (clear extract will help retain some of the pink color of the strawberries)
- 1 ounce freeze-dried raspberries or strawberries ground
- 1 ¼ cups buttermilk, room temperature
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- ½ cup butter room temperature
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- Garnish: pink sprinkles
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 9x13-inch baking pan. If you are planning on removing it from the pan, line the bottom and up the sides with a parchment sling then butter that as well.
- Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Using a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar on medium-high until light and fluffy, 2 to 3minutes.
- Reduce speed and add the oil followed by the ground freeze-dried raspberries or strawberries. Continue beating while adding the eggs one at a time then the vanilla extract.
- Alternate add the flour mixture and buttermilk to the batter . Mix until just incorporated. A few white streaks are OK. Do not overmix as the cake will become dense.
- Pour into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Cake is done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.
Frosting
- Beat cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add vanilla extract.
- Turn the mixer to low and gradually add the powdered sugar, a little at a time. Tip: If the frosting is too thick, add a small amount of milk, too thin, add a bit more powdered sugar.
- Once cake is cool, spread frosting on top and sprinkle with pink sprinkles for Valentine's Day, a gender reveal, or for a bright spring day. Store in the refrigerator.
Leave a Reply