Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups cake flour
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
Wet Ingredients
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 4 large eggs (room temperature)
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- Red food coloring (to achieve desired pink hue)
Frosting
- Cream cheese frosting (for topping)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pans: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 9-inch round cake pans thoroughly to prevent sticking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the cake flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt until evenly combined.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a separate bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar together using an electric mixer until the mixture is light, fluffy, and pale in color.
- Add Eggs: Incorporate the eggs one at a time into the creamed butter and sugar mixture, ensuring each egg is fully blended before adding the next.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: Mix in the buttermilk, pure vanilla extract, and red food coloring into the wet mixture until fully incorporated to achieve a uniform pink color.
- Fold in Dry Ingredients: Gradually fold the dry ingredient mixture into the wet ingredients, stirring gently until the batter is smooth and homogenous without overmixing.
- Bake the Cakes: Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans. Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool Cakes: Allow the cakes to cool in their pans for 10 minutes, then transfer them onto wire racks to cool completely before frosting.
- Frost the Cake: Once completely cooled, spread the cream cheese frosting evenly over the layers, assembling if desired, and decorate as preferred.
Notes
- For best results, ensure eggs are at room temperature before mixing to help create a smooth batter.
- Adjust the amount of red food coloring to achieve the preferred shade of pink; gel food coloring works well to avoid thinning the batter.
- Make sure not to overmix once the dry ingredients are added to keep the cake tender and light.
- The cream cheese frosting can be homemade or store-bought depending on convenience.
- Store leftover cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days to maintain freshness.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
