This cake, though typically intimidating with that vibrant purple colour, is simpler to make than it seems to be, and even simpler with our sheet cake model. You get all the pieces you’re keen on about this gorgeous and scrumptious cake however in a straightforward, fool-proof recipe that also offers you moist cake served straight from the pan.
Love purple velvet cake as a lot as we do? Strive our unique Most Amazing Red Velvet Cake or our dye-free, Naturally Red Velvet Cake.
Why Our Recipe
- A straightforward sheet cake model of a basic purple velvet cake that feeds a crowd.
- One-bowl cake batter retains all the pieces easy and all the time scrumptious.
- Our recipe is tried-and-true, making a moist and fluffy cake each time.

The cocoa powder imparts a delicate chocolatey trace with out making it as wealthy as a full-blown chocolate cake. In the meantime, the buttermilk and vinegar introduce a faint tanginess, balancing out the sweetness. This cake’s delicate dance of flavors, complemented by the creamy tang of cream cheese frosting, renders it unmistakably distinctive. It’s neither overtly chocolate nor purely vanilla, however quite a scrumptious in-between.
Ingredient Notes


- All-Objective Flour: The primary structural element. It gives the cake’s texture and physique.
- Cornstarch: We use cornstarch on this recipe to imitate cake flour. Muffins with cocoa powder can’t fairly maintain up when utilizing precise cake flour (it doesn’t give it sufficient construction) so we mimic it by including in cornstarch.
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: Imparts a slight chocolate taste, giving depth to the cake’s style. It additionally performs a task within the cake’s colour. Dutch-processed cocoa can be utilized. Cut back quantity of cocoa to 1/4 cup for a brighter purple hue.
- Baking Soda and Powder: You’ll want each. Make sure you verify the expiration date to keep away from a flat cake.
- Eggs: Normal Grade AA massive eggs will work completely.
- Buttermilk: Provides acidity, tanginess, and moisture. Reacts with baking soda to assist the cake rise.
- Salted Butter: It’s also possible to use unsalted butter and add a pinch of salt.
- Distilled White Vinegar: Only a contact of vinegar introduces this cake’s iconic tang.
- Pink Meals Coloring: Normal purple meals dye offers this recipe its signature colour. For those who’d like a pure dye choice, you may make your individual from beets or you could find all kinds of natural food dyes on Amazon.
- Vanilla Extract: Pure vanilla extract offers one of the best taste, however imitation vanilla additionally works.
- Cream Cheese: Softened and full-fat works greatest for this creamy frosting.
- Powdered Sugar: Add it in half a cup at a time. Extra powdered sugar makes for a thicker frosting. How thick you make it’s a matter of non-public desire.
Frosting Choices
Pink velvet cake pairs superbly with quite a lot of frostings, although I simply can’t think about purple velvet cake with out cream cheese frosting. Listed here are a couple of scrumptious frosting choices to select from:
Buttercream Frosting: For individuals who desire a silky clean and candy choice, buttercream frosting is right. It’s versatile sufficient to be flavored or coloured and gives a basic, elegant end to the cake.
Cream Cheese Frosting: The basic alternative for purple velvet cake, cream cheese frosting provides a wealthy, tangy complement to the cake’s delicate cocoa taste. Its creamy texture and decadent style make it a perennial favourite.
Ermine Frosting: Also called boiled milk frosting, Ermine frosting gives a lighter different with a fluffy texture and a delicate sweetness. It’s a conventional alternative that pairs splendidly with the cake’s trace of chocolate.


Chocolate Cake vs. Pink Velvet Cake:
It is a typical false impression that purple velvet cake is simply chocolate cake with purple meals coloring. Pink velvet cake does have some chocolate taste to it, however it’s also barely acidic and tangy, because of the buttermilk, vinegar, and both cream cheese or ermine frosting. On this recipe, we embody the directions for an ermine frosting that we love as a fantastic steadiness to the tangy taste of purple velvet, however you can even use cream cheese frosting.
Presentation Concepts
Serve straight from the pan for those who’re pressed for time, or you’ll be able to simply use cookie cutters to chop the sheet cake into excellent rounds and even hearts for a special day.
For holidays, high with festive sprinkles going with no matter colours go together with the vacation. For Valentine’s day, purple coronary heart candies are the proper decide.
Cake crumbs are a typical path to sprinkle on high to provide distinction between the white frosting and the beautiful, purple colour of the cake. Simply skim off a little bit from the highest or sneak some from a chunk and fill it in with frosting. We gained’t inform.
Contemporary fruit also can work. For summer time, cherries give a daring, fairly look. For winter, sugared cranberries and sprigs of rosemary offers a shocking look.
Storage Directions
Retailer leftovers in an hermetic container at room temperature for as much as 5 days.
Freeze particular person slices separated on a baking sheet. As soon as frozen strong, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and retailer in an hermetic container for as much as 3 months. Let thaw at room temperature.
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