Valentine's Day Cake
This tender, rosy cake is perfect for Valentine's Day gatherings, delivering classic flavor with minimal fuss. Easy to make, everyone will adore its vanilla flavor and customizable options.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour Measure by spooning into the cup and leveling; for lighter cake, sift once.
- 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened Room temperature; not melted.
- 1 cup buttermilk Or 1 cup milk + 1 tbsp lemon juice, let sit 5 minutes.
- 3 large eggs Room temperature helps emulsion.
- 1 tablespoon alcohol-free vanilla extract Or 2 tsp vanilla + 1/2 tsp alcohol-free almond flavouring.
Toppings
- buttercream frosting Store-bought or homemade.
- sprinkles Optional.
Instructions
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans, or line the bottoms with parchment rounds.
- In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy, about 3–4 minutes with an electric mixer.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition so the mixture stays smooth.
- Mix in the buttermilk and vanilla until combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture in two additions. Mix just until combined — stop as soon as there are no streaks of flour.
- If you want pink cake, add a few drops of gel food coloring and fold gently to achieve your desired shade.
Baking
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and smooth the tops.
- Bake for 25–30 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.
Assembly
- Level the tops if needed, spread a layer of buttercream between the cakes, stack, and frost the outside. Decorate with sprinkles if desired.
Notes
Best served with whipped cream and fresh raspberries. Can be made a day ahead. Store at room temperature for up to 2 days, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Room-temperature ingredients combine more easily for a smoother batter.