Pink Layered Cake Recipe

Pink Layered Cake Recipe

Ingredients

Cake Ingredients

• 4 to 5 egg whites (4 liquid ounces)
• 1 cup milk
• 2 1/4 teaspoons vanilla
• 3 cups sifted cake flour
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• pink food coloring

Creamy Butter Frosting

• 2/3 cup butter
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 7 cups confectioners sugar, sifted
• 4 to 8 tablespoons milk or light cream, or enough to make smooth and spreadable

Directions

Cake

1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour four 8 inch round cake pans, bottoms lined with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, lighly combined the egg whites, 1/4 cup milk and vanilla.
3. In a large bowl of standing mixer, combine the dry ingredients and mix on low speed for 30 seconds.
4. Add the butter and the remaining 3/4 cup milk. Mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened. Increase to medium speed and beat for 1 to 2 longer.
5. Gradually add the egg/milk mixture in three 3 batches, beating for 20 seconds after each addition, scraping down the sides.
6. Divide out the batter into four different bowls. You are now going to color the cakes so you can count the squirts of food coloring you are adding and increase the amount of food coloring to the colors you want to end up with.
7. In the first bowl, add 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract and a couple of squirts of red food coloring, so that the batter turns a pale pink.
8. In the 2nd bowl, add 1/4 teaspoon of almond extract and a few more squirts than the first bowl of red food coloring, so that the batter turns a shade darker in pink.
9. In the 3rd bowl add 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract and more squirts again of red food coloring to make it a darker shade of pink.
10. In the 4th bowl add 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract and enough squirts of red food coloring to make your darkest pink layer of cake.
11. Scrape batter into prepared 8 inch pans and smooth with a spatula. Pans will not be full. Bake 20 to 30 minutes until a tester inserted comes out clean and the cake springs back when pressed in the center. Let cakes cool on racks for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge and flip to let the cake out, let cool completely on racks. Once cooled, trim the rounded top off the cakes so the layers will lay flat when assembled.

Frosting

1. Cream butter, salt, and vanilla, beating with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add the confectioners sugar gradually, beating after each addition.
2. Add 3 tablespoons milk or light cream, beating until smooth. Beat in more milk until desired spreading consistency is reached and the frosting is spreadable.
3. Makes about 4 2/3 cups of frosting, enough to frost tops and sides of the Four – 8 inch layer cakes.

Assembling the cake:

1. Use about 1 cup of frosting in between layers.
2. To assemble, put one layer (top up) on cake plate. Start with the darkest cake layer first and work your way up darkest to lightest. Spread about a cup of the frosting on top.
3. Place another layer on top (bottom side up), spread about a cup of frosting on top.
4. Place the third layer and spread a cup of frosting.
5. Place the fouth layer, and frost the entire cake sides and top. It is easiest to spread a thin layer on cake first, then frost again, using a spatula to spread on the remainder of the icing. Garnish with cake candy if desired.