If you have a sweet tooth and love vibrant, show-stopping desserts, then this Purple Velvet Cake Recipe is about to become your new best friend. This stunning cake combines the rich, tender crumb of a classic velvet cake with a beautiful burst of purple that’s not only eye-catching but packed with flavor. Thanks to a smooth cream cheese frosting and just the right balance of cocoa and tangy buttermilk, every bite is a delightful dance of textures and tastes. Whether you’re celebrating a special occasion or just craving something extraordinary, this cake brings a festive charm that’s impossible to resist.
Ingredients You’ll Need
To create this Purple Velvet Cake Recipe, you only need simple pantry staples and a few key ingredients, each chosen to build the perfect taste and texture. From the tender crumb created by buttermilk to the delicious tang of cream cheese in the frosting, every element works together beautifully.
- All-purpose flour: The foundation that gives structure to your cake.
- Granulated sugar: Sweetens the cake perfectly without overpowering.
- Baking soda and baking powder: These leavening agents ensure a light and fluffy texture.
- Salt: Enhances all the other flavors in the cake.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder: Adds depth and a subtle chocolate undertone.
- Buttermilk (room temperature): Keeps the crumb moist and adds a slight tang.
- Vegetable oil: Helps maintain the cake’s tenderness.
- Large eggs (room temperature): Bind everything together and add richness.
- White vinegar: Reacts with baking soda for lift and enhances color.
- Vanilla extract: Adds a warm, aromatic base flavor.
- Purple gel food coloring: The star ingredient for that vibrant, rich purple hue without thinning the batter.
- Cream cheese (softened): Creates a luscious, tangy frosting.
- Unsalted butter (softened): Adds a creamy richness to the frosting.
- Powdered sugar: Sweetens and gives the frosting that perfect frosting texture.
- Heavy cream: Helps adjust the frosting to just the right spreadable consistency.
How to Make Purple Velvet Cake Recipe
Step 1: Prepare Your Pans and Preheat
Set your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit to get it ready for baking. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans to ensure your cakes release easily after baking. Proper pan prep is essential for beautiful cake layers without sticking.
Step 2: Mix Dry Ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cocoa powder. This mix creates the dry base where the flavors start coming together. Whisking ensures everything is evenly combined, which means your batter will be consistent.
Step 3: Blend Wet Ingredients
In a separate bowl, combine room temperature buttermilk, vegetable oil, eggs, white vinegar, vanilla extract, and purple gel food coloring. Mixing these wet ingredients carefully is key to activating the leavening agents while infusing that gorgeous purple color uniformly throughout the batter.
Step 4: Combine Wet and Dry
Gently add the wet mixture into the dry ingredients bit by bit, stirring just until combined. Overmixing can make the cake tough, so stop once the batter is smooth with no flour streaks left.
Step 5: Bake the Cake
Divide your beautiful purple batter evenly between the two prepared pans. Pop them into the oven for about 30 to 35 minutes. You’ll know they’re ready when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely—this step helps maintain the cake’s moisture and prevents sogginess.
Step 6: Make the Cream Cheese Frosting
While the cakes cool, beat together softened cream cheese and unsalted butter until silky smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar and vanilla extract, then beat until fluffy. Add heavy cream a tablespoon at a time to reach that perfect spreadable texture. This frosting is rich, tangy, and beautifully balances the sweetness of the cake.
Step 7: Assemble Your Purple Velvet Cake Recipe
Once the cake layers are completely cool, spread a thick layer of frosting on top of one cake. Gently place the second cake layer on top and frost the entire top and sides. For cleaner cuts and best flavor, chill your assembled cake for about 20 minutes before slicing.
How to Serve Purple Velvet Cake Recipe
Garnishes
A simple dusting of edible glitter or a handful of fresh berries takes this purple velvet cake from stunning to show-stopping. You could even sprinkle some finely shaved white chocolate on top for an elegant touch that adds a bit of texture and sweetness.
Side Dishes
Serve your cake alongside a cup of fragrant Earl Grey tea or a robust coffee to complement its creamy frosting and rich flavors. Fresh fruit salad or a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream also pairs beautifully to balance the sweetness and enhance the overall decadence.
Creative Ways to Present
Try layering this Purple Velvet Cake Recipe with alternating cream cheese frosting that’s tinted in gradient purples for a mesmerizing ombré effect. Another fun idea is to turn it into cupcakes for easy sharing at parties, or assemble a trifle with cake pieces, whipped cream, and berries for a showy dessert twist.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
Keep your leftover purple velvet cake tightly covered in the refrigerator to maintain that fresh cream cheese frosting texture and prevent the cake from drying out. Properly stored, it will stay delicious for up to three days.
Freezing
This cake freezes beautifully if you need to prepare ahead. Wrap each unfrosted layer tightly in plastic wrap and place in an airtight container. Freeze for up to three months. When ready to serve, thaw overnight in the refrigerator before frosting and assembling.
Reheating
Because this cake is best enjoyed chilled, rather than reheated, simply bring slices to room temperature before serving to soften the frosting and release all the vibrant flavors. If you prefer, a quick 10-second zap in the microwave will warm single slices without drying them out.
FAQs
What makes Purple Velvet Cake different from Red Velvet Cake?
While both come from the velvet cake family, the Purple Velvet Cake Recipe gets its distinctive color from purple gel food coloring instead of the traditional red. It also includes a touch of cocoa powder and the same tangy buttermilk flavor, giving it a subtly different taste and an eye-catching hue.
Can I use natural food coloring instead of gel?
You can, but keep in mind that natural food coloring might not produce the vibrant purple shade this recipe is known for. Gel colors provide richer saturation without thinning the batter, which is why they’re recommended here.
Is the frosting sweet or tangy?
This cream cheese frosting strikes a perfect balance. It’s creamy and sweet but carries a pleasant tang from the cream cheese, which helps cut through the cake’s sweetness and adds complexity to every bite.
How do I know when the cake is done baking?
Use a toothpick or skewer to check doneness. Insert it into the center of the cake; if it comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs clinging to it, your cake is perfectly baked.
Can I make this cake dairy-free or vegan?
This recipe relies on buttermilk, eggs, and cream cheese for its texture and flavor, making it challenging to convert without affecting the final result. However, with suitable substitutes like plant-based milk with vinegar, vegan cream cheese, and egg replacers, you could experiment, but results may vary.
Final Thoughts
If you’re looking to wow your friends or treat yourself to a dessert that’s as delicious as it is beautiful, don’t hesitate to try this Purple Velvet Cake Recipe. It’s fun to make, forgiving to bake, and irresistibly tasty. Plus, that striking purple color adds a bold pop of joy to any occasion. Go ahead—bring a slice of purple velvet happiness into your kitchen and savor every bite!
Print
Purple Velvet Cake Recipe
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 12 slices
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This Purple Velvet Cake is a stunning twist on the classic velvet cake, featuring a vibrant purple hue achieved with gel food coloring and a luscious cream cheese frosting. Perfect for parties and special occasions, this moist and flavorful cake combines the richness of cocoa with the tangy creaminess of classic frosting, creating a visually striking and delicious dessert.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup buttermilk (room temperature)
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs (room temperature)
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 teaspoons purple gel food coloring (adjust for desired shade)
For the Frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese (softened)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1–2 tablespoons heavy cream (as needed for consistency)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pans: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans to prevent sticking and ensure easy cake release.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and unsweetened cocoa powder until evenly combined.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl, mix the buttermilk, vegetable oil, eggs, white vinegar, vanilla extract, and purple gel food coloring until the color is uniform and all ingredients are well incorporated.
- Combine Wet and Dry Mixtures: Gradually pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, mixing gently until just combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the cake tender and moist.
- Divide and Bake: Evenly divide the batter between the prepared cake pans. Bake in the preheated oven for 30–35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool the Cakes: Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then carefully turn them out onto wire racks to cool completely before frosting.
- Prepare the Frosting: Beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar, then mix in the vanilla extract. Continue beating until the frosting is fluffy. Add heavy cream 1 tablespoon at a time as needed to reach a spreadable consistency.
- Assemble the Cake: Once the cakes are completely cooled, spread a layer of frosting on top of one cake layer. Stack the second cake layer on top, then frost the top and sides of the entire cake evenly.
- Chill and Serve: Chill the cake in the refrigerator for 20 minutes before slicing to allow the frosting to set, ensuring cleaner cuts and a beautiful presentation.
Notes
- For the richest purple color, use gel food coloring instead of liquid to avoid thinning the batter.
- You can tint the cream cheese frosting with a lighter shade of purple for a pretty layered effect.
- Ensure the eggs and buttermilk are at room temperature to help the batter mix more evenly and rise better.
- Store the cake covered in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before serving for best flavor and texture.
