Purple Velvet Cake Recipe symbolizes the desserts that immediately breed fond memories attached to every celebration thrown. The delicate purple layers of the cake are soft and velvety, ever so slightly tasting of cocoa to pair perfectly with the cream cheese or buttercream frosting.
I have baked Purple Velvet Cake Recipe for every occasion, from birthdays to casual family dinners, and every time, the cake is consumed within minutes.
Maybe you’ve wondered what a Purple Velvet Cake Recipe really is or were just searching for easy-to-follow directions for a simple purple cake design: Either way, this recipe is easy and entertaining.
Whether one chooses to go from scratch or use a purple velvet cake box mix, one cake will silver-line the perfection being achieved every time.
Why You’ll Love This Purple Velvet Cake Recipe
Purple Velvet Cake Recipe is ideal for birthdays, parties, or just any day when a treat worthy of its taste needs to be enjoyed. It possesses the same soft and velvety crumb as all red velvet cakes are supposed to, but the purple twist makes it seem trendy and new-age.
Also, the adaptability of Purple Velvet Cake Recipe is what I love about it! Sometimes, if I need to clock out early, I’ll whip up a cake mix; other times, if I’ve got all day, I’ll do it from scratch. With cream cheese frosting or chocolate cake with purple decorations, it’ll surely be the talk of the town!
How to Make the Purple Velvet Cake Recipe
Recipe Overview
Purple Velvet Cake Recipe are easy to follow, even if you’re not an experienced baker. Here’s what you need to know before we start:
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Cuisine: American
- Course: Dessert
- Difficulty: Easy
- Yield: 10–12 servings
- Calories: About 320 per serving
Equipment You’ll Need
- Mixing bowls
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Electric mixer or stand mixer
- Rubber spatula
- Cake pans (8 or 9-inch round)
- Cooling rack
- Offset spatula or butter knife
- Cake turntable (optional)
- Piping bag and tips (optional)
Ingredients
Cake Essentials
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp cocoa powder (small amount for flavor, keeps color bright)
- ½ tsp salt
- Purple gel food coloring (use enough for a bold shade)
Frosting Elements
- 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Prepare the pans: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line two 9-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a bowl, whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Cream butter and sugar: In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla.
- Add buttermilk and coloring: Mix buttermilk with purple gel coloring until you get the shade you want.
- Combine: Alternate adding the dry mixture and the buttermilk mix into the butter mixture, starting and ending with dry. Do not overmix.
- Bake: Divide batter between pans. Bake for 28–32 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.
- Make frosting: Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt. Beat until fluffy.
- Frost and serve: Spread frosting between layers and cover the outside. Decorate with sprinkles, purple frosting swirls, or keep it simple.
Tip: Gel coloring works better than liquid for a brighter purple. A little goes a long way.
Storage Tips
This cake stays fresh at room temperature for 2 days when covered, or up to 5 days in the fridge. You can bake the layers a day ahead, wrap them in plastic, and frost them the next day. Leftover slices freeze well—wrap tightly in cling film and store for up to 2 months.
Exciting Variations and Serving Ideas
- Purple red velvet cake recipe: Add more cocoa for a deeper flavor and slightly darker shade.
- Light purple colored cake: Use less gel coloring for a pastel look—great for baby showers.
- Simple purple cake design: Pipe extra frosting on top or keep it rustic with smooth edges.
- Chocolate cake with purple decorations: Use this frosting on a vanilla or chocolate sponge cake to switch things up.
- Birthday-ready: Add edible glitter, sprinkles, or fondant flowers for a royal touch.
Expert Tips for Perfect Purple Velvet Cake
- Choose the right food coloring – Always go for gel food coloring instead of liquid. Gel gives you a rich, light purple colored cake without thinning the batter.
- Don’t skip the buttermilk – This ingredient makes the cake soft and moist. If you don’t have buttermilk, stir 1 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice into 1 cup of milk and let it sit for 5 minutes.
- Room temperature ingredients – Butter, eggs, and buttermilk should be at room temp before mixing. This helps the batter come together smoothly for a fluffy crumb.
- Measure flour correctly – Spoon flour into the measuring cup and level it off. Packing it in will make your cake dense instead of light.
- Mix gently once flour is added – Overmixing can make the cake tough. Mix until you no longer see streaks of flour.
- Use cake strips for even layers – Wrapping cake strips around pans helps prevent domed tops, giving you layers that are easy to frost.
- Chill before frosting – Let your cake layers cool completely, then chill them in the fridge before adding cream cheese frosting. This keeps crumbs from mixing into your frosting.
- Simple purple cake design – Keep it minimal with smooth purple frosting, or add chocolate cake with purple decorations for a striking birthday cake look.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is purple velvet cake?
Purple velvet cake is a variation of red velvet cake with the same soft texture and slight cocoa flavor, but with purple food coloring or ube for a striking look.
Can I make this cake with a box mix?
Yes, a purple velvet cake box mix works well. Just follow package instructions, then add extra purple gel coloring if needed for a brighter color.
How do I keep the cake moist?
Don’t overbake. Buttermilk and butter add moisture, so stick to the recipe ratios and test with a toothpick at the end.
Can I use natural coloring instead of gel?
Yes. Ube (purple yam) or purple sweet potato powder can give a natural purple shade along with extra flavor.
Video Tutorial
Purple Velvet Cake Recipe
Final Thought
The far-famed Purple Velvet Cake Recipes are more than mere dessert; the very brilliance of daylight through the windows goes into them.
Every one of you needs to have me walk you through those steps of putting together that delicate yet velvety crumb with just the right feel of festivity and fun. The treat is a luminous memory and seems fit to be made day in and day out.
Be it just a simple purple velvet cake recipe so that you can whip it up easily or a more elaborate layered chocolate cake with purple accents; any result would be memorable.
This straightforward purple birthday cake really is a delight to bake over and over. And so, when someone asks you what a purple velvet cake is, you would have the answer and a slice of the cake at hand.
More Recipe Suggestions:
Banana Brown Butter Cake Recipe
Vanilla Strawberry Marble Cake
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Prepare the pans: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line two 9-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a bowl, whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Cream butter and sugar: In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla.
- Add buttermilk and coloring: Mix buttermilk with purple gel coloring until you get the shade you want.
- Combine: Alternate adding the dry mixture and the buttermilk mix into the butter mixture, starting and ending with dry. Do not overmix.
- Bake: Divide batter between pans. Bake for 28–32 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.
- Make frosting: Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt. Beat until fluffy.
- Frost and serve: Spread frosting between layers and cover the outside. Decorate with sprinkles, purple frosting swirls, or keep it simple.
Notes
Pound Cake Tips
- Bring ingredients to room temperature – Soft butter, room-temp eggs, and milk help the batter mix smoothly and give your pound cake a tender texture.
- Cream butter and sugar well – Take your time with this step. Beating until light and fluffy adds air, which makes the cake rise beautifully.
- Measure flour the right way – Lightly spoon flour into the measuring cup and level it off. Too much flour can make the cake heavy.
- Add eggs one at a time – Beat well after each egg. This keeps the batter smooth and prevents curdling.
- Don’t rush the mixing – A pound cake should have a fine, tight crumb. Mix slowly and evenly to get that classic texture.
- Bake low and slow – Pound cakes do best at a moderate oven temperature. This helps the inside bake fully without over-browning the crust.
- Test for doneness carefully – Use a toothpick or cake tester in the center. It should come out with just a few moist crumbs, not wet batter.
- Cool in the pan first – Let the cake rest in the pan for about 10–15 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack. This prevents it from breaking apart.
- Flavor it your way – Try adding vanilla extract, lemon zest, almond extract, or even a swirl of fruit puree to make it your own.
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