Pink Valentine Cakes + Lemon Buttercream ♡

Hi y'all! I know this is kinda last minute but I've actually been trying to get this post up for weeks now. Originally, I wanted to make this a strawberry cake but after too many bad recipes and burnt cakes, I settled on a plain old white cake. I also made the cake pink because it's valentines day and you know what else? pink is cute. These cakes are perfect for your valentine, or your galentine, or even yourself!! In the words of Donna Meagle..

I'd like to point out that I am in no way a professional cake decorator.. obviously.. So just ice them the way you want them to look :-)

 

P.S. writing in icing is harder than you might think

Ingredients:

• 2 3/4 cups flour (sifted)
• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter (room temp)
• 2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons canola oil (or vegetable)
• 5 egg whites
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 cup buttermilk
• red food coloring (I used about 12 drops)

Frosting 

• 1/2 cup shortening *
• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 4 cups powdered sugar (sifted)

*You can use more butter instead of the shortening. It will make it taste more buttery/creamy rather than just straight lemon.

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a cookie sheet w/ parchment paper.
2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set mixture aside.
3. Beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Add in the egg whites, vanilla and oil. Mix until combined. Stir in sour cream. 
4. Pour in 1/2 of the flour mixture and 1/2 of the buttermilk while mixing on low. Turn mixer off and scrape sides of bowl if needed. Mix in the rest of the flour and buttermilk. Stir in food coloring. 
5. Pour batter into pan and spread evenly. Bake for 20-25 minutes. 
6. Cool completely before frosting. 
7. For the frosting, beat together butter and shortening until fluffy. Add lemon juice and lemon zest. Slowly add in powdered sugar (while mixing). Taste it, and keep adding lemon juice and powdered sugar until it's the way you want it. Separate about 1/3 of the frosting and add red food coloring to the smaller bowl. Put the pink frosting into a piping bag and repeatedly make the hearts. If you want the pink frosting to be thinner, add milk. 

That's all for this recipe! Let me know if you make these ♡