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🧁 Base: Pink Strawberry Vanilla Cake
🍓 Cake Ingredients (for 3 x 6-inch or 2 x 8-inch layers):
- 2½ cups (315g) all-purpose flour
- 2½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ¾ cup (170g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1¾ cups (350g) granulated sugar
- 4 large egg whites
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp strawberry extract (optional but adds great flavor)
- ⅔ cup (160ml) whole milk
- ⅓ cup (80ml) strawberry purée (or milk with 2–3 drops pink gel coloring)
- Pink gel food coloring (optional, for a vibrant flamingo color)
🍦 Strawberry Buttercream Frosting
- 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened
- 3½ cups (420g) powdered sugar
- 1–2 tbsp strawberry purée or jam
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1–2 tbsp milk or cream (as needed)
- Pink food coloring for deeper tone
👩🍳 Instructions
1. Make the Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line your pans.
- In a bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In another large bowl, cream butter and sugar until fluffy.
- Beat in egg whites until smooth.
- Add vanilla and strawberry extract.
- Mix in flour and milk alternately, beginning and ending with flour.
- Stir in purée and pink coloring if using.
- Divide into pans and bake for 25–30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Let cool completely.
2. Make the Frosting:
- Beat butter until light.
- Slowly add powdered sugar.
- Mix in purée, vanilla, and food coloring.
- Adjust with milk for spreading consistency.
🦩 Flamingo Decorations
Easy DIY Ideas:
- Fondant Flamingo Neck & Head: Shape pink fondant into an “S” for the neck, attach a small ball for the head, and add a black fondant beak.
- Printed Flamingo Topper: Print and cut out flamingos, glue to toothpicks, and place on top.
- Feathers: Pipe buttercream feathers using a petal or leaf tip, or use wafer paper/fondant for wings.
- Mini Flamingo Pool Floats: Top cupcakes with mini toys or edible flamingos.
📝 Optional Add-ins:
- Coconut extract in the cake for a tropical twist
- Lime zest in frosting for a zippy balance
- Shredded coconut or gold flakes on the outside
✅ Tips:
- Chill the cake layers before stacking and frosting for stability.
- Use gel food coloring for vibrant pinks without thinning your batter.
- Store cake in the fridge, bring to room temp before serving.