Pastel Cake
Delight your senses with this mesmerizing Pastel Cake, a show-stopping dessert that's as beautiful as it is delicious. Perfect for celebrations or spring gatherings, this layered masterpiece features soft and tender sponge cakes in dreamy pastel shades, courtesy of gel-based food coloring. Each bite is enhanced by the silky, whipped vanilla buttercream frosting that envelopes the cake in sweet perfection. With simple ingredients like all-purpose flour, butter, and milk, and straightforward techniques for dividing, tinting, and baking layers, this recipe is accessible for bakers of all skill levels. Serve it as the centerpiece of your dessert table to impress guests with its stunning visuals and irresistible flavor. Whether you're celebrating Easter, a baby shower, or a birthday, the Pastel Cake is sure to bring color and joy to every occasion!
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Recipe Information
Ingredients
- 3 cups All-purpose flour
- 2.5 teaspoons Baking powder
- 0.5 teaspoon Salt
- 1 cup Unsalted butter (softened)
- 2 cups Granulated sugar
- 4 Large eggs
- 1 tablespoon Vanilla extract
- 1.5 cups Whole milk
- 4 drops per layer Gel-based food coloring (variety of pastel colors)
- 2 cups Unsalted butter (for frosting)
- 4 cups Powdered sugar
- 4 tablespoons Heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla extract (for frosting)
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Prepare four 8-inch round cake pans by greasing them and lining the bottoms with parchment paper.
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
Add the eggs one at a time to the butter-sugar mixture, beating well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla extract.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in three additions, alternating with the milk, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined. Do not overmix.
Divide the batter evenly into four bowls. Use gel-based food coloring to tint each bowl of batter with a different pastel color. Stir gently to ensure the colors are evenly distributed.
Pour each colored batter into its own prepared cake pan and smooth the tops with a spatula.
Bake the layers in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes before turning them out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
To make the frosting, use an electric mixer to beat the softened butter until creamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, mixing on low speed until fully incorporated.
Add the heavy cream and vanilla extract to the frosting mixture and beat on high speed for 2-3 minutes until the frosting is light and fluffy. If needed, add more cream for a thinner consistency or more powdered sugar to thicken.
Once the cake layers are completely cool, assemble the cake. Place one layer on a serving plate or cake stand and spread an even layer of frosting on top. Repeat with the remaining layers, spreading frosting between each and then covering the entire cake with a thin crumb coat.
Chill the cake for 20-30 minutes to set the crumb coat. Apply a second, thicker layer of frosting to completely cover the cake. Smooth the sides and top with a spatula or cake scraper.
Optional: Decorate the cake with additional piping, sprinkles, or edible decorations as desired.
Chill the finished cake for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving. Enjoy!
Nutrition Facts
Calories |
896 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 52.7 g | 68% | |
| Saturated Fat | 32.7 g | 163% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.0 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 199 mg | 66% | |
| Sodium | 240 mg | 10% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 99.1 g | 36% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 0.9 g | 3% | |
| Total Sugars | 75.4 g | ||
| Protein | 6.8 g | 14% | |
| Vitamin D | 1.4 mcg | 7% | |
| Calcium | 59 mg | 5% | |
| Iron | 1.5 mg | 8% | |
| Potassium | 108 mg | 2% | |
*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
