Colorful Fun Birthday Cake (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
→ For the Cake
01 -
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 -
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
03 -
1/2 teaspoon salt
04 -
1 cup unsalted butter, softened (room temperature works best)
05 -
2 cups granulated sugar
06 -
4 large eggs
07 -
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
08 -
1 teaspoon cotton candy extract
09 -
1 cup whole milk
10 -
Pink and blue food coloring (or whatever colors make you happy)
→ For the Frosting
11 -
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
12 -
4 cups powdered sugar, sifted to avoid lumps
13 -
2-3 tablespoons heavy cream or milk
14 -
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
15 -
1 teaspoon cotton candy extract
16 -
Food coloring if you want colored frosting
→ For Decoration
17 -
Real cotton candy (add this right before serving!)
18 -
Fun sprinkles (optional but highly recommended)
# Instructions:
01 -
Set your oven to 350°F and get it preheating. Grease three 8-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper circles so your cakes won't stick.
02 -
In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Nothing fancy here, just make sure everything's well mixed.
03 -
In your biggest bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar until it's super fluffy and almost white-looking. This might take 2-3 minutes, but don't skimp on time here - it's what makes your cake light!
04 -
Beat in one egg at a time, making sure each one is fully mixed in before adding the next. Then pour in both the vanilla and cotton candy extracts and mix again.
05 -
Now for the back-and-forth part: add about a third of your flour mixture, mix it in, then half the milk, mix again. Repeat with another third of flour, the rest of the milk, and finish with the last of the flour. Don't overmix or your cake might get tough!
06 -
Split your batter evenly between two bowls (or more if you want more colors). Add pink food coloring to one bowl and blue to the other. Gently stir until the color is even throughout.
07 -
Pour your colored batters into the prepared pans, smoothing the tops with a spatula. Pop them in the oven for 25-30 minutes. They're done when you can stick a toothpick in the middle and it comes out clean with no wet batter.
08 -
Let the cakes hang out in their pans for about 10 minutes, then flip them onto cooling racks to cool all the way. Don't rush this or your frosting will melt later!
09 -
Beat the butter until it's super creamy, then start adding the powdered sugar one cup at a time, with a splash of cream between each addition. Mix in the vanilla and cotton candy extracts, and add food coloring if you want colored frosting.
10 -
Put one cake layer on your serving plate, spread some frosting on top, add the next layer and repeat. Then frost the sides and top of the whole cake. You can make it as smooth or swirly as you want.
11 -
Right before you're ready to serve, add pieces of real cotton candy on top and around the cake. Toss on some sprinkles if you're using them. Don't do this step early or the cotton candy will melt and disappear!
# Notes:
01 -
This cake keeps well at room temperature for 2 days - just store it in a cake container or under a cake dome.
02 -
If you can't find cotton candy extract, try using vanilla and a drop of almond extract, or even raspberry for a sweet fruity flavor.
03 -
For a cool marble effect, try swirling the pink and blue batters together in each pan instead of keeping them separate.