Description
This whimsical Cotton Candy Cake features a marbled pink and blue vanilla sponge infused with delightful cotton candy flavoring. Layered with a fluffy cotton candy buttercream frosting and topped with delicate tufts of real cotton candy, it’s a fun and festive dessert perfect for birthdays and special celebrations.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Cake:
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 4 large egg whites
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon cotton candy flavoring
- 1 cup whole milk
- Pink gel food coloring
- Blue gel food coloring
For the Frosting:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 2–3 tablespoons heavy cream or milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon cotton candy flavoring
- Pink food coloring (optional)
- Blue food coloring (optional)
- Cotton candy for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the Oven and Pans: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line three 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper to ensure the cakes do not stick.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt thoroughly. Set aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream the softened butter and granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, which takes about 3-5 minutes.
- Add Egg Whites and Flavorings: Beat in the egg whites one at a time until fully incorporated. Then mix in the vanilla extract and cotton candy flavoring, ensuring an even distribution of flavor.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Alternately add the dry flour mixture and whole milk to the batter, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix gently to maintain a light batter.
- Color and Swirl Batter: Divide the batter evenly into two separate bowls. Tint one portion with pink gel food coloring and the other with blue. In each cake pan, spoon dollops of pink and blue batter alternately and use a knife to gently swirl the colors together for a marbled effect.
- Bake the Cakes: Place the pans in the preheated oven and bake for 22–25 minutes. Check doneness by inserting a toothpick in the center—if it comes out clean, the cakes are ready.
- Cool the Cakes: Remove the pans from the oven and let the cakes cool completely on wire racks before frosting.
- Make the Frosting: Beat softened butter in a bowl until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar, then mix in the heavy cream or milk, vanilla extract, and cotton candy flavoring. Continue beating until the frosting is light and fluffy. Optionally tint portions with pink and blue food coloring for decorating.
- Frost the Cake and Garnish: Frost the cooled cakes with swirls of colored frosting. Just before serving, decorate with tufts of real cotton candy for a magical finishing touch. Avoid adding the cotton candy too early as it will melt.
Notes
- Add the cotton candy garnish only right before serving to prevent it from melting.
- Cotton candy flavoring is available in specialty baking stores or online retailers.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
