Description
This delightful Cotton Candy Cake brings the magic of the carnival to your kitchen with its vibrant colors and unmistakable sweet, airy flavor. It’s a showstopping dessert that’s surprisingly easy to make and guaranteed to bring smiles.
Ingredients
- For the Cake:
- 2 ½ cups (280g) cake flour, sifted
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 ¾ cups (350g) granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½ tsp cotton candy extract
- 1 cup (240ml) full-fat buttermilk, room temperature
- Gel food coloring (pink, blue, purple)
- For the Cotton Candy Buttercream:
- 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cups (480g) powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 tsp cotton candy extract
- ¼ cup (60ml) heavy cream (or more, as needed)
Instructions
- 1. Prepare Pans & Dry Ingredients: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour three 6-inch round cake pans (or two 8-inch pans) and line bottoms with parchment paper. In a bowl, whisk and sift cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- 2. Cream Butter & Sugar: In a large bowl, cream softened butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy (3-5 minutes).
- 3. Add Eggs & Flavor: Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Beat in vanilla and cotton candy extracts until just combined.
- 4. Alternate Dry & Wet: On low speed, gradually add dry ingredients in three additions, alternating with two additions of buttermilk, beginning and ending with dry. Mix until just combined; do not overmix.
- 5. Color & Bake: Divide batter into three bowls. Tint each with a different gel food coloring. Pour into prepared pans. Bake 25-30 minutes, or until a wooden skewer comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- 6. Make Buttercream: Beat softened butter until creamy. Gradually add sifted powdered sugar, beating until smooth. Add cotton candy and vanilla extracts. Slowly pour in heavy cream until fluffy and spreadable.
- 7. Assemble & Decorate: Level cooled cake layers. Place one layer on a serving plate, spread with buttercream. Repeat with remaining layers. Apply a thin crumb coat and chill 15-20 minutes. Apply final buttercream layer and decorate as desired.
- Prep Time: 45 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins