Cotton Candy Cake (Print)
A dreamy pastel cake bursting with cotton candy flavor, swirled buttercream, and topped with fluffy cotton candy.
# What You Need:
→ Cake Batter
01 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
03 - 1/2 tsp salt
04 - 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 2 cups granulated sugar
06 - 4 large eggs, room temperature
07 - 1 tbsp cotton candy flavoring
08 - 1 tsp vanilla extract
09 - 1 1/4 cups whole milk, room temperature
10 - Pink and blue food coloring, as desired
→ Cotton Candy Buttercream
11 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
12 - 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
13 - 1 1/2 tsp cotton candy flavoring
14 - 2-3 tbsp whole milk or cream
15 - Pink and blue food coloring, as desired
→ Decoration
16 - Fresh cotton candy, to garnish
# How To Make It:
01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and line three 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3–4 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the cotton candy flavoring and vanilla extract.
05 - With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour. Mix until just combined.
06 - Divide the batter evenly into two bowls. Tint one portion pink and the other blue with food coloring. Drop spoonfuls of each color alternately into the prepared pans for a marbled effect. Swirl gently with a skewer or knife.
07 - Bake for 25–28 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
08 - Beat the butter until creamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar, beating on low. Add cotton candy flavoring and milk until smooth and fluffy. Divide and tint pink and blue as desired.
09 - Once cakes are cool, layer and frost with the buttercream. Swirl pink and blue for a cotton candy effect.
10 - Just before serving, top with fluffy pieces of fresh cotton candy. Serve immediately.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The marbled pink and blue batter is genuinely fun to swirl and every cake turns out completely unique.
- Cotton candy flavoring gives the sponge a sweet whimsical taste that surprises people on the first bite.
02 -
- Wait until the very last moment to add the cotton candy because moisture from the frosting will dissolve it within minutes.
- Cotton candy flavoring is worth seeking out online or at specialty baking shops since regular vanilla will not give the same effect.
03 -
- Test your cotton candy flavoring in a small amount of plain frosting first because brands vary wildly in intensity.
- Chill the frosted cake in the fridge for 15 minutes before adding cotton candy so the surface is firm and less likely to release moisture.