Cotton Candy Cake (Print Version)
Fluffy pastel cake infused with cotton candy flavor, topped with swirled buttercream and real cotton candy garnish.
# What You'll Need:
→ Cake
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 Cook:
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 together for a cotton candy effect.
10 - Just before serving, top with fluffy pieces of fresh cotton candy. Serve immediately.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The marbled pastel layers look absolutely magical without requiring any fancy decorating skills.
- Cotton candy flavoring gives the cake a sweet, whimsical taste that surprises and delights every single person who tries it.
- You can pull this off with a standard electric mixer and basic cake pans, no special equipment needed.
02 -
- Never place the cotton candy on the cake until you are literally walking it to the table because moisture from the frosting will dissolve it into a sticky puddle within minutes.
- Gel food coloring is dramatically better than liquid for achieving vibrant pastels without thinning your batter or buttercream.
- The cotton candy flavoring intensity varies by brand, so taste your batter subtly before baking and adjust if needed.
03 -
- Wrap and freeze leftover cake slices individually within hours of serving because the moisture from the frosting changes the texture after a day in the fridge.
- A turntable is not essential for frosting but it makes achieving that smooth cotton candy swirl about ten times easier and far less frustrating.