Description
This Easy Pastel Easter Cake is a delightful and festive dessert perfect for celebrating the spring season. Featuring a classic white cake base swirled with pastel-colored batter and topped with a fluffy buttercream frosting decorated with pastel sprinkles, this cake is sure to be the centerpiece of your Easter table. The recipe is straightforward, utilizing a boxed cake mix and simple ingredients, making it accessible for bakers of all skill levels.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake Ingredients
- 1 box white cake mix
- ¼ cup water
- 4 egg whites
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1-2 teaspoons clear vanilla extract
- Blue, pink, and yellow food coloring (either gel or liquid)
Frosting Ingredients
- ½ cup butter, softened (not melted)
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2-4 teaspoons heavy cream or milk
- Food coloring (optional)
- Pastel-colored sprinkles for decoration
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×13 inch baking dish thoroughly to ensure the cake does not stick during baking.
- Mix Cake Batter: In a large mixing bowl, combine the white cake mix, water, egg whites, vegetable oil, sour cream, and clear vanilla extract. Use an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds to start combining the ingredients. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then beat on medium speed for 2 minutes more until the batter is smooth and well mixed.
- Pour Base Batter: Pour about 2 cups of the batter into the prepared baking dish. This will form the white base layer of the cake.
- Color Remaining Batter: Divide the remaining batter evenly into three medium bowls (approximately ½ cup each). Add a few drops of blue, pink, and yellow food coloring to each bowl respectively. Stir well after each drop until the batter reaches the desired pastel shade.
- Create Swirls: Drop spoonfuls of each colored batter randomly over the white base layer in the baking dish. Take a butter knife and gently run it back and forth through the batter to create a pretty swirl effect with the pastel colors.
- Bake the Cake: Place the cake in the preheated oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool completely before frosting.
- Prepare Frosting: Using an electric mixer, beat the softened butter for 1-2 minutes until it becomes lighter in color and slightly fluffy. Gradually add powdered sugar and salt, mixing on low to medium speed for about 1 minute until combined. Add vanilla extract and 2 tablespoons of heavy cream or milk, beating for another minute. If desired, add food coloring to achieve a pastel frosting color. Add more cream/milk as needed to reach the desired frosting consistency. Whip the frosting for an additional minute until light and fluffy.
- Frost and Decorate: Spread the frosting evenly over the cooled cake. Finish by decorating the top with pastel-colored sprinkles to enhance the festive Easter presentation.
Notes
- Use clear vanilla extract to keep the cake batter light and bright for pastel coloring.
- Ensure butter is softened but not melted for a smooth frosting texture.
- Do not overmix the batter once colored to maintain the swirl pattern.
- Use gel food coloring for more vibrant pastel hues without thinning the batter.
- Allow the cake to cool completely before frosting to prevent the frosting from melting.
