Description
This Easy Pastel Easter Cake is a delightful and visually stunning dessert perfect for celebrating spring. Featuring a white cake base swirled with colorful pastel batters and topped with a fluffy vanilla buttercream frosting and festive sprinkles, this cake is simple to make and sure to brighten up any Easter gathering.
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 (gel or liquid)
Frosting Ingredients:
- ½ cup butter, softened (not melted)
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2-4 teaspoons heavy cream or milk
- Food coloring (optional)
- Pastel-colored sprinkles
Instructions
- Prepare Oven and Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish thoroughly to prevent sticking.
- Mix Cake Batter: In a large mixing bowl, combine the white cake mix, water, egg whites, vegetable oil, sour cream, and clear vanilla extract. Using an electric mixer, beat on low speed for 30 seconds until combined. Scrape the bowl edges, then beat on medium speed for an additional 2 minutes, scraping occasionally to ensure even mixing.
- Pour White Batter: Pour about 2 cups of the batter into the prepared baking dish, spreading it evenly.
- Color Remaining Batter: Divide the remaining batter equally into three medium bowls (around ½ cup each). Add a few drops of blue, pink, and yellow food coloring to each bowl respectively. Stir well after each addition until you reach your desired pastel shades.
- Swirl Colors: Spoon dollops of each colored batter randomly on top of the white batter in the pan. Use a butter knife to gently swirl the colors together by running it back and forth across the batter to create a marbled effect.
- Bake Cake: Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 30-35 minutes. Check doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center; it should come out clean. Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan before frosting.
- Make Frosting: Using an electric mixer, whip the softened butter for 1-2 minutes until lighter in color and fluffy. Gradually add powdered sugar and salt, beating on low to medium speed for about 1 minute until combined, scraping bowl sides as needed. Mix in vanilla extract and 2 tablespoons of heavy cream or milk, and beat for another minute. If desired, add food coloring to tint the frosting. Slowly add more cream or milk to achieve your preferred consistency and whip for an additional minute until smooth and fluffy.
- Frost and Decorate: Spread the frosting evenly over the cooled cake. Sprinkle pastel-colored Easter sprinkles on top to finish, then slice and serve.
Notes
- If you prefer a denser or richer cake, substitute half the sour cream with Greek yogurt.
- To enhance the pastel color vibrancy, use gel food coloring rather than liquid.
- Ensure the cake is completely cooled before frosting to prevent melting or sliding.
- You can prepare the cake a day in advance and store it covered in the refrigerator; bring to room temperature before serving.
- For a dairy-free version, substitute vegetable-based butter and use coconut cream instead of heavy cream.
