Description
This Easy Pastel Easter Cake combines a moist white cake base with colorful swirls of pastel-tinted batter, creating a festive and visually appealing dessert perfect for Easter celebrations. Topped with a light, fluffy vanilla buttercream frosting and decorated with pastel sprinkles, this cake is both simple to make and delightfully charming.
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
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2-4 teaspoons heavy cream or milk
- Food coloring (optional)
- Pastel-colored sprinkles for decoration
Instructions
- Prepare Oven and Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish thoroughly to prevent the cake from 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. Beat initially on low speed for 30 seconds until combined, then scrape the bowl sides. Beat on medium speed for an additional 2 minutes, scraping occasionally to ensure thorough mixing.
- Pour White Batter: Pour approximately 2 cups of the prepared batter into the greased baking dish, spreading it evenly.
- Color Remaining Batter: Divide the remaining batter evenly into three medium-sized bowls. Add a few drops of blue, pink, and yellow food coloring respectively into each bowl. Stir gently until the batter reaches your desired pastel shade.
- Swirl Colors: Spoon dollops of each colored batter randomly over the white batter in the pan. Using a butter knife, run it back and forth through the batter to create a marbled swirl effect, blending the colors artistically but not fully mixing them.
- Bake Cake: Bake the cake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes. Check doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center; it should come out clean. Once baked, allow the cake to cool completely before frosting.
- Make Frosting: Using an electric mixer, whip the softened butter for 1-2 minutes until it turns lighter in color and fluffy. Gradually add powdered sugar and salt, beating on low-medium speed for about 1 minute. Add the vanilla extract and 2 tablespoons of heavy cream, then beat for another minute. Optionally add food coloring to tint the frosting. Add more cream if needed to achieve a smooth, spreadable consistency. Whip for an additional 1 minute until light and fluffy.
- Frost and Decorate: Spread the frosting evenly over the cooled cake. Decorate the top with pastel-colored sprinkles to complete the festive look.
Notes
- Use clear vanilla extract to maintain the pastel hues without discoloring the batter.
- Ensure the butter for frosting is softened to room temperature for easy whipping.
- Do not over-swirl the colored batter to keep the distinct pastel streaks visible.
- Allow the cake to cool completely before frosting to prevent melting the buttercream.
- Gel food coloring is preferred for more vibrant colors without changing the batter consistency.
- Store the cake refrigerated if not serving immediately, and bring to room temperature before serving.
