Cotton Candy Cake
This Cotton Candy Cake is a whimsical, fun, and nostalgic dessert that brings the magical flavor of cotton candy to life. With its light, fluffy texture and vibrant pastel colors, this cake is perfect for birthdays, gender reveals, baby showers, and carnival-themed parties. A delightful combination of soft vanilla cake infused with cotton candy flavoring, topped with creamy cotton candy buttercream, this treat is sure to be a showstopper at any celebration!
Equipment
- 8-inch cake pans (2)
- Mixing bowls
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
- Spatula
- Measuring cups & spoons
- Parchment paper
- Cooling rack
- Knife or skewer (for swirling batter)
- Cake turntable (optional, for frosting)
- Piping bags & tips (optional, for decoration)
Ingredients
- For the Cake:
- 2 ½ cups cake flour
- 2 ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 tbsp cotton candy flavoring or extract
- Pink and blue gel food coloring
- For the Cotton Candy Buttercream:
- 2 cups unsalted butter softened
- 6 cups powdered sugar sifted
- 3 tbsp heavy cream
- 1 tsp cotton candy flavoring
- Pink and blue food gel optional
- For Decoration:
- Edible glitter or sugar sprinkles
- Freshly spun cotton candy added just before serving
- White chocolate drizzle optional
Instructions
- Preheat & Prepare Pans:
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Grease and flour two 8-inch cake pans or line them with parchment paper.
- Mix Dry Ingredients:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together cake flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Cream Butter & Sugar:
- In a large mixing bowl, use a stand mixer or hand mixer to beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes).
- Add Eggs & Flavoring:
- Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Mix in cotton candy flavoring.
- Incorporate Wet & Dry Ingredients:
- Alternate adding dry ingredients and buttermilk, starting and ending with dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.
- Color the Batter:
- Divide the batter into two equal parts.
- Tint one portion pink and the other blue using gel food coloring.
- Layer & Swirl:
- Spoon dollops of pink and blue batter into prepared cake pans, swirling gently with a knife for a marbled effect.
- Bake:
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare the Buttercream:
- In a large bowl, beat butter until smooth.
- Gradually add powdered sugar, alternating with heavy cream.
- Mix in cotton candy flavoring and divide into two bowls.
- Tint one portion pink and the other blue.
- Assemble & Frost the Cake:
- Place one cake layer on a serving plate and spread with pink buttercream.
- Add the second cake layer and frost the entire cake with blue buttercream (or mix colors for an ombré effect).
- Decorate:
- Sprinkle with edible glitter or sugar sprinkles.
- Garnish with freshly spun cotton candy just before serving.
Notes
Cotton candy melts quickly, so add it to the cake just before serving to maintain its fluffy texture.
For a more intense cotton candy flavor, add a few drops of cotton candy syrup to the frosting.
To make it gluten-free, substitute cake flour with a gluten-free flour blend.
Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 day or in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
For a more intense cotton candy flavor, add a few drops of cotton candy syrup to the frosting.
To make it gluten-free, substitute cake flour with a gluten-free flour blend.
Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 day or in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.