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Fluffy Pastel Cotton Candy Layer Cake with Cotton Candy Buttercream Frosting

A tall slice of cotton candy cake showing colorful pink and blue layers alternating with white frosting, topped with cotton candy.
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A recipe for a visually striking, fluffy layer cake featuring pink and blue pastel layers and topped with homemade cotton candy flavored buttercream, perfect for birthdays and celebrations.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened
  • 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1/4 cup cotton candy flavoring oil
  • Pink and blue gel food coloring
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup crushed, plain, store-bought cotton candy (for mixing into batter)
  • Extra cotton candy for garnish

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour three 8-inch round cake pans.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  3. In a separate bowl, cream the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the vegetable oil. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
  4. In a small bowl, mix the buttermilk and clear vanilla extract.
  5. Alternate adding the dry ingredients and the buttermilk mixture to the wet ingredients, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined. Do not overmix.
  6. Divide the batter evenly into three separate bowls. Stir the crushed cotton candy into the batter in one bowl. Add a few drops of pink gel coloring to the second bowl and blue gel coloring to the third bowl. Mix gently until the colors are uniform.
  7. Pour the white, pink, and blue batters into the prepared cake pans. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  8. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes before inverting them onto a wire rack to cool completely.
  9. Prepare the frosting: Beat the softened butter until creamy. Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar, mixing until smooth. Beat in the heavy cream, vanilla extract, almond extract, and cotton candy flavoring oil until light and fluffy.
  10. Divide the frosting into three portions. Leave one portion white. Tint the second portion light pink and the third portion light blue using gel coloring.
  11. Place the white layer on your serving plate. Spread a thin layer of white frosting on top. Place the pink layer next, followed by blue. Frost the entire cake with the remaining white frosting.
  12. Use the remaining pink and blue frostings to create swirls or decorative borders on the top and sides of the cake for a pastel effect.
  13. Garnish the top of the cake with fresh, plain cotton candy just before serving.

Notes

  • For the best cotton candy flavor, use a high-quality cotton candy flavoring oil.
  • Assemble and decorate the cake shortly before serving, as the fresh cotton candy garnish will dissolve quickly.
  • If you do not have buttermilk, mix 1 cup of milk with 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice and let it sit for 5 minutes.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://tastytipster.com/cotton-candy-cake-recipe/