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Cotton Candy Cake Fluffy Layers Recipe

★★★★★

4.6 from 113 reviews
  • Author: Elara
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: 12 servings 1x

Description

This Cotton Candy Cake features fluffy, vibrantly colored layers infused with a whimsical cotton candy flavor. The moist blue and pink cake layers are complemented by a rich, creamy cotton candy buttercream frosting, layered and decorated with a watercolor finish and topped with soft cotton candy for a magical, fun dessert perfect for celebrations.

Ingredients

Scale

Cake Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups (265g) sifted cake flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 cups (300g) granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 4 large egg whites, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup (120ml) vegetable oil
  • 1 tablespoon Amoretti Natural Cotton Candy Artisan Flavor
  • 1 1/4 cups (300ml) full-fat buttermilk, room temperature
  • 1 drop blue food coloring (optional)
  • 1 drop pink food coloring (optional)

Buttercream Frosting

  • 2 cups (452g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 7 cups (840g) powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Amoretti Natural Cotton Candy Artisan Flavor
  • 4 tablespoons whole milk, room temperature
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 small drop blue food color gel
  • 1 small drop purple food color gel

Topping

  • 1 cup cotton candy

Instructions

  1. Prepare Cake Pans and Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C). Spray three 6-inch or two 8-inch cake pans with baking spray, then line the bottoms with parchment paper circles to prevent sticking.
  2. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the sifted cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside to keep dry ingredients combined evenly.
  3. Cream Butter and Sugar: Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the room temperature butter on high speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add granulated sugar and beat on medium-high speed until the mixture is light and fluffy, scraping the sides of the bowl and paddle as needed to ensure thorough mixing.
  4. Incorporate Wet Ingredients: Lower the mixer speed to low. Add egg whites one at a time, mixing gently after each addition just until combined. Scrape the bowl and paddle again. Then add the vegetable oil and cotton candy flavor, and increase the mixer speed to high, beating for 1 minute to fully incorporate.
  5. Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Turn off the mixer, add the dry flour mixture, and mix on low speed just until the ingredients are combined. Gradually pour in the buttermilk while mixing until the batter is uniform and slightly thin in consistency.
  6. Color the Batter: Divide the batter evenly into two separate bowls. Add pink food coloring to one bowl and blue food coloring to the other. Stir each until the color is evenly distributed.
  7. Layer and Bake the Batter: Alternately pour pink and blue batter into the prepared pans in 1/2 cup increments to create layered colors. Bake in the preheated oven for 28 to 32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean. Let them cool for 5 minutes in the pans before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.
  8. Prepare Buttercream: In a stand mixer, beat the butter on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 7 minutes. Gradually add powdered sugar at low speed, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Add whole milk and salt, then mix until the frosting is smooth. Reserve 1 cup of the buttercream for coloring if making pastel variations.
  9. Add Cotton Candy Flavor to Buttercream: Stir the cotton candy flavor into the remaining buttercream. If creating pastel colors, divide the reserved buttercream into two bowls and tint with blue and purple food color gels as desired.
  10. Assemble and Frost Cake: Level the cooled cake layers with a serrated knife. Stack the layers, spreading about 3/4 cup of buttercream between each. Apply a crumb coat frosting layer, then refrigerate the cake for 30 minutes to set. Finish frosting with the colored buttercream using a watercolor technique. Use a piping bag to add decorative swirls for a beautiful finish.
  11. Add Cotton Candy Topping: Just before serving, top the cake with a generous amount of cotton candy. Note that the cotton candy will begin to shrink after about one hour, so add it fresh for best presentation.

Notes

  • Room temperature ingredients (butter, eggs, buttermilk) are key for proper mixing and texture.
  • Use cake flour for a tender, fluffy crumb.
  • For a pastel effect, adjust the amount of food coloring to your preference.
  • Make sure to add cotton candy topping right before serving as it dissolves and shrinks over time.
  • This recipe works well with either 6-inch or 8-inch pans; adjust baking time slightly if needed.
  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Keywords: cotton candy cake, colorful cake layers, buttercream frosting, fluffy cake, party cake, layered cake, whimsical dessert

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Find it online: https://kitchenflavorspot.com/cotton-candy-cake-fluffy-layers-recipe/