Print

Easy & Fluffy Homemade Cotton Candy Cake Recipe

A delicious slice of cotton candy cake showing colorful rainbow layers and pink and blue piped frosting.
Print Recipe
Save Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

Make a whimsical, fluffy cotton candy cake with pastel swirled layers and sweet cotton candy frosting. This simple recipe yields a show-stopping dessert perfect for birthdays and celebrations.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup whole milk
  • 1 teaspoon cotton candy extract (or flavoring syrup)
  • Pink and blue gel food coloring
  • For the Frosting:
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon cotton candy extract
  • 2–4 tablespoons milk or heavy cream
  • Pink and blue gel food coloring

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, cream the softened butter and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.
  4. In a small bowl, mix the milk and cotton candy extract together.
  5. Alternate adding the dry ingredients and the milk mixture to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined. Do not overmix.
  6. Divide the batter evenly between two bowls. Add a few drops of pink gel coloring to one bowl and blue gel coloring to the other. Gently fold the color into each batter until you achieve light pastel shades.
  7. To create the swirl effect, alternate spooning small dollops of the pink and blue batter into the prepared cake pans. Do not mix the colors together once in the pan.
  8. Bake for 28 to 32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes before inverting them onto a wire rack to cool completely.
  9. Prepare the Cotton Candy Frosting: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter until smooth. Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar, mixing on low speed until combined. Add the vanilla extract, cotton candy extract, and 2 tablespoons of milk. Beat on medium speed until fluffy. Add more milk, one teaspoon at a time, until you reach a spreadable consistency.
  10. Divide the frosting into two bowls. Color one bowl pink and the other blue using gel coloring.
  11. To assemble, place one cooled cake layer on a serving plate. Spread a layer of white or one of the colored frostings on top. Place the second layer on top.
  12. Frost the entire cake with the remaining frosting, using a spatula to create soft swirls of pink and blue on the outside for a whimsical look.
  13. For extra flair, you can top the cake with actual spun cotton candy just before serving.

Notes

  • For the best pastel effect, use gel food coloring rather than liquid coloring, as it provides more intense color without adding extra liquid to the batter.
  • If you cannot find cotton candy extract, you can use a high-quality cotton candy flavoring syrup, but reduce the amount of milk in the frosting slightly.
  • This cake tastes best when served the day it is made, as the cotton candy flavor is most potent immediately after assembly.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://cookingbycarla.com/cotton-candy-cake-recipe-fluffy-easy/