Cotton Candy Cake Recipe

Course: Cake, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 30

Cook Time: 20

Total Time: 50

Servings: slices

Calories: 1072kcal

Author: Becky Hardin - Easy Dessert Recipes

This fun and colorful cotton candy cake is perfect for birthdays and special occasions. This cotton candy flavored cake is made with 3 layers and will be the star of any celebration!

Print Recipe

Equipment

Kitchen Scale (optional)
3 8-inch Round Cake Pan
Stand Mixer
Piping Tip Set (optional)

Ingredients

For the Cake

4 cups cake flour 480 grams, see note
1 tablespoon baking powder 12 grams
1¼ teaspoons kosher salt 4 grams
1 teaspoon baking soda 6 grams
1 cup unsalted butter 226 grams, room temperature (2 sticks)
3 cups granulated sugar 600 grams
5 large eggs 250 grams, room temperature
1¾ cups milk 398 grams, room temperature
1½ teaspoons cotton candy flavoring 8 grams (2 drams LorAnn)
Blue and pink food coloring optional

For the Buttercream

2 cups unsalted butter 452 grams, room temperature (4 sticks)
7 cups powdered sugar 791 grams
⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
¾ teaspoon cotton candy flavoring 4 grams (1 dram LorAnn)
Pink and blue food coloring optional

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 3 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper and spray them with nonstick spray. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.
4 cups cake flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1¼ teaspoons kosher salt, 1 teaspoon baking soda
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on medium-high for about 1 minute. Add in the eggs, milk, and cotton candy flavoring. Beat on high for another 1 minute. Add in the flour mixture and stir just until the flour has been incorporated. Divide evenly into 2 smaller bowls and color with blue and pink food coloring if desired.
1 cup unsalted butter, 3 cups granulated sugar, 5 large eggs, 1¾ cups milk, 1½ teaspoons cotton candy flavoring, Blue and pink food coloring
Alternately spoon blue and pink batter into the cake pans and gently swirl them together. Don’t swirl too much as the batter will turn purple and bake into a brown color. Place into the oven to bake for 20-23 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean or with moist crumbs. Once baked, remove from the oven, place onto a cooling rack, and let cool to room temperature.
While the cakes are cooling, make the buttercream. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, powdered sugar, salt, and cotton candy flavoring together. Beat first on low for about 2 minutes, or until the powdered sugar is almost completely incorporated, to avoid it from flying out of the bowl. Increase speed to high and let it whip for 4 minutes to create a smooth buttercream.
2 cups unsalted butter, 7 cups powdered sugar, ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt, ¾ teaspoon cotton candy flavoring
Separate the frosting evenly into 3 bowls. Color 1 bowl pink, 1 bowl blue, and leave the last bowl white.
Pink and blue food coloring
Once the cakes are cooled, place 1 layer onto a cake stand or plate. Top with about ¼ cup of buttercream and spread to the edges. Place a second layer of cake on top and frost. Place the last layer of cake on top. Frost the top and sides of the cake with buttercream. Alternate between white, blue, and pink frosting for a cotton candy, rainbow effect.
For neat multi-colored frosting swirls, alternately spread some pink and blue buttercream onto the sides of a piping bag fitted with your choice of tip. Once you are happy with the mix of colors, fill the remainder of the bag with white buttercream. Pipe in a clock formating, piping 1 swirl each at 12:00, 6:00, 3:00, and 9:00. Continue in that fashion around the perimeter of the cake.
If desired, top with clouds or pieces of cotton candy.
Once the cake is frosted, slice and serve!

Notes

Cake Flour: If you don't have cake flour, you can make your own by measuring 1 cup of all-purpose flour, removing 2 tablespoons from the cup, and adding 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. Whisk together and sift well before using.
Your butter should be softened before mixing it. It will combine much easier and you will have an even texture throughout.

Make sure the cake is fully cooled before frosting it. I like to bake the cake the day before and decorate it the next day so I know it's fully cooled.
This cake is perfect for bridal and baby showers too!

Storage: Store cotton candy cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Nutrition