Welcome to a baking adventure that’s equal parts fun and delicious: the Easy Pastel Easter Cake Recipe! This festive, multi-layered cake is bursting with cheerful pastel colors, tender crumb, and creamy frosting, making it the ultimate showstopper for any Easter or spring celebration. Not only is it a stunning centerpiece, but every bite is light, moist, and just sweet enough to delight kids and adults alike. Let’s bring a little extra joy and color to your dessert table!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Simple ingredients come together in the Easy Pastel Easter Cake Recipe to create impressive flavor and dazzling color. Each component plays a special role, from rich butter to playful sprinkles, so don’t skip a thing!
- All-purpose flour (2 ½ cups): The cornerstone of the cake’s tender, soft crumb and fluffy layers.
- Baking powder (2 ½ teaspoons): Gives the cake its beautiful rise and airy texture.
- Salt (½ teaspoon): Just enough to balance the sweetness and deepen all the flavors.
- Unsalted butter, softened (1 cup for cake, ¾ cup for frosting): Provides unbeatable richness and helps both the cake and frosting achieve that melt-in-your-mouth vibe.
- Granulated sugar (2 cups): Sweetens the cake perfectly while helping it stay moist.
- Large eggs (4): Add structure, color, and richness to the batter.
- Vanilla extract (1 tablespoon for cake, 1 teaspoon for frosting): Adds lovely depth and warm, aromatic undertones to both cake and frosting.
- Whole milk (1 cup): Keeps the cake delightfully tender and moist.
- Gel food coloring in pastel shades: A little goes a long way toward achieving those charming pink, yellow, green, blue, and purple swirls.
- Powdered sugar (3 cups): The foundation of a silken, cloud-like frosting.
- Heavy cream (2–3 tablespoons): Makes your frosting extra creamy and easy to spread.
- Easter sprinkles or candy eggs for decoration: The finishing touch that turns this cake into a true holiday delight!
How to Make Easy Pastel Easter Cake Recipe
Step 1: Prep the Pans and Preheat
Start by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour three 8-inch round cake pans, making sure to get into every nook and cranny. This ensures your beautiful pastel cake layers pop out cleanly and makes assembling your Easy Pastel Easter Cake Recipe a breeze.
Step 2: Whisk the Dry Ingredients
Grab a medium bowl and whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. This simple step guarantees an evenly risen cake, and prevents any sneaky clumps from hiding in your finished masterpiece.
Step 3: Cream the Butter and Sugar
In a large bowl, beat together the softened butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until the mixture is light, fluffy, and pale—about 3 minutes. This creamy base gives your cake its signature moisture and soft bite.
Step 4: Add Eggs and Vanilla
One at a time, add the eggs to the butter-sugar mixture, mixing well after each addition. Finish with the vanilla extract. This method ensures extra tender layers and infuses the cake with rich, cozy flavor.
Step 5: Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients
With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients in three batches, alternating with the milk. Start and finish with flour. Mix until just combined to keep the batter airy and light.
Step 6: Tint the Batter
Divide the cake batter evenly into separate bowls (one for each color you want). Use gel food coloring to tint each portion a different pastel hue—think pink, yellow, green, blue, and purple. Gently fold until the color is even, remembering a little gel goes a long way!
Step 7: Bake the Layers
Pour each tinted batter into your prepared pans and smooth the tops. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes before turning them out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 8: Make the Buttercream Frosting
While the cakes cool, beat the softened butter until creamy. Gradually sift in the powdered sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and enough heavy cream (start with 2 tablespoons) to achieve a soft, spreadable consistency.
Step 9: Assemble and Frost
Place the first pastel cake layer on your serving plate, spread a generous layer of frosting over the top, then repeat with the remaining layers. Frost the outside and top of the cake completely, smoothing it as much as you like.
Step 10: Decorate!
The truly fun part: finish your Easy Pastel Easter Cake Recipe with a shower of sprinkles, candy eggs, or even a nest of dyed coconut flakes. Get as creative and festive as you want—the more color, the more springtime cheer!
How to Serve Easy Pastel Easter Cake Recipe
Garnishes
Let your personality shine by topping your cake with vibrant sprinkles, pastel-colored candy eggs, or edible glitter. A light crown of colored coconut flakes around the edges adds a playful, textured touch that everyone will adore.
Side Dishes
Pair each slice with fresh berries or fruit salad for a refreshing contrast, or serve alongside a dollop of whipped cream for an extra dreamy bite. If you’re celebrating brunch-style, this cake is delightful with tea or a sparkling mimosa.
Creative Ways to Present
Go beyond the classic round cake! Try assembling your Easy Pastel Easter Cake Recipe as a mini-cake stack for individual servings or cut into thick squares for a playful, picnic-ready treat. You can even decorate each slice differently to create a kaleidoscope effect on the dessert platter!
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
Any leftover cake can be kept covered at room temperature for up to two days, or in the fridge for up to five. To prevent the cake from drying out, cover the cut edges snugly with plastic wrap or an airtight cake dome.
Freezing
Both frosted and unfrosted cake layers freeze beautifully! Wrap each layer tightly in plastic wrap, followed by a layer of foil. Freeze for up to two months. When ready to serve, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before enjoying.
Reheating
While cake is best at room temperature, you can gently microwave individual slices for 5–10 seconds just to soften the buttercream slightly. Be careful not to overdo it—just enough to make each bite taste freshly made.
FAQs
Can I use natural food coloring instead of gel?
You can, but natural coloring tends to be less vibrant and may alter the batter’s consistency. For the brightest, softest pastel shades in the Easy Pastel Easter Cake Recipe, gel-based colorings work best.
Can I bake this cake in advance?
Absolutely! Bake the cake layers the day before, wrap them well, and frost them on the day you plan to serve. This makes your party prep so much easier.
Can I make cupcakes with the same batter?
Yes! Just divide the batter into lined muffin tins and bake for about 15–18 minutes. You’ll get gorgeous, pastel-hued cupcakes that are perfect for little hands.
What’s the best way to get super smooth frosting?
Beat your buttercream until it’s ultra-fluffy, sift your powdered sugar to avoid lumps, and add heavy cream gradually to get that dreamy texture. A warmed spatula can help smooth the final coat.
Can I add other flavors to the cake or frosting?
Definitely! Almond or lemon extract can bring a delicate twist to the batter or frosting, just remember to use a light touch so the pastel colors and classic flavors still shine through.
Final Thoughts
There’s something so joyful about a cake that’s as gorgeous to look at as it is delicious to eat. I hope the Easy Pastel Easter Cake Recipe brightens your table and brings everyone together for sweet springtime memories. Give it a try—you’ll be amazed by your own colorful masterpiece!
Print
Easy Pastel Easter Cake Recipe
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This Easy Pastel Easter Cake is a delightful treat perfect for spring celebrations. The tender, colorful layers are stacked high and frosted with a smooth buttercream, making it a show-stopping dessert for your Easter table.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients:
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients:
- 1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup whole milk
Additional:
- Gel food coloring in pastel shades (pink, yellow, green, blue, purple)
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- ¾ cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 2–3 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Easter sprinkles or candy eggs for decoration
Instructions
- Preheat and Prep: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease/flour three 8-inch round cake pans.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: Beat butter and sugar until fluffy.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Mix in eggs one at a time, then add vanilla.
- Combine: Alternate adding flour mixture and milk to the wet ingredients.
- Color Batter: Divide batter, tint each portion with food coloring.
- Bake: Pour colored batter into pans and bake for 22–25 minutes.
- Make Frosting: Beat butter, sugar, vanilla, and cream until smooth.
- Assemble: Frost and stack cooled cakes, then decorate.
Notes
- Use gel-based coloring for vibrant pastels.
- Add dyed coconut flakes for a festive touch.
- Cakes can be made a day ahead and frosted later.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 485
- Sugar: 48 g
- Sodium: 210 mg
- Fat: 23 g
- Saturated Fat: 14 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 65 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg
