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A Colorful Swirl Cake is sure to wow at any gathering. The eye-catching blend of colors inside paired with smooth homemade vanilla buttercream outside makes this dessert both beautiful and tasty. It's just right for birthdays, pride celebrations, or whenever you want something extra special on your table.
INGREDIENTS- All-purpose flour: 3 cups
- Granulated sugar: 3 cups
- Baking powder: 2 1/2 tsp
- Salt: 1 tsp
- Unsalted butter: 1 cup, softened
- Vanilla extract: 2 tsp for cake, 1 1/2 Tbsp for frosting
- Egg whites: 1 cup (roughly 7 egg whites)
- Buttermilk: 1 1/2 cups, softened
- Vegetable oil: 1/8 cup
- Gel food coloring: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple
- Butter: 3 cups, softened for frosting
- Powdered sugar: 11 cups
- Heavy cream: 1/3 cup
- Salt: 1 tsp for frosting
- Step 1:
- Heat your oven to 350°F (177°C). Get three 8-inch round cake pans ready by putting parchment paper on the bottoms and greasing the sides.
- Step 2:
- Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in your stand mixer. Slowly put in the butter until the mix looks crumbly. Add egg whites and buttermilk next, then mix in vanilla extract and oil. Stir just until everything's combined, then beat for 30 seconds on medium.
- Step 3:
- Split the batter equally into six bowls. Add a different gel food color to each bowl. Drop spoonfuls of different colors into your pans and use a knife to swirl them together for that marble look.
- Step 4:
- Pop the cakes in the oven for 34-37 minutes. They're done when a toothpick comes out clean from the middle. Let them cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then put them in the freezer for 45 minutes to firm them up.
- Step 5:
- To make the buttercream, whip the butter for 30 seconds. Then mix in powdered sugar bit by bit, adding cream between additions. Stir in the vanilla and salt. Make it thicker or thinner by adding more sugar or cream.
- Step 6:
- Build your cake by putting lots of buttercream between each layer. Cover it all with a thin layer first, chill it, then add another smooth layer. Color what's left of your frosting and make rainbow stripes on the cake with a piping tip.
- Always go for gel food colors to keep your batter and frosting the right texture while getting bright colors.
- Keep your finished cake in the fridge if you're not eating it right away. Let it warm up before cutting slices.
- Scoop and level your flour for the best cake texture. Don't mix too much or your cake might end up heavy. Just mix until everything's combined.
Tips from Well-Known Chefs
- For that bakery-quality finish, smooth your frosting with a bench scraper and use a spinning cake stand to make decorating easier.
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