Directions:
Preheat and Prepare:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease and flour three 6-inch cake rounds and line with parchment paper.
Mix Dry Ingredients:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
Cream Butter and Sugar:
- Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium-high until pale and fluffy (about 3 minutes).
Add Eggs and Flavoring:
- Reduce speed to medium and add eggs one at a time, fully incorporating after each addition. Stir in the cotton candy flavoring.
Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients:
- Alternately add the flour mixture and milk to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with flour (three additions of flour and two of milk). Fully incorporate after each addition.
Color and Bake:
- Divide the batter equally into four bowls. Color three of the bowls with fuchsia, sky blue, and violet gels respectively. Spoon the colored batter randomly into the prepared pans. Swirl gently with a skewer.
- Bake for about 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean. Cool the cakes on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then turn out from the pans to cool completely.
- Cotton Candy Buttercream
Prepare Meringue:
- Place egg whites and sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk until combined. Place over a double boiler on the stove and whisk constantly until the mixture is hot and no longer grainy to the touch (approx. 3 minutes), or registers 160°F on a candy thermometer.
Whip to Stiff Peaks:
- Place the bowl on your stand mixer and whisk on medium-high until the meringue is stiff and cooled (the bowl is no longer warm to the touch, about 5-10 minutes).
Add Butter and Flavor:
- Switch to the paddle attachment. Slowly add cubed butter and mix until smooth. Add cotton candy flavoring and whip until smooth.
- Assembly
Layer and Frost:
- Place one layer of cake on a stand or serving plate. Top with about 2/3 cup of buttercream. Repeat with remaining layers and apply a crumb coat. Chill for 20 minutes.
- Frost the top and sides of the cake smoothly with the remaining buttercream. Use a bench scraper to create a smooth finish.
Decorative Touches:
- Divide the remaining frosting into four parts. Leave one batch white and tint the rest with fuschia, sky blue, and violet. Spackle the colored frosting onto the cake in a random pattern using a small offset spatula. Blend slightly with a bench scraper.
- Add a pearl border along the top and bottom using the remainder of the white buttercream.
Finish with Cotton Candy:
- Add cotton candy to the top of the cake just before serving to prevent it from dissolving.
- This Cotton Candy Cake is a visual and flavorful treat, mirroring the playful joy of its namesake treat. Enjoy this beautiful cake at any festive gathering, especially those that call for a dash of whimsy and color!
