Pastel Cake Recipes

PASTEL CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Cover bottoms of 2 (9-inch) round pans with waxed paper; spray with cooking spray.
• Prepare cake batter as directed on package; pour half into separate bowl. Add different flavor dry gelatin mix to batter in each bowl; mix well. Pour into prepared pans.
• Bake 28 to 30 min. or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool cakes in pans 15 min. Invert onto wire racks; gently remove pans. Cool cakes completely.
• Place lime cake layer on serving plate; spread top with 1 cup COOL WHIP. Cover with lemon cake layer. Frost top and side of cake with remaining COOL WHIP.

CARAMEL CAKE (SALTED CARAMEL CAKE)

Steps:

• Place sugar and water into a medium pot, stir to combine, but to not stir from this point forward. Cook over high heat, washing down the sides of the pot with a pastry brush dipped in water as needed to prevent crystals.
• Cook until desired color of caramel is reached (amber) and immediately remove from heat. Very slowly pour in (room temperature) heavy cream while whisking quickly. The mixture will bubble up (a lot) and boil. Add (room temperature) butter, return to heat, and bring back to a boil. Simmer for 2 minutes whisking constantly.
• If you want to make this a salted caramel, add your salt at this point. Whisk it in (start with less than you think you'll need), dip a spoon into the caramel, let it cool, taste it, add more salt as needed.
• Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature (about 2 hours). Transfer to a container and place in fridge to thicken.*
• Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour three 6" cake rounds, line with parchment.
• In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer combine butter and sugar. Beat on med-high until pale and fluffy (2-3 mins). Add eggs one at a time, fully incorporating after each addition. Add vanilla and caramel and mix until incorporated.
• Alternate adding flour mixture and milk, beginning and ending with flour (3 additions of flour and 2 of milk). Fully incorporating after each addition.
• Spread batter evenly into prepared pans and bake for 35-40 mins or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean.
• Place cakes on wire rack to cool for 10mins then turn out onto wire rack to cool completely.
• Place egg whites and sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk until combined.**
• Place bowl over a pot with 1-2" of simmering water and whisk constantly until the mixture is hot and no longer grainy to the touch or reads 160F on a candy thermometer (about 3mins)
• Place bowl on your stand mixer and whip on med-high until the meringue is stiff and cooled (the bowl is no longer warm to the touch (approx. 5-10mins)).
• Switch to paddle attachment. Slowly add cubed butter and mix until smooth.
• Add cooled caramel and whip until smooth.*** Add additional salt if desired if making a salted caramel buttercream.
• Trim cake layers slightly. Place one layer of cake on a cake stand or serving plate. Top with 1-2 Tbsp cooled caramel. Spread evenly pressing into the cake layers so the cake absorbs the sauce. Top with 2/3 cup of frosting, spread evenly. Repeat with remaining layers.
• Frost and smooth the outside with a thin crumb coat. Chill for 20mins.
• Frost and smooth the outside of the cake, generously frosting the sides specifically. Smooth with an icing smoother. Use a cake comb on the sides of the cake. Repeat, scraping off more frosting each time, until smooth.
• Using a small spoon, place dollops of caramel around the top edges of the cooled cake, allowing some to drip down.****
• Fill in the top of the cake with more caramel and spread evenly with an offset spatula. Pipe rosette dollops using a 1M tip with remainder of frosting.

PASTEL DE ELOTE (MEXICAN CORN CAKE)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9-inch cake pan. Chill in freezer.
• Cut kernels from ears of corn with a sharp knife. Beat butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy.
• Combine eggs, condensed milk, whole milk, and corn kernels in a blender; blend until smooth. Transfer egg mixture to a bowl with butter and mix well.
• Sift flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt into a large bowl. Add egg mixture and mix well to combine.
• Remove cake pan from freezer. Grease and flour again. Pour batter into prepared pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then remove from tin and cool on a wire rack.

PASTEL LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter five 8-inch round cake pans, and line with parchment (you may need to bake in batches). Butter parchment, and dust with flour, tapping out excess. Sift flour, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt into a large bowl. Combine milk and vanilla. Beat butter with a mixer on medium speed until very smooth. With machine running, gradually add sugar, and beat until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
• Reduce speed to low, and add flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with milk mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Beat until just combined; do not overmix.
• Beat egg whites in a clean mixer bowl on medium speed until stiff (but not dry) peaks form, about 3 minutes. Gently fold egg-white mixture into batter in 3 additions.
• Divide batter among 5 bowls, and tint each with food coloring to create different pastel shades. Spread each into a prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Let cool completely in pans on wire racks.
• Loosen edges of cake with a small metal spatula or paring knife; invert onto racks. Discard parchment. Reinvert cakes, top side up. Let cool completely.
• Trim top of each cake to make surface even. Spread 1 cup buttercream onto top of 1 cake. Top with another cake. Repeat, spreading 1 cup buttercream between each layer. Frost cake with 1 1/2 cups buttercream. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Frost cake with 2 cups buttercream.

PASTEL POUND CAKE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add extracts. Combine the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition., Pour half of the batter into a greased and floured 10-in. fluted tube pan. Sprinkle with marshmallows. Top with remaining batter. Bake at 350° for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean., Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Dust with confectioners' sugar.

PASTEL FOUR-LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Prepare and bake cake according to the package directions, using two greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Cool in pans for 10 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely. , In small saucepan, combine flour and salt. Gradually add milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir over medium-high heat for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat; cover and refrigerate until cooled completely. , In a large bowl, cream the butter, shortening, and sugar until light and fluffy. Add milk mixture; beat until light and fluffy. , Divide frosting equally among four bowls, with 1-1/4 cups in each. To the first bowl, add 2-3 drops yellow food coloring and lemon extract until blended. To second bowl, add 2-3 drops red food coloring and peppermint extract. To third bowl, add 2-3 drops green food coloring and almond extract. To the last bowl, add the cocoa and vanilla. , Cut each cake horizontally into two layers. Place bottom layer on a serving plate; spread with green frosting. Top with the second layer; spread with yellow frosting. Top with the third layer; spread with pink frosting. Top with remaining cake layer; spread with cocoa frosting. Do not frost sides of cake.

BEST TRES LECHES CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13-inch baking pan.
• Mix together flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Stir together 1/2 cup milk with 1 teaspoon vanilla in a glass measuring cup.
• Beat egg whites with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. With mixer running, add 1 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, and beat until whites are very stiff but still glossy, about 8 minutes. With mixer on low, add yolks, 1 egg at a time, beating until combined. Add flour mixture, 2 tablespoons at a time, alternating with milk mixture just until batter is smooth (be careful not to beat so much it deflates).
• Pour batter into prepared pan and bake in middle of oven until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, 27 to 30 minutes.
• Cool cake 30 minutes in pan on a rack (it will shrink), then invert onto rack to cool completely. When cooled, return cake to baking pan. Poke holes all over cake with fork.
• Stir together condensed milk, evaporated milk, and remaining 1/2 cup whole milk, and pour over cake. When cake absorbs milk mixture, 5 to 10 minutes, cover pan with plastic wrap and chill at least 2 hours or up to 8 hours.
• Whip heavy cream with remaining 1/4 cup sugar and remaining teaspoon vanilla with electric mixer on medium speed until stiff, then spread evenly over cake. Serve as is or top with fresh fruit.

PASTEL RIBBON CAKE (SWIRLED PASTEL CAKE)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter and line a 9 x 13 inch pan with parchment paper. (If you prefer making a round cake, you can butter and line 2 x 8 inch pans OR 2 x 9 inch pans).
• Make the cake batter according to this recipe.
• Divide the cake batter into 3 bowls. This is roughly about 400 g (14.1 oz) of batter per portion.
• Add a drop or two of food coloring into each portion (yellow, pink and green). Mix the batter to create the pastel colored cake batters.
• Dollop the batter into the prepared cake pan, while alternating colors. If you are using round cake pans, remember to divide the cake batter evenly between the pans - about 608 g (21.4 oz) batter per pan.
• Swirl the colors in the pan, and make the surface smooth. Knock the pan on the counter/work surface 2 - 3 times to remove any air, and to even out the cake batter in the pan.
• Bake the 9 x 13 inch pan in the preheated oven for 30 - 35 minutes (mine takes about 32 minutes). (See Recipe Notes for bake times for 8 inch or 9 inch pans).
• Once the cake is baked, remove from the oven and let it cool down slightly. Turn the cake out onto a cooling rack, and let it cool down completely. The cake is now ready to be iced.
• Make the vanilla buttercream frosting according to the recipe instructions here.
• Evenly spread a layer of vanilla buttercream on top of the cake. Trim the edges to get clean straight lines.
• Pipe a simple border with a small closed star tip. Sprinkle funfetti (optional) on the surface of the cake. The middle of the cake can be used to pipe a message OR can be kept clean.
• Divide the buttercream frosting into 3 portions. One portion should be less than the other two. Color the smaller portion with green food coloring. Color the other two with pink and yellow.
• Apple a crumb coating to the top of the cake. Trim the edges of the cake, and crumb coat the sides as well.
• Put each of the buttercream frosting into piping bags and cut openings. Use another piping bag to attach the piping tips (so that it'll be easier to change between the colors for each tip).
• With a round tip, pipe two thin lines of the pink and yellow frostings along the side of the cake. Using an offset spatula smoothen the sides to create an ombre look.
• Pipe some of the frosting on the top of the cake as well, creating random patterns. Using an offset spatula, spread the buttercream to create a swirled pattern, and to make it smooth.
• Pipe a border along the cake with the rest of the pink and yellow buttercream.
• Using the green buttercream frosting and tip #234, create grass patches on the surface of the cake. Using tip #18, create drop flowers with pink and yellow buttercream (optional). Decorate with Easter eggs and Easter bunny chocolates.
• Place the cake on a cake serving platter and surround it with edible grass and more Easter eggs (optional).

MISSISSIPPI MUD CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325°. Spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray and set aside.
• In a large bowl whisk together the vegetable oil, warm coffee, eggs, and vanilla until combined.
• In a medium bowl sift together the flour, sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and gently whisk together until fully combined.
• Fill the pan and bake for 40-45 minutes, until the center of the cake springs back lightly when pressed on, or a toothpick comes out clean. Immediately add the whole bag of marshmallows over the top of the hot cake and return to the oven. Bake for 2-3 minutes, just until the marshmallows are starting to puff and melt.
• Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool completely. Drizzle the frosting over the cake while the frosting is still warm. Allow to chill in the fridge for about 20-30 minutes until the frosting has set before serving.