Pastel Layer Cake
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Martha Stewart Living, January
- Prep Time 1 hour 45 minutes
- Total Time 3 hours 15 minutes
- Yield Makes one 8-inch layer cake
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Ingredients
- 3 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pans and parchment
- 6 1/2 cups sifted cake flour (not self-rising), plus more for pans and parchment
- 3 tablespoons baking powder
- Salt
- 2 1/4 cups whole milk
- 2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups sugar
- 10 large egg whites
- Gel-paste food coloring (nycake.com)
- Swiss Meringue Buttercream
Directions
- 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.
Cook's Note
To make ahead, unfrosted cakes can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days. Refrigerate for up to 2 days to store.
This colored layer pastel cake looks delicious. I want to learn baking colored cakes. I tried baking them many times but they always get messed up. Hope this recipe will help me. Can I use strawberries to garnish it?
This colored layer pastel cake looks delicious. I want to learn baking colored cakes. I tried baking them many times but they always get messed up. Hope this recipe will help me. Can I use strawberries to garnish it?
I've always wanted to learn how to bake and make layer cakes, but it never works out for me, it either crumbles or just won't layer. :(
How many servings does this cake make? And what are the size of the layers they look like half sized layers? Trying to make this cake for my baby shower in May. Thanks
I'm a bit late, but here are their gel pastes:
http://www.nycake.com/gels.aspx
I'm a bit late, but here are their gel pastes:
http://www.nycake.com/gels.aspx
can you tell me which colors you used for each layer? i didnt see a pastel gel-paste kit on the website (nycakes.com) provided. thank you