Food & Cooking Recipes Dessert & Treats Recipes Cake Recipes Pastel Layer Cake Be the first to rate & review! By Martha Stewart Editors Martha Stewart Editors Facebook Instagram Twitter Website An article attributed to "Martha Stewart Editors" indicates when several writers and editors have contributed to an article over the years. These collaborations allow us to provide you with the most accurate, up-to-date, and comprehensive information available.The Martha Stewart team aims to teach and inspire readers daily with tested-until-perfected recipes, creative DIY projects, and elevated home and entertaining ideas. They are experts in their fields who research, create, and test the best ways to help readers design the life they want. The joy is in the doing. Editorial Guidelines Updated on January 16, 2019 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Prep Time: 1 hrs 45 mins Total Time: 3 hrs 15 mins Yield: 1 8-inch layer cake Five pastel layers form this colorful creation. You can also use the batter to make four dozen cupcakes or a two- or three-layer cake (bake each layer a few minutes longer than instructed). Use our Seven-Minute Frosting if you'd prefer a bright-white, swoopy finish. Ingredients 3 ½ sticks unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pans and parchment 6 ½ cups sifted cake flour (not self-rising), plus more for pans and parchment 3 tablespoons baking powder Salt 2 ¼ cups whole milk 2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract 2 ½ cups sugar 10 large egg whites Gel-paste food coloring 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 Notes To make ahead, unfrosted cakes can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days. Leftover frosted cake can be stored in refrigerator up to 2 days. Rate it Print