Dreamy Fluffy Cotton Candy Cake Recipe: A Sweet Cloud Delight

Baking a delightful cotton candy cake that sparks pure joy never gets old.

Sweet memories flood back with every slice of this whimsical cotton candy cake recipe.

Pastel colors and sugary swirls dance across a soft, tender crumb that melts in your mouth.

The delicate layers promise a dreamy dessert experience that enchants both kids and adults.

Creamy frosting and a hint of nostalgia make this cake a showstopper at any celebration.

Gather your ingredients and transform an ordinary afternoon into a magical moment of sugary bliss.

You’ll fall in love with this playful, cloud-like confection that brings smiles to every plate.

Quick Recipe Overview

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Calories: 410 kcal

Servings: 12

What You’ll Need for Cotton Candy Cake

• All-Purpose Flour: Foundation of the cake, choose unbleached for better texture and richer flavor.
• Baking Powder: Crucial for cake's rise, ensure it's fresh and not expired for optimal lift.
• Salt: Enhances overall flavor and balances sweetness of the cake.

• Butter: Provides rich, creamy base, select high-quality unsalted butter for best results.
• Eggs: Bind ingredients and add structure, room temperature eggs blend more smoothly.
• Milk: Adds moisture and tenderness, whole milk recommended for fuller flavor.
• Vanilla Extract: Adds depth and warmth, use pure extract for authentic taste.
• Cotton Candy Extract: Brings playful, nostalgic flavor profile to the cake.

• Powdered Sugar: Creates smooth, silky frosting consistency.
• Heavy Cream: Helps achieve creamy, spreadable frosting texture.
• Food Coloring: Creates vibrant, playful cake colors, gel colors provide more intense hues.
• Cotton Candy: Final whimsical topping, use fresh to prevent melting.
• Sprinkles: Adds festive, colorful touch to the cake decoration.

Tools for This Whimsical Sweet Treat

• Electric mixer: Essential for beating butter, sugar, and creating smooth frosting.
• Large mixing bowls: Perfect for combining ingredients and separating colored batters.
• Cake pans (3 × 8-inch): Needed for baking cake layers with even thickness.
• Wire cooling rack: Crucial for cooling cakes without soggy bottoms.
• Whisk: Great for blending dry ingredients smoothly.
• Measuring cups and spoons: Important for accurate ingredient measurements.
• Spatula: Helpful for spreading frosting and smoothing cake layers.
• Toothpicks: Used to test cake doneness by inserting into cake center.
• Serving plate: Necessary for displaying and presenting the finished cake.

Make Cotton Candy Cake That Looks and Tastes Fun

• Warm Up the Oven

Crank your oven to a toasty 350F. Grab three cake pans and give them a quick butter massage, then line with parchment paper.

• Create the Base Mix

Whip together flour, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl. Set this powdery blend aside while you tackle the next step.

• Whip Butter and Sugar

Grab your electric mixer and transform butter and sugar into a cloud-like, fluffy dream. Beat them until they look light and airy.

• Blend in Liquid

Drop in eggs one by one, followed by vanilla and cotton candy extracts. Let your mixer work its charm until everything looks smooth and dreamy.

• Combine and Color

Gently fold dry ingredients into your buttery mixture, alternating with milk. Split the batter into different bowls and splash in playful food colors like pink and blue.

• Bake to Perfection

Pour colorful batters into prepared pans. Slide them into the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes. Check doneness with a toothpick – it should come out clean.

• Craft Fluffy Frosting

Beat butter until creamy. Slowly introduce powdered sugar and cream, mixing until you’ve got a cloud-like frosting. Add extracts and optional color.

• Stack and Decorate

Layer your cakes, spreading frosting between each. Cover the entire cake in remaining frosting. Right before serving, crown your creation with cotton candy and sprinkles.

Tips That Bring Out the Candy Flavor

• Use room temperature ingredients to ensure smooth, even cake batter that blends perfectly without lumps.
• Bake cake layers up to two days in advance and store wrapped in plastic at room temperature to save time on party day.
• Swap milk with almond or oat milk and use vegan butter alternatives to create a plant-based version of this whimsical dessert.
• Let children help decorate by sprinkling colorful toppings or arranging cotton candy pieces for a fun baking experience.
• Replace all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend, ensuring the same light and fluffy texture for those with dietary restrictions.

Serving Ideas for a Bright, Colorful Cake

• Sweet Cotton Candy Cloud Party: Serve this whimsical cake at birthday celebrations, creating aal dessert centerpiece that delights kids and adults.
• Carnival Dessert Station: Display the cake alongside other pastel-colored treats like cotton candy, colorful macarons, and soft meringue cookies for a festive candy-themed spread.
• Instagram-Worthy Celebration: Place the cake on a decorative stand with soft pastel backdrop and add playful cotton candy tufts around the base for a photogenic dessert that captures attention and creates memorable moments.
• Playful Dessert Pairing: Complement the cake with light, airy beverages like cotton candy milkshakes, pink lemonade, or sparkling fruit punches that match the cake's whimsical color palette.

How to Keep Your Cake Soft and Airy

• Keep cake covered in airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days, maintaining freshness and softness.
• Store frosted cake in refrigerator for up to 5 days, covering loosely with plastic wrap to prevent drying out.
• Wrap unfrosted cake layers individually in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil, and freeze for 1-2 months. Thaw at room temperature before decorating.
• Add delicate cotton candy garnish only moments before serving to prevent melting and maintain its fluffy texture.

FAQs

• How do I prevent my cake from being dry?

Always check your cake a few minutes before the recommended baking time. Use room temperature ingredients, measure precisely, and avoid overmixing the batter. Overmixing can develop too much gluten, leading to a tough cake.

• Can I make this cake without cotton candy extract?

Yes, you can substitute with vanilla extract or use a combination of vanilla and almond extract. The cotton candy extract adds a unique flavor, but the cake will still be delicious without it.

• What's the best way to get even cake layers?

Use a kitchen scale to divide the batter equally between pans. If you don’t have a scale, use measuring cups or eyeball the amounts carefully. Tap the pans on the counter to remove air bubbles before baking.

• How can I achieve vibrant food coloring in my cake?

Use gel food coloring instead of liquid. Gel colors are more concentrated and won’t thin out your batter. Add color gradually and mix gently to create consistent, bright colors without affecting the cake’s texture.

Fluffy Cotton Candy Cake Recipe

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4.6 from 29 reviews

• Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
• Yield: 13 1x

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Description

Sweet Cotton Candy Cake celebrates childhood nostalgia with layers of pink-tinted sponge and fluffy buttercream. Carnival-inspired dessert promises delightful memories and sugary excitement for guests of all ages.

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Ingredients

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• 4 large eggs
• 2 ½ cups (315 g) all-purpose flour
• 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar
• 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter
• 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk
• 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp cotton candy extract
• ½ tsp salt
• Food coloring (pink and blue or your choice of colors)
• 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter
• 4 cups (480 g) powdered sugar
• 2–3 tbsps heavy cream or milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp cotton candy extract
• Food coloring (optional)
• Cotton candy (store-bought or homemade)
• Sprinkles (optional)

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Instructions

1. Oven Preparation: Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and prepare three 8-inch round cake pans by buttering and lining with parchment paper.
2. Dry Ingredient Blend: Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in a mixing bowl, setting aside for later incorporation.
3. Butter Mixture: Cream butter and sugar using an electric mixer until light and fluffy, creating a voluminous base. Add eggs one at a time, thoroughly integrating after each addition. Mix in vanilla and cotton candy extracts until uniform.
4. Batter Development: Alternately fold dry ingredients and milk into the butter mixture, starting and ending with dry ingredients. Gently mix to maintain batter’s delicate texture. Divide batter into separate bowls and tint with pastel food coloring, carefully folding to preserve airiness.
5. Baking Process: Evenly distribute colored batters into prepared pans, smoothing surfaces. Bake for 25-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Rest cakes in pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.
6. Frosting Creation: Whip butter until creamy, gradually incorporating powdered sugar and heavy cream. Beat until achieving a silky, cloud-like consistency. Enhance with vanilla and cotton candy extracts, optionally adding food coloring.
7. Cake Assembly: Position first cake layer on serving plate, spreading a delicate frosting layer. Repeat with remaining layers, fully enrobing the cake with frosting to create smooth, even coverage.
8. Final Flourish: Decorate with cotton candy wisps and playful sprinkles just before serving to prevent premature melting and maintain visual whimsy.

Notes

• Maintain Precise Oven Temperature: Ensure exact 350F (175C) for even baking and consistent cake texture, using an oven thermometer for accuracy.
• Prevent Overmixing Batter: Gently fold ingredients to maintain airiness, stopping when dry ingredients are just incorporated to avoid dense, tough cake layers.
• Color Batter Strategically: Add food coloring sparingly and fold gently to preserve batter’s delicate structure, creating soft pastel swirls without deflating mixture.
• Handle Cotton Candy Decoration Carefully: Add cotton candy garnish immediately before serving to prevent melting and maintain delicate, ethereal appearance.

• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 1 hour
• Category: Desserts
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 13
• Calories: 460
• Sugar: 54 g
• Sodium: 210 mg
• Fat: 26 g
• Saturated Fat: 16 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 57 g
• Fiber: 0 g
• Protein: 4 g
• Cholesterol: 105 mg