Description
A delightful and festive Swirled Easter Cake featuring vibrant pastel colors swirled into a moist vanilla cake, topped with creamy cream cheese frosting and decorated with Easter-themed sprinkles or candies. Perfect for spring celebrations and family gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake Batter
- 1 box white or vanilla cake mix (plus ingredients listed on the box: eggs, oil, water)
- Gel food coloring in pastel colors (pink, yellow, blue, purple)
Frosting
- 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3–4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Decoration
- Pastel sprinkles or Easter-themed candy
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9×13-inch baking pan thoroughly to prevent sticking.
- Prepare Cake Batter: Follow the package instructions to mix the cake batter. Once prepared, divide the batter evenly into 4 separate bowls.
- Add Colors: Add a few drops of gel food coloring to each bowl to create four distinct pastel colors (such as pink, yellow, blue, and purple). Stir gently to combine without overmixing.
- Layer and Swirl Batter: Spoon the different colored batters randomly into the prepared pan, alternating colors to create a patchwork effect. Take a butter knife and gently swirl the colors together to create a marbled look, being careful not to overmix.
- Bake the Cake: Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 28–32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Cool the Cake: Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool completely in the pan before applying frosting.
- Make Frosting: In a mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until light and fluffy. Gradually add powdered sugar and vanilla extract, continuing to beat until the frosting is smooth and creamy.
- Frost the Cake: Spread the cream cheese frosting evenly over the cooled cake using a spatula.
- Decorate: Sprinkle pastel sprinkles or your favorite Easter-themed candies on top of the frosting for a festive finish.
Notes
- For a layered version, divide the batter between two 8-inch round pans and reduce the baking time slightly to avoid overbaking.
- This cake is ideal for kids and is a perfect centerpiece for Easter and springtime celebrations.
- Use gel food coloring to achieve vibrant pastel colors without affecting batter consistency.
- Ensure the cake is completely cool before frosting to prevent the frosting from melting.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 390
- Sugar: 38g
- Sodium: 300mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 54g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 55mg
