If you’re looking for a festive, colorful, and absolutely delightful dessert to brighten up your spring celebrations, this Easy Pastel Easter Cake Recipe is the answer you’ve been craving. It’s a charming, pastel-hued cake that combines a moist, fluffy texture with playful swirls of soft pink, blue, and yellow batter. Whether you’re baking for a family gathering or an Easter party, this cake is guaranteed to bring smiles and compliments, and it’s surprisingly simple to make. The frosting is silky smooth, perfectly sweet, and crowned with pastel sprinkles that add just the right touch of whimsy.
Ingredients You’ll Need
These ingredients come together to create a cake that is light, tender, and beautifully colorful. Each element plays its part in crafting the rich flavor, splendid texture, and vibrant appearance of this festive treat.
- White cake mix: The foundation of your cake’s light and fluffy crumb, making baking quick and easy.
- Water: Helps to activate the cake mix and keeps the batter moist.
- Egg whites: Provide stability and lift for a tender texture without heaviness.
- Vegetable oil: Adds moisture and keeps the cake soft for days.
- Sour cream: Brings tangy richness and moisture, elevating the cake’s flavor and crumb.
- Clear vanilla extract: Enhances the sweetness without altering the pastel colors.
- Blue, pink, and yellow food coloring: For those iconic Easter pastel swirls that make this cake stand out.
- Pastel-colored sprinkles: Add a festive crunch and visual appeal on top of the frosting.
- Butter, softened: Creates a creamy base for the frosting.
- Powdered sugar: Sweetens and thickens the frosting to a luscious consistency.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances flavor depth.
- Vanilla extract: Gives the frosting a warm, inviting aroma and taste.
- Heavy cream or milk: Adjusts frosting consistency for spreading or piping.
How to Make Easy Pastel Easter Cake Recipe
Step 1: Prepare Oven and Pan
Start by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). Then, generously grease a 9×13 inch baking dish to ensure your beautiful pastel cake doesn’t stick, making it easy to serve and look picture-perfect.
Step 2: Mix Cake Batter
In a large bowl, combine the white cake mix, water, egg whites, vegetable oil, sour cream, and clear vanilla extract. Using an electric mixer, blend on low speed for about 30 seconds until just combined, then scrape down the sides of the bowl to gather any stray ingredients. Increase the speed to medium, mixing for 2 more minutes to develop a smooth, even batter. This step is crucial for that tender, airy crumb we’re aiming for.
Step 3: Pour White Batter
Take about 2 cups of the batter and pour it into your prepared pan, creating a blank canvas for the colorful magic to come.
Step 4: Color Remaining Batter
Divide the remaining batter equally into three medium bowls. Add a few drops of blue food coloring to one bowl, pink to another, and yellow to the last. Stir each bowl thoroughly to reach a lovely pastel shade. Don’t worry about perfect uniformity; the beauty lies in the gentle color variations created through swirling.
Step 5: Swirl Colors into Cake
Drop spoonfuls of each colored batter randomly across the white batter in the pan. Then, with a butter knife, gently swirl the colors to create that dreamy pastel marbled effect without overmixing.
Step 6: Bake Cake
Bake your masterpiece in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes. You’ll know it’s done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool completely in the pan before frosting to avoid melting or sliding.
Step 7: Make Frosting
Beat softened butter with an electric mixer for 1-2 minutes until it lightens in color and becomes fluffy. Gradually add powdered sugar and salt, beating on low to incorporate. Then mix in vanilla extract and start with 2 tablespoons of heavy cream, whipping together until smooth. If you want to add color to your frosting, now is the time. Adjust with more cream for a spreadable texture, then whip once more to achieve a fluffy finish.
Step 8: Frost and Decorate
Spread the frosting evenly over the cooled cake using a spatula. Finish by sprinkling on pastel-colored sprinkles generously—this final touch makes your cake festive, inviting, and wonderfully spring-like.
How to Serve Easy Pastel Easter Cake Recipe
Garnishes
Beyond pastel sprinkles, you can add fresh edible flowers, tiny candy eggs, or a dusting of powdered sugar. These accents bring extra charm and elegance, elevating your cake’s presentation effortlessly.
Side Dishes
Pair this cake with light accompaniments like fresh berries, a dollop of whipped cream, or lemon sorbet to balance the sweetness. These sides complement the pastel flavors and keep the overall dessert experience refreshing and bright.
Creative Ways to Present
Try serving individual slices with a small mint leaf on top or plate the cake with a drizzle of berry coulis for a vibrant contrast. Displaying the cake on a whimsical pastel platter enhances its festive vibe and impresses guests instantly.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
Keep your leftover cake covered tightly with plastic wrap or stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. This way, the cake maintains its moist texture and frosting stays fresh.
Freezing
If you want to make this cake ahead of time or save leftovers longer, wrap tightly in plastic wrap followed by foil and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
Reheating
This cake is best served at room temperature. If chilled, let it sit out for about 30 minutes before eating. Avoid microwaving as it can alter the texture of the frosting and cake.
FAQs
Can I use regular vanilla extract instead of clear vanilla?
Yes, but keep in mind that regular vanilla extract can slightly tint the batter, which might affect the pastel colors. Clear vanilla keeps the hues bright and true to the Easter theme.
Is it necessary to use sour cream in the batter?
Sour cream adds moistness and a subtle tang that balances the sweetness. While you could substitute with yogurt or buttermilk, sour cream is ideal for this recipe’s flavor and texture.
Can I make this cake in a different pan size?
Absolutely! A 9×13 inch pan works best for this recipe, but you can adjust baking time slightly if you use smaller or larger pans. Just watch for doneness with a toothpick test.
What type of food coloring works best for pastel colors?
Gel food coloring is excellent for vibrant pastels without thinning the batter. However, liquid food coloring works fine as long as you use sparingly to keep the soft shades.
How far in advance can I make this cake?
You can bake the cake and prepare frosting a day ahead, then assemble and decorate on the day of your event for best freshness and appearance.
Final Thoughts
This Easy Pastel Easter Cake Recipe is one of those delightful finds that make holiday baking joyful and stress-free. It brings together the perfect balance of moist cake, beautiful colors, and rich frosting without complicated steps. I can’t wait for you to try it and see how it brightens your Easter table and brings smiles all around. Don’t hesitate—grab your ingredients and start swirling those pastel colors today!
Print
Easy Pastel Easter Cake Recipe
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
This Easy Pastel Easter Cake is a delightful and visually stunning dessert perfect for celebrating the spring season and Easter festivities. Featuring a moist white cake with vibrant pastel swirls and a creamy buttercream frosting, decorated with festive pastel-colored sprinkles, this cake combines simple ingredients and straightforward steps to create an impressive, colorful treat everyone will love.
Ingredients
Cake Ingredients
- 1 box white cake mix
- ¼ cup water
- 4 egg whites
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1–2 teaspoons clear vanilla extract
- Blue, pink, and yellow food coloring (gel or liquid)
Frosting Ingredients
- ½ cup butter, softened (not melted)
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2–4 teaspoons heavy cream or milk
- Food coloring (optional)
- Pastel-colored sprinkles (for decoration)
Instructions
- Prepare Oven and Pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×13 inch baking dish to prevent the cake from sticking.
- Mix Cake Batter: In a large mixing bowl, combine the box white cake mix, water, egg whites, vegetable oil, sour cream, and clear vanilla extract. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds until just combined, scrape the bowl sides, then beat at medium speed for 2 minutes until smooth and well mixed.
- Pour White Batter: Pour about 2 cups of the prepared white batter into the greased baking dish, spreading evenly to form the base layer.
- Color Remaining Batter: Divide the remaining batter equally into three medium bowls. Add a few drops of blue, pink, and yellow food coloring to each bowl separately, mixing well after each addition until your desired pastel shades are achieved.
- Swirl Colors: Spoon the colored batters randomly over the white base layer in the baking dish. Using a butter knife, gently swirl the colors together by running the knife back and forth through the batter to create a marbled pastel effect.
- Bake Cake: Place the cake in the preheated oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow the cake to cool completely in the pan before frosting.
- Make Frosting: Using an electric mixer, beat the softened butter for 1 to 2 minutes until light and fluffy. Gradually add powdered sugar and salt, beating on low to medium speed for 1 minute until well combined, scraping sides as needed. Mix in vanilla extract and 2 tablespoons of heavy cream or milk, then beat for another minute. If desired, add food coloring to achieve pastel tinted frosting. Slowly add additional cream or milk (up to 4 teaspoons total) until the frosting reaches a light and fluffy consistency.
- Frost and Decorate: Spread the frosting evenly over the cooled cake. Finish by sprinkling pastel-colored sprinkles on top to enhance the festive Easter appearance. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Use clear vanilla extract to maintain the pastel color purity of the batter.
- Do not overmix the batter once combined to keep the cake tender.
- Ensure the butter for frosting is properly softened—not melted—for best texture.
- You can substitute heavy cream with whole milk for a lighter frosting.
- Store the cake covered at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days.
- Bring refrigerated cake to room temperature before serving for best flavor and texture.
