Ingredients
Pink Layer Cake
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup Dixie Crystals Extra Fine Granulated Sugar
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour*
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 egg whites, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- Pink gel food color
Vanilla Butter Cream Frosting
- 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 12 cups sifted Dixie Crystals Confectioners Powdered Sugar
- 8-10 tablespoons milk or heavy cream
- Pinch salt
- Pink gel food coloring
White Chocolate Ganache
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon corn syrup
- Pink chocolate food coloring
*Spoon & Sweep method: Use a spoon to fill measuring cup with flour until required amount is obtained. Scooping measuring cup directly into flour bag will firmly pack flour resulting in too much flour required for recipe.
Directions
- Heat oven to 350°F. Grease, flour, and line three 6-inch round cake pans with parchment circles. Set aside.
- Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, approximately 3-5 minutes. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt.
- Combine egg whites, extracts, milk, and oil in a measuring cup. Beginning and ending with flour, add flour mixture to butter, alternating with liquid. Scrape down bowl and mix to combine.
- Add 1-3 drops pink food color and combine without over mixing.
- Divide batter evenly between cake pans. Bake in center of oven for 25-30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare butter cream frosting: Cream butter until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add extracts and combine.
- Gradually add powdered sugar while mixer is on low, alternating with milk or cream. Scrape bowl well then whip until very light and fluffy, about 4-6 minutes. Divide frosting into three bowls and tint one dark pink, one light pink, and leave one as is.
- If needed, level each cake. Place cake on a cake round or serving plate. Fill bottom layer with frosting. Repeat with remaining layers. Crumb coat entire cake and chill for 45 minutes.
- Frost cake with dark pink on the bottom, light pink in the middle and white on the top, using a piping bag if necessary. Chill 45 minutes.
- Place chocolate chips in a heat-proof bowl. In a small saucepan, heat heavy cream until just simmering. Pour over chocolate chips and let stand for 5 minutes. Add corn syrup and pink chocolate food coloring and stir mixture until combined completely. Make sure ganache is not too hot to melt frosting.
- Pour some pink ganache in middle of cake. Using an offset spatula, spread ganache to sides so it drips over. Using a spoon, pour pink ganache down sides of cake to create additional drips. Place snack cake, meringues, macarons and sprinkles around cake and pipe frosting with various star tips.
NOTE: Never add a water-based food coloring to chocolate. Chocolate food coloring should be oil-based.
Recipe developed by Terri Truscello Miller @LoveandConfections.