Easy Pastel Easter Cake Recipe
If you want to impress family and friends with a festive spring dessert that’s as cheerful as an Easter morning, you’ll love this Easy Pastel Easter Cake Recipe. Each slice boasts layers of soft, fluffy cake in pink, yellow, green, and blue, frosted with a cloud-like vanilla buttercream and finished with a shower of pastel sprinkles or candy. The colors pop in every bite, the flavor is classic, and it all comes together with minimal fuss—a delightful treat that instantly brightens any celebration!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Simple ingredients come together here, each playing a vital role in the look and taste of this show-stopping cake. These essentials create the perfect light and tender texture, vibrant colors, and creamy frosting that make the Easy Pastel Easter Cake Recipe truly memorable.
- White cake mix (1 box, 15.25 oz): The reliable base for fluffy cake layers and the best canvas for beautiful pastel shades.
- Water (1 cup): Keeps the batter moist and light without overpowering flavors.
- Vegetable oil (⅓ cup): Ensures soft, tender cake and helps the colored batter mix evenly.
- Egg whites (3 large): Give the cake a bright, pale crumb and let the pastel colors shine.
- Gel food coloring (pink, yellow, green, blue): The magic behind those vibrant, distinct pastel layers—never use liquid coloring for the same effect!
- Unsalted butter (1 ½ cups, softened): The foundation of an airy, rich buttercream frosting.
- Powdered sugar (4 cups): Sweetens and thickens the frosting, making it spreadable and luscious.
- Heavy cream or milk (2–3 tablespoons): Gives the frosting its dreamy, silky finish.
- Vanilla extract (1 teaspoon): Rounds out the sweetness with warm, comforting flavor.
- Pinch of salt: Balances the sweetness and elevates every bite.
- Pastel sprinkles or Easter candy for decorating: The finishing touch for a whimsical, celebratory look!
How to Make Easy Pastel Easter Cake Recipe
Step 1: Prep Your Pans and Preheat
Start by preheating your oven to 350°F. Prepare three 8-inch round cake pans by greasing them well and dusting with flour, or line the bottoms with parchment paper for easy removal. This helps your cake layers come out clean and keeps those beautiful colors intact.
Step 2: Mix Up the Cake Batter
In a large bowl, pour in the white cake mix, water, vegetable oil, and egg whites. Follow the package instructions and mix until the batter is completely smooth and lump-free. The cake mix makes things easy while still resulting in a tender, bakery-style crumb.
Step 3: Color the Batter
Divide the batter evenly among four bowls for your pastel hues. Add a small amount of gel food coloring to each bowl—pink, yellow, green, and blue—adjusting until you achieve your perfect pastels. Stir well so the color is even and vibrant, but be careful not to overmix.
Step 4: Bake Each Colored Layer
Pour each colored batter into its own prepared pan. If you have only three pans, bake the first three colors, then reuse a pan for the fourth. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, or just until a toothpick inserted in the center of each layer comes out clean. Let the layers cool in the pans for about 10 minutes, then turn them out onto wire racks to cool completely.
Step 5: Make the Fluffy Buttercream
While the cakes are cooling, beat the softened unsalted butter in a large bowl until it’s light and creamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar one cup at a time, then beat in the vanilla, salt, and just enough cream or milk to get a gorgeous, spreadable consistency. This creamy, barely-sweet frosting is the heart of the Easy Pastel Easter Cake Recipe.
Step 6: Assemble and Frost
Place your first cake layer on a serving plate and spread a thin layer of buttercream on top. Add the remaining layers, stacking and spreading frosting as you go. Once your layers are stacked, frost the top and sides to give a smooth “crumb coat,” sealing in loose crumbs. Refrigerate for about 20 minutes, then finish with a final, generous layer of buttercream.
Step 7: Decorate and Chill
Now for the fun part—decorate the cake with pastel sprinkles or your favorite Easter candy. Feel free to get creative with fun patterns, a sprinkle border, or a candy nest on top. Chill until you’re ready to slice and serve so the cake sets perfectly.
How to Serve Easy Pastel Easter Cake Recipe
Garnishes
The true charm in this cake comes from its finishing touches! Scatter pastel sprinkles generously over the top and sides, or top with chocolate eggs, bunny candies, or even edible flowers for a springtime vibe. These garnishes add a festive look and a little texture to every slice.
Side Dishes
This cake shines alongside light and refreshing sides. Serve with a bowl of mixed berries, a scoop of lemon or berry sorbet, or even a simple fruit salad to balance the cake’s richness and keep the menu cheerful, bright, and spring-focused.
Creative Ways to Present
Let your imagination lead the way with presentation. Place the cake on a pastel-colored cake stand, surround it with colored eggs or Easter grass, or portion slices into individual cupcake wrappers for a cute grab-and-go treat. You can even transform leftover cake layers into cake pops or trifles for a whimsical dessert table.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
Cover leftover cake slices tightly with plastic wrap or store them in an airtight container. The Easy Pastel Easter Cake Recipe stays moist and delicious for up to three days when kept in the refrigerator, making it just as wonderful on day two.
Freezing
You can freeze fully assembled and frosted cake slices, or even wrap unfrosted cake layers separately for up to two months. Make sure to wrap them well in plastic wrap, then foil, to prevent freezer burn and preserve those gorgeous pastel colors.
Reheating
Allow refrigerated or frozen cake slices to come back to room temperature before serving for the best flavor and texture. If you’ve frozen the cake, leave it wrapped while thawing on the counter for several hours, then unwrap and enjoy.
FAQs
Can I use a homemade cake recipe instead of boxed mix?
Absolutely! If you have a favorite white cake recipe from scratch, use it in place of the box mix. Just make sure to keep the color of the batter pale so your pastel layers are vibrant.
What if I only have liquid food coloring?
Gel food coloring really is key for the Easy Pastel Easter Cake Recipe, as it provides strong, beautiful color without making the cake batter too thin. Liquid color can work in a pinch, but the hues may be less vibrant.
Can I make the cake and frosting ahead of time?
Yes! You can bake the cake layers a day ahead and wrap them tightly once cool. The buttercream can also be made in advance and stored in the fridge; just bring it to room temperature and re-whip before frosting.
Can I make this recipe gluten-free?
Swap in your favorite gluten-free white cake mix using the same instructions as above. Double-check that all your decorating candies and sprinkles are gluten-free as well to keep the whole cake safe for everyone.
What’s the best way to get even cake layers?
For perfectly even layers in your Easy Pastel Easter Cake Recipe, use a kitchen scale to weigh each portion of batter before adding color and baking. This ensures every layer will look beautiful when the cake is sliced.
Final Thoughts
I hope you’ll give this Easy Pastel Easter Cake Recipe a spot on your holiday table! The colors, flavors, and joy it brings are as celebratory as the season itself. Even if you’re new to cake baking, you’ll find this recipe approachable and rewarding—here’s to making sweet, colorful memories with every slice!
Print
Easy Pastel Easter Cake Recipe
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Indulge in the spring spirit with this delightful Easy Pastel Easter Cake. Layers of colorful cake stacked with creamy buttercream and adorned with pastel sprinkles, this cake is a festive treat perfect for Easter celebrations.
Ingredients
Cake:
- 1 box (15.25 oz) white cake mix
- 1 cup water
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- 3 large egg whites
- Gel food coloring (pink, yellow, green, and blue)
Buttercream:
- 1 ½ cups unsalted butter (softened)
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 2–3 tablespoons heavy cream or milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Decorations:
- Pastel sprinkles or Easter candy for decorating
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare cake pans.
- Prepare the cake: Mix the cake ingredients, divide into bowls, tint with food coloring, and bake.
- Make buttercream: Beat butter, add sugar, vanilla, salt, and cream.
- Assemble: Layer cakes with frosting, chill, frost, and decorate.
Notes
- For a taller cake, bake all four layers separately or use the fourth layer for cake pops.
- Gel food coloring provides vibrant pastel shades without thinning the batter.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 22 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 430
- Sugar: 45 g
- Sodium: 300 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 58 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg
