Description
This Vanilla Strawberry Ombre Cake is a beautifully layered dessert featuring light and fluffy vanilla sponge cakes tinted in varying shades of pink to create a stunning ombre effect. Finished with creamy pink ombre buttercream frosting, fresh strawberries, and edible gold sprinkles, this cake is perfect for celebrations or any occasion that calls for a visually impressive and delicious treat.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Cake
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup whole milk
- Pink food coloring (optional, for ombre effect)
For the Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 2–3 tablespoons milk or heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pink food coloring (for ombre effect)
For Decoration
- Fresh strawberries, whole and halved
- Edible gold sprinkles
- Powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pans: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour three 8-inch round cake pans to ensure the cakes release easily after baking.
- Make the Cake Batter: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract to infuse the batter with flavor.
- Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients: Gradually add the dry flour mixture alternately with whole milk to the butter mixture, starting and ending with the flour. Mix each addition just until combined to keep the batter light and tender.
- Divide and Color the Batter: For the ombre effect, divide the batter evenly into three separate bowls. Add pink food coloring incrementally to each bowl, starting with just a few drops in one to create a light pink shade, then more for medium pink, and the most for a dark pink shade.
- Bake the Cakes: Pour each colored batter into the prepared cake pans, smoothing the batter evenly with a spatula. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of each cake comes out clean. Cool the cakes in the pans for 10 minutes, then remove and transfer them to wire racks to cool completely.
- Prepare the Frosting: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, one cup at a time, beating until fluffy. Add milk or heavy cream, vanilla extract, and pink food coloring to achieve a gradient color that will match the cake layers. Mix until smooth and spreadable.
- Assemble the Cake: Place the darkest pink cake layer on your serving plate. Spread a generous layer of frosting on top, smoothing it out evenly. Add the medium pink layer, then spread another layer of frosting. Follow with the lightest pink layer and frost the entire cake with the ombre frosting, blending the color gradually from darkest at the bottom to lightest at the top.
- Decorate and Serve: Garnish the cake with fresh whole and halved strawberries, sprinkle edible gold sprinkles on top, and lightly dust with powdered sugar. Slice, serve, and enjoy this stunning and delicious dessert!
Notes
- Allow cakes to cool completely before frosting to prevent melting and sliding.
- Adjust the amount of pink food coloring according to your preferred intensity of the ombre effect.
- If you prefer, you can use gel food coloring as it provides more vibrant colors without thinning the batter or frosting.
- For a dairy-free version, substitute milk and butter with plant-based alternatives.
- This cake can be made a day ahead and stored in the refrigerator; bring to room temperature before serving for best flavor and texture.
