Mardi Gras Tricolor Cake (Print Version)
Fluffy layered cake with bright purple, green, and gold icing for festive gatherings and joyful occasions.
# What You Need:
→ Cake Components
01 - 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
03 - ½ teaspoon salt
04 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 2 cups granulated sugar
06 - 4 large eggs, room temperature
07 - 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
08 - 1 cup whole milk
→ Tricolor Buttercream
09 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
10 - 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
11 - 4–5 tablespoons whole milk or heavy cream
12 - 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
13 - Purple gel food coloring
14 - Green gel food coloring
15 - Gold or yellow gel food coloring
16 - Pinch of salt
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans, lining bottoms with parchment paper.
02 - Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl until evenly blended.
03 - Beat butter and sugar with electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Blend in vanilla extract.
05 - Add flour mixture in three additions, alternating with milk in two additions, beginning and ending with flour. Mix only until combined.
06 - Divide batter evenly between prepared pans. Bake 30–35 minutes until wooden pick inserted in center emerges clean.
07 - Let cakes rest in pans 10 minutes before inverting onto wire racks. Cool completely before frosting.
08 - Beat butter until creamy. Gradually incorporate powdered sugar, mixing until smooth. Add vanilla and salt. Blend in milk 1 tablespoon at a time until spreadable.
09 - Divide icing among three bowls. Tint one portion purple, one green, and one gold using gel food coloring. Mix each until uniform color achieved.
10 - Place first cake layer on serving platter. Spread thin layer of any colored frosting. Top with second layer. Apply tricolor frosting in stripes or swirls around sides and top, alternating colors for festive pattern.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- The buttery vanilla cake is incredibly moist and stays fresh for days
- You get to play with food coloring like a kid but the results look professionally stunning
02 -
- Gel food coloring is non negotiable here liquid will ruin your frosting consistency
- The butter MUST be room temperature or your cake wont rise properly
03 -
- Substitute half the milk with sour cream for an even richer cake
- Chill your frosted cake for 30 minutes before slicing for cleaner cuts