Mardi Gras Tricolor Cake (Printable)
Fluffy cake layered with vibrant purple, green, and gold icing for festive 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 Icing
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 - Gel food coloring in purple, green, and gold
14 - Pinch of salt
# How-To Steps:
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 distributed.
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, beginning and ending with flour. Mix until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
06 - Divide batter evenly between prepared pans, smoothing tops. Bake for 30–35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
07 - Let cakes cool in pans for 10 minutes, then invert onto wire racks to cool completely before frosting.
08 - Beat butter until creamy. Gradually incorporate powdered sugar until smooth. Mix in vanilla and salt.
09 - Add milk one tablespoon at a time until spreadable consistency is achieved.
10 - Divide icing among three bowls. Tint each bowl with purple, green, or gold gel food coloring, mixing until uniform color develops.
11 - Place first cake layer on serving platter. Spread thin layer of any colored icing over top. Position second layer atop frosting.
12 - Frost cake exterior with alternating purple, green, and gold stripes or swirls using offset spatula. Create decorative patterns as desired.
13 - Sprinkle with colored sugars or edible glitter in Mardi Gras shades for enhanced presentation.
# Helpful Tips:
01 -
- The combination of three vibrant colors makes this cake instantly festive and photogenic
- Buttercream frosting stays perfectly spreadable while holding those bold carnival colors
02 -
- Gel food coloring is absolutely necessary because liquid coloring will thin your frosting and create muddy colors
- Wait until cakes are completely cool or your beautiful buttercream will melt right off
03 -
- Chill your frosted cake for 15 minutes before slicing to get cleaner edges
- Keep a damp paper towel handy to wipe down your spatula between colors