Easter Cake with Pastel Blue Frosting Recipe

Ingredients

Cake

• 1 Vanilla Cake, 3 layers (20cm/8″ cake of choice)

Pastel Blue Vanilla Buttercream

• 340g unsalted butter, 1.25cm / ½” cubes, softened to 18°C/64°F
• 750g soft icing sugar / powdered sugar, sifted
• 3 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 – 2 drops blue gel food colouring
• 1/8 tsp salt

Frosting Speckles

• 1 tbsp cocoa powder (unsweetened or sweetened)
• 3 tbsp boiling water
• Toothbrush (or basting brush)

Decorating

• 2 cups coconut flakes (or shaved)
• 200g small pastel coloured Easter eggs

Instructions

1. Trim the top of the cake layers if needed to make them level for a neat appearance. Place the layers in the fridge until thoroughly chilled to make frosting easier and prevent crumbs.
2. Preheat oven to 160°C/325°F (140°C fan). Spread coconut flakes evenly on a tray and bake for 10 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes until golden brown. Remove and allow to cool.
3. Beat the softened butter in a stand mixer on speed 8 for 3 minutes until it changes from yellow to almost white. Gradually add the sifted icing sugar in three batches on speed 1 initially, increasing speed as incorporated. Add vanilla extract and salt, then beat on speed 8 for 2 minutes until fluffy and pale.
4. Remove 1 tablespoon of frosting to a small bowl, add one drop of blue gel food colouring, and mix well. Add one teaspoon of the colored frosting back into the main bowl and beat until fully incorporated, scraping down the sides. Repeat adding 1 teaspoon at a time until desired pastel blue color is achieved.
5. Stir cocoa powder into boiling water until dissolved to create the speckle mixture.
6. Spread about 3/4 cup of frosting evenly between each cake layer. Use the remaining frosting to coat the sides and top of the cake, leaving about 1/2 cup leftover.
7. Place a backboard behind the cake to catch speckles. Dip a toothbrush into the cocoa mixture and flick it with your fingers to create speckles across the cake’s sides and top. Angle the toothbrush 45 degrees downward when speckling the top to avoid drips.
8. Form a nest of toasted coconut flakes in the middle of the cake and pile the Easter eggs inside. Create a rim of coconut flakes around the base of the cake, dotting with additional Easter eggs.
9. Present the cake proudly at your Easter celebration and enjoy the compliments.

Notes

• You can use any preferred vanilla cake recipe or your favorite cake of similar size.
• The frosting quantity is sufficient for a 3-layer cake; leftovers can be frozen for up to 3 months.
• If making a 2-layer cake, reduce icing sugar amount to 500g accordingly.
• Butter should be softened but not too soft; keep refrigerated if it becomes too soft during mixing.
• For pastel blue frosting, add coloring progressively to control the shade and avoid green tint caused by yellow butter.
• Pastel colored speckled eggs can be sourced from specialty stores or supermarkets.
• Cake storage depends on type; generally, vanilla cakes keep up to 4 days refrigerated.