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Pastel pink cotton candy cake with cotton candy–flavored Italian buttercream and cotton candy sanding sugar sprinkled on top.
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Cotton Candy Cake with Cotton Candy Italian Buttercream

This Cotton Candy Cake features soft, pastel-swirled vanilla-cotton candy cake layers paired with a silky Italian buttercream infused with sweet cotton candy flavor. The cake is finished with a generous sprinkle of cotton candy sanding sugar for extra sparkle and sweetness. Light, whimsical, and beautifully nostalgic, this cake delivers classic carnival cotton candy flavor in an elegant, bakery-style dessert perfect for birthdays, parties, and celebration moments.
Course Birthday Cake, Cake, Celebration Cake, Dessert, Party Dessert
Cuisine American, Bakery-Style, Kid-Friendly
Keyword bakery cake recipe, birthday cake recipe, carnival cake, cotton candy buttercream, cotton candy cake, cotton candy dessert, cotton candy extract recipes, flavored frosting, funfetti alternative cake, italian buttercream cake, party cake ideas, pastel cake, pink and blue cake, sweet celebration cake, whimsical cake
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Assembly and Decorating time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings 12 servings
Calories 720kcal
Cost $14 for entire recipe

Equipment

  • Mixing bowls
  • Electric mixer or stand mixer
  • Whisk
  • Rubber spatula
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Kitchen scale (optional but recommended for accuracy)
  • 2× 8-inch cake pans or 3× 6-inch cake pans
  • Parchment paper
  • Cooling racks
  • Saucepan (for Italian buttercream syrup)
  • Candy thermometer or digital thermometer
  • Offset spatula
  • Bench scraper or cake smoother
  • Cake turntable (optional but helpful)
  • Serrated knife (for leveling cakes)
  • Piping bags and tips (optional for decorating)

Ingredients

Cotton Candy Cake

  • 2¾ cups cake flour
  • 1¼ cups granulated sugar
  • 2½ tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ cup unsalted butter softened
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • 2 tbsp additional neutral oil
  • ¾ cup whole milk room temperature
  • ½ cup sour cream or full-fat Greek yogurt
  • 4 large egg whites room temperature
  • 2 to 2½ tsp cotton candy extract
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ½ tsp clear vanilla extract
  • ¼ tsp almond extract optional
  • ½ tsp butter extract
  • ½ tsp lemon juice
  • Pink gel food coloring

Cotton Candy Italian Buttercream

  • 1½ cups granulated sugar
  • ½ cup water
  • 5 large egg whites
  • ¼ tsp cream of tartar
  • ¼ tsp fine salt
  • 2 cups unsalted butter room temperature and cubed
  • ¾ to 1½ tsp cotton candy extract
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract
  • Tiny drop pink gel food coloring optional

Decoration

  • Cotton candy sanding sugar
  • Pastel sprinkles
  • Optional small tufts of cotton candy for garnish right before serving

Instructions

Make the Cotton Candy Cake

  • Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line cake pans with parchment paper.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together cake flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
  • Add softened butter, vegetable oil, and additional neutral oil to the dry ingredients. Mix until the mixture resembles damp sand.
  • In another bowl, whisk together milk, sour cream, egg whites, cotton candy extract, vanilla extract, clear vanilla extract, almond extract if using, butter extract, and lemon juice.
  • Add wet ingredients to the dry mixture in two additions, mixing just until smooth after each addition.
  • Tint batter pastel pink with gel food coloring. For a subtle swirl effect, tint a small portion a slightly deeper pink and gently swirl into the batter.
  • Divide batter evenly between prepared pans.
  • Bake for 22–28 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  • Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Make the Cotton Candy Italian Buttercream

  • Add sugar and water to a saucepan over medium heat. Heat without stirring until the syrup reaches 240°F.
  • While syrup cooks, beat egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt until soft peaks form.
  • With mixer running on medium speed, slowly drizzle hot syrup into egg whites.
  • Increase speed to high and beat until the bowl feels cool to the touch, about 8–10 minutes.
  • Add butter a few cubes at a time until smooth and silky.
  • Beat in cotton candy extract, vanilla extract, and pink food coloring if desired.
  • If buttercream appears curdled, continue whipping until smooth.

Assemble the Cake

  • Level cake layers if needed.
  • Spread buttercream between cake layers.
  • Apply a thin crumb coat and chill for 20 minutes.
  • Frost the outside of the cake smoothly.
  • Decorate with cotton candy sanding sugar and pastel sprinkles.
  • Add real cotton candy immediately before serving if desired.

Notes

  • Cake flour gives this cake a soft, velvety bakery-style crumb that pairs perfectly with the light cotton candy flavor.
  • Use room temperature ingredients for the smoothest batter and the best cake rise.
  • Gel food coloring works best because it creates vibrant pastel pink color without thinning the batter.
  • Cotton candy extract strength varies between brands, so start with the lower amount and add more only if needed.
  • The small amount of almond extract helps create a more authentic spun-sugar carnival flavor without making the cake taste almond-heavy.
  • Italian buttercream is less sweet than American buttercream, helping balance the sugary cotton candy flavor.
  • If the buttercream looks curdled during mixing, continue whipping — it will smooth out as it emulsifies.
  • Do not add butter to warm meringue or the frosting may become too soft or soupy.
  • Chill the cake briefly before slicing for cleaner, sharper layers.
  • Real cotton candy melts quickly from moisture and humidity, so add it immediately before serving.
  • Cake layers can be wrapped tightly and frozen for up to 2 months.
  • Buttercream can be refrigerated for up to 1 week or frozen for up to 2 months.