This easy Easter Cake recipe is covered with fluffy vanilla bean frosting and topped with spring pastel cake crumb sprinkles.
Easter will be here before we know it! I love all of the pretty spring colors and gorgeous desserts to go along with the season, so I decided to make an Easter cake recipe.
This spring layer cake has rustic ruffles in the frosting. The ruffles are super easy to make in the light, airy vanilla bean frosting!
Table of contents
How To Make An Easter Cake
Prepare the Pans
To make this Easter cake recipe, start by preheating the oven to 325˚F degrees. Next, prepare three 9-inch cake pans. Generously grease the pans with shortening.
A quick kitchen tip for greasing pans: put your hand in a plastic sandwich bag, use your plastic-covered fingers to grease the pan, and turn the bag inside out as you pull it off your hand and toss it in the garbage.
Then, sprinkle some flour in the cake pan. Tip the pan and turn it in circles, gently tapping the pan as needed to flour the pan’s bottom and sides completely. Turn the pan upside down over the sink to remove any excess flour.
Finally, trace the bottom of the pans on parchment paper and cut out parchment circles to line the bottom of each pan.
Make the Colorful Cake Batter
Put two white cake mixes (I used Pillsbury Moist Supreme Classic White Cake Mix), vanilla yogurt, water, egg whites, and oil in a large mixer bowl. Mix for 30 seconds until moistened. Then, beat for 2 minutes.
The batter will be thick. Measure three cups of batter into three separate bowls (3 cups of batter in each bowl). Tint the batter with your desired colors. I used Wilton Icing Gel in lemon yellow, teal, and pink.
Bake the Cakes
Spread the batter into the prepared pans and firmly tap the pans on the counter a couple of times. Bake the cakes at 325˚F for 35-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool for 30 minutes on a wire rack.
Cool and Level the Cakes
Carefully remove the cakes from the pans and peel off the parchment circles. Cool the cakes completely on a wire rack.
Once the cakes are cool, level them with a serrated knife by cutting off the rounded tops. Set the cake tops aside for later.
How To Frost A Layer Cake
Prepare the Frosting
Use a stand and or mixer to beat a package of softened cream cheese until smooth. Mix in the powdered sugar.
Beat in the marshmallow cream and vanilla bean paste until smooth. Gently stir in the thawed Cool Whip by hand.
Frost the Easter Cake Layers
Place the first cake layer on a cardboard cake round on a cake decorating turntable, or place it directly on your cake platter.
Put one cup of frosting on the first layer and use an offset spatula to spread it from the center out to cover the top of the cake, rotating the turntable as you go.
Center the second cake layer on top of the first and cover it with a cup of frosting.
Frost the Top and Sides
Place the third cake layer on top and use the remaining frosting to cover the top and sides of the cake.
Make Frosting Ruffles
Use an offset spatula to make rustic ruffles around the sides and the top.
Start with making them on the sides of the cake. Hold the tip of the offset spatula in the frosting and turn the cake platter until you get back to where you started. Continue making ruffles, moving up the cake after each ruffle.
To make ruffles on the top of the cake, hold the tip of the spatula at an angle in the center of the cake and turn the cake platter while slowly moving the spatula to make bigger and bigger spirals.
After looking through my supply of sprinkles, I realized that I didn’t have any that matched the cake. So, I checked my local grocery store, but they didn’t have the right colors either. One of the joys of living in a small town!
So, I improvised and used cake crumbs from the cake tops that I saved after leveling the cakes. Set the cake top on a piece of waxed paper and use a serrated knife to gently scrape crumbs off of the cake onto the waxed paper. Repeat this with each of the cake tops.
Sprinkle the cake crumbs on the top of the Easter cake. The cake crumb sprinkles look so adorable!
Easter Cake Storage
Since the frosting includes cream cheese, you need to store the Easter cake in the fridge or freezer until ready to serve.
- Short-Term Storage: If you plan to serve the cake the same day you frost it, you can leave the cake uncovered in the fridge.
- Overnight Storage: To store the cake in the fridge for 2-3 days, chill the cake until the frosting is set. Then, cover it with plastic wrap and return it to the fridge for storage.
- Long-Term Storage: Chill the cake in the freezer until the frosting is hard. Then, tightly wrap it with layers of plastic wrap. Freeze the cake for up to four weeks. Thaw the cake in the fridge before serving.
More Easter Recipes
- Make cute Easter Bunny Strawberries and strawberry carrots, too.
- This Cadbury Mini Eggs Cake is covered with candies!
- Fill these Chocolate Nests with edible grass and treats.
- Robin’s Egg Meringue Cookies are perfect for spring.
Easter Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- (2) 15.25 ounce white cake mixes
- 1 ½ cups vanilla yogurt
- 1 cup water
- 8 egg whites
- ½ cup vegetable oil
Fluffy Vanilla Bean Frosting
- 8 ounce package cream cheese softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- ¾ cup marshmallow cream
- 3 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or substitute an equal amount of vanilla extract
- 16 ounces Cool Whip, thawed about 6 1/2 cups
Instructions
Cakes
- Preheat the oven to 325˚F.
- Generously grease and flour three 9-inch cake pans. Line them with parchment circles.
- Mix together the cake mixes, vanilla yogurt, water, egg whites, and oil for about 30 seconds until moistened. Beat for two minutes. The batter will be thick.
- Put three cups of batter in three separate bowls (3 cups of batter in each bowl). Tint the batter in the colors you want. I used Wilton Icing Gel in lemon yellow, teal, and pink.
- Spread the batter into the prepared pans and firmly tap the pans on the counter a couple of times to remove air bubbles.
- Bake at 325˚F for 35-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 30 minutes on a wire rack.
- Carefully remove the cakes from the pans, peel off the parchment circles, and cool completely on wire racks.
Fluffy Vanilla Bean Frosting
- Use a mixer to beat a package of softened cream cheese until smooth.
- Mix in the powdered sugar.
- Beat in the marshmallow cream and vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract) until smooth.
- Gently stir in the thawed Cool Whip by hand.
Assembly
- Once the cakes the cooled, level the cakes by using a serrated knife to cut off the rounded tops. Set the cake tops aside for later.
- Place the first cake layer on a cardboard cake round on a cake decorating turntable, or you can place it directly on your cake stand if you prefer. Use an offset spatula to spread one cup of the frosting on the first layer. Add the second cake layer and top with another cup of frosting.
- Add the third cake layer and use the remaining frosting to cover the top and sides of the cake.
- Use the tip of an offset spatula to make rustic ruffles around the sides and the top.
- Gently scrape cake crumbs from the reserved cake tops with a serrated knife. Sprinkle them on the top of the cake.
Notes
- Short-Term Storage: If you plan to serve the cake the same day you frost it, you can leave the cake uncovered in the fridge.
- Overnight Storage: To store the cake in the fridge for 2-3 days, chill the cake until the frosting is set. Then, cover it with plastic wrap and return it to the fridge for storage.
- Long-Term Storage: Chill the cake in the freezer until the frosting is hard. Then, tightly wrap it with layers of plastic wrap. Freeze the cake for up to four weeks. Thaw the cake in the fridge before serving.
Jennifer says
I made this cake for Easter and it was beautiful and very tasty. I used the same box cake and yogurt that was used in the recipe. I didn’t have vanilla paste, so I used vanilla extract. The frosting was soooo delicious and the cake was super moist! This is a keeper! Thank you for sharing this.
Tonia says
That is fabulous! Thanks for stopping back to let us know!
Becca says
How far ahead can I make this frosting? I have 5 cakes to make and I am freezing each layer individually prior, but I would like to know if the icing stands up to being transported, holding an orange flavoring with cake lacing, room temperature melting, and length made ahead of time. Or should I just omit the cool whip?
Eva says
I made this cake last year for my birthday. It was so good. It tasted just like my Grandma’s cakes. If I use use a chocolate cake mix, should I still use the vanilla yogurt?
Tonia says
How wonderful! Yes, you can make it the same way with vanilla yogurt! Enjoy! ~Tonia
Stacy Hinton says
Did you use Greek yogurt?
Violet says
Can this be made ahead, frosted and kept in the freezer?
Tonia says
Yes, it can be kept in the freezer! ~Tonia
Lisa says
Someone asked if this could be made into cupcakes vs cake… has anyone done that?
Also is the consistency of the frosting thick enough for piping decorations? such as rosettes?
Meagan says
I made cupcakes with the extra batter and they were awesome. Only bake for about 25 min though
Audrey says
I just saw this today…Easter 2018! But I’m thinking this could be used for any holiday or occasion from Easter to a baby shower or reveal, 4th of July to Mother’s Day, Christmas, birthdays, etc. I am planning on trying it soon!
Audrey says
I also love the idea of using the cake crumbs instead of sprinkles!
Lisa says
Just wondering if you could add sprinkles to the cake batter and make a funfetti cake? Has anyone ever tried it?
Or do you have a good recipe for a funfetti cake?
Serena says
I made this cake for Easter and everyone loved it. I plan on making it again for Christmas using red white and green. But what the heck is vanilla bean paste? I don’t think I used that when I made it for Easter. Is it necessary?
Tonia says
You can substitute vanilla bean paste with vanilla extract. Best of luck! ~Tonia
Angie says
I found the vanilla bean paste in Walmart in the section where they have the cake decorating things. Like the party section of Walmart.
Seria evans says
I am using egg whites from a carton how much should I use?
Tonia says
Hi Seria,
I’ve never tried using the egg whites from the carton for this recipe.
Does it say on the package how much equals one egg white? The All Whites brand says 3 tbsp = 1 egg white. So you would need 24 tbsp which equals 1 1/2 cups. http://www.allwhiteseggwhites.com/faqs/how-to-measure/
Happy Baking!
~Tonia
Denise says
Its on shelf with extract. Has real vanilla bean in it. Nielsen-Massey is one brand. I use all the time instead of vanilla extract.
Megan says
We made this cake for our Easter Life Group get together and it was a huge hit. The frosting is by far one of my favorites I have ever made. Do you think you could make it and pipe it onto cupcakes?
Brittany says
I made this cake for Easter and it was delicious! It even impressed my mother in law!
Amy says
My husband and I made this cake for the first Easter dinner we hosted, and it was a HUGE HIT. Everyone loved it, kids and adults both. I love the cool temp of the cake and the refreshing cream-cheese-cool whip frosting. This is definitely a new Easter tradition for us!
Tonia says
Wonderful! Thanks so much for letting us know!
Emily says
What cooking time would you recommend make cupcakes instead of taking it to the cake step? Thank you!
Karen says
I don’t have marshmallow cream..what can I use in lieu of?
Jeanne says
I baked the cake today. Can I frost it and put it in the refrigerator overnight to serve tomorrow or do I have to wait til tomorrow to do the frosting? Thanks, Jeanne
Tonia says
Yes, you can frost it tonight, store it in the fridge and serve it tomorrow. Happy Easter!
Jeanne says
Great, thank you. Happy Easter.
Karen says
Can I use vanilla extract in place of paste and how much
Tonia says
Yes, you can. Use the same amount of vanilla extract. Best of luck! ~Tonia
tmartens says
Why not a boys birthday?
Audrey says
Why not? You could use more boyish colors if “pink” is too girly.
Kristy says
Has anyone baked this cake using coconut oil? If so, how did it turn out?
Teresa says
I’m making this for Easter. Can I use liquid egg whites of the carton variety?
Tonia says
I’ve never tried baking with the liquid eggs whites, so I’m not sure what the results would be or how much you would need. From what I could see online, some of them are okay to use but others have flavoring like onion and pepper in them. Best of luck! ~Tonia
Amy says
This Cake is so cute! And the colors! They’re just lovely! I’ll definitely bake this for the Easter Egg hunt i’m setting up this coming Sunday! Thanks Tonia!