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With a Classic Vanilla Cake Recipe, I show you How To Make An Ombre Cake | Grandbaby Cakes
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5 from 6 votes

How to Make an Ombre' Cake

 This Ombre' Cake is a moist and fluffy, melt in your mouth white cake with a fun ombre frosting design on the outside.
Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time1 hour 10 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 16 servings
Calories: 710kcal

Ingredients

For the Cake

  • 3 cups cake flour 345 grams
  • 2 tsp baking powder 7 grams
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp fine sea salt 2 grams
  • 8 oz unsalted butter, softened 226 grams/ 2 sticks
  • 2 cups granulated sugar 400 grams
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp almond extract
  • 2/3 cup egg whites about 5 large egg whites/ 160 grams
  • 3/4 cup whole milk 170 grams
  • 3/4 cup sour cream 180 grams

For the Buttercream

  • 2 cups unsalted butter room temperature
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 6 cups confectioners' sugar
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3 different food colors

Instructions

  • At least 30 minutes before mixing, take the butter, eggs, milk and sour cream out of the refrigerator to come to room temperature. Separate the eggs. Measure out the rest of the ingredients.
  • Position the oven rack to the center position. Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C. Prepare your baking pan(s) with non-stick spray and parchment paper or with paper liners if making cupcakes.

To make the cake

  • Sift together the cake flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Add the salt, whisk together, and set aside.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, combine the butter and sugar. Cream together on medium speed until very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl halfway through mixing. The mixture should be very pale yellow after mixing.
  • With the mixer running on medium/low speed add the vanilla and almond extracts. Next, slowly add in the egg whites while the mixer continues running. Scrape down the sides of the bowl periodically as you slowly incorporate the egg whites.
  • Mix the milk and sour cream together. Alternate adding the dry ingredients into the bowl in three additions with the milk/sour cream mixture in two additions, starting and stopping with the dry ingredients. Mix on medium speed in between each addition until fully incorporated.
  • Transfer the batter into the prepared pan(s). Bake at 350°F/175°C. A sheet cake will take about 35-45 minutes. Layer cakes will take 22-26 minutes, and cupcakes will take 18-25 minutes. Pull out of the oven when the cake is firm but springs back when gently pressed in on the center, or when a cake tester comes out clean.
  • Cool the cakes in their pan completely on a cooling rack before turning out of the pan and frosting.

For the Frosting

  • In your stand mixer, beat butter and salt at medium low speed.
  • Next turn the mixer down to low and slowly add confectioner’s sugar in small portions until all is added then turn the speed to medium high to combine.
  • Add heavy cream then vanilla extract and mix until nice and fluffy. 
  • Equally divide buttercream into three separate bowls but add ⅓ more buttercream to one bowl and set aside. 
  • To the remaining bowls, tint with food coloring to match the other two colored layers of cake.

To assemble

  • Begin by placing the lighter (or darker) layer of cake on a cake decorating turntable then filling with plain white buttercream.  Repeat with all layers ending with the darker layer (or the lighter layer if you started with the darker layer) then apply a thin coating of the plain buttercream to the outside of the entire cake to create a crumb coat.  Place the cake in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes or until the icing is set.
  • Now for the ombre effect: Carefully add icing in corresponding colors to the layers on the sides of the cake with an offset spatula. Add the top layer’s colored buttercream to the top of the cake as well. This process doesn’t have to be perfect.
  • Once all colors are on the cake, you can begin smoothing out the icing. Using your offset spatula, hold it perpendicular to the turntable and go around the sides of the cake while spinning your turntable. Continue to do this until the sides of your cake are as smooth as you would like. Make sure you also use your spatula to smooth the top of your cake as well.
  • Have fun with this. Pipe designs on the top of your cake or use sprinkles to add more color then serve and enjoy.

Notes

A frosted cake will last 4-5 days at room temperature. Just be sure to either use a cake cover or an overturned bowl to protect the cake. 
If you prefer refrigeration or freezing, tightly wrap the cake in plastic wrap and aluminum foil. In the fridge, the cake will last 3-4 days. In the freezer, 3 months.
This recipe will also make a 9x13 inch sheet pan, 2 9 inch round cake pans, or 2 -12 cup muffin/cupcake tins
Cook time for sheet cake - 45 minutes/ 26 minutes for cake layers/ 25 minutes for cupcakes

Nutrition

Calories: 710kcal | Carbohydrates: 88g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 39g | Saturated Fat: 24g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 103mg | Sodium: 337mg | Potassium: 87mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 70g | Vitamin A: 1204IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 72mg | Iron: 0.3mg