Description
Celebrate the New Year with this vibrant and festive New Year’s Eve Party Cake. Featuring colorful swirls of batter and a buttery, moist crumb, this cake is perfect for any celebration. Easy to assemble and bake, it’s layered with smooth buttercream frosting that adds richness and sweetness, making it a standout centerpiece for your party table.
Ingredients
Cake Batter
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- Food coloring (various colors)
Buttercream Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3-4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2-4 tbsp milk or heavy cream
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pans: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two round cake pans and line them with parchment paper to ensure easy release after baking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, thoroughly whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt to distribute the leavening and seasoning evenly.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a separate bowl, beat the softened butter until fluffy. Gradually add sugar and continue beating until the mixture becomes light and airy, which helps create a tender cake texture.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Incorporate the eggs one at a time into the butter mixture, beating well after each addition to keep the batter smooth. Stir in the vanilla extract for flavor.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Alternate adding the dry ingredients and milk to the butter mixture, starting and ending with the dry components. Gently stir to combine without overmixing to maintain a tender crumb.
- Divide and Color Batter: Divide the batter evenly into separate bowls. Add different food colorings to each bowl to create your desired vibrant shades.
- Layer Batter in Pans: Pour the colored batters into the prepared cake pans in alternating layers or swirls to create a festive marbled effect.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, indicating the cake is fully cooked.
- Cool Cakes: Allow the cakes to cool in their pans for 10 minutes. Then, remove them from the pans and transfer to wire racks to cool completely before frosting.
- Prepare Buttercream Frosting: Beat softened butter until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and milk or heavy cream, beating until smooth and fluffy. Adjust consistency with more milk or powdered sugar as needed. Add a pinch of salt to balance sweetness.
- Assemble and Frost: Spread a layer of buttercream between the cooled cake layers. Cover the entire cake with frosting and decorate as desired for a festive finish.
- Serve: Let the cake come to room temperature before serving to enjoy its soft texture and full flavor.
Notes
- Ensure all ingredients are at room temperature for the best batter consistency.
- Do not overmix the batter to maintain a light texture.
- Use gel food coloring for more vibrant colors without altering batter consistency.
- If desired, the cake can be baked in three smaller pans to create thinner layers for stacking.
- Store the cake covered at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days.
- Bring refrigerated cake to room temperature before serving for optimal flavor and texture.
