This cake is a must make if you love vanilla. It is so moist and easy to make that I have a feeling it will become your new go to cake recipe. You’re just sifting the dry ingredients and giving them a whisk then mixing all the wet ingredients and finally combining the two, mixing for a minute or two until combined. Just make sure to use room temp ingredients and although not necessary I often warm the milk and sour cream slightly.
If you’re wondering how I get the perfect bake with no burn edges the answer is cake strips. They’re really just wet fabric strips you wrap around the cake pans, they cool the edges and give an even bake the the layers. You can make your own or buy a set, I have a link on the Shop Page of the blog.
I wish you could reach through the screen and grab this piece now. So moist and the vanilla was just right. I chose blue for the buttercream but you can leave it white or dye it any color you’d like! This recipe makes three six inch layers. If you’re making an eight inch cake double the batter and if you’re making nine inch layers triple the batter recipe.
If you’ve tried this cake then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
A Few Pointers
- If you’re not using 6-inch pans, double the recipe for 8-inch pans or triple the recipe for 9-inch pans.
- If you see little clumps of butter after you mix the wet ingredients don’t panic, it all works out by the time you mix in the dry ingredients. You can even use melted butter and warm the milk and sour cream up a bit if you like.
- You can substitute whole milk yogurt for the sour cream if desired, I do it all the time and can’t really tell the difference.
- To get FLAT layers that are moist inside and out try using cake strips! You can buy a set on the shop page or make your own from foil and paper towels at home. I made a whole blog post on it so check it out if you’re interested!
- If you think American buttercream is too sweet then try mixing up a batch of silky Italian meringue buttercream, you might just fall in love!
Steps to Make This Cake
1. Sift dry ingredients
2. Whisk together wet ingredients.
3. Add wet to dry. Pour batter into your three six inch pans, which you’ve butttered and floured.
4. Beat the butter until light and fluffy. Add the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla and cream. Mix. Add food coloring.
5. Pipe buttercream between each cake layer. Pipe an outer layer.
6. Smooth the edge with an offset spatula.
7. Flick chocolate paint on cake.
8. Pipe buttercream and add coconut nest.
9. Add eggs to the nest.
Easter Egg Cake
A classic robin's egg cake perfect for easter featuring the most moist vanilla cake covered in a perfectly sweet vanilla buttercream.
Ingredients
INGREDIENTS
For the Cake:
- 1 2/3 cup all-purpose flour 213g
- 1 cup sugar 228g
- 1/4 tsp baking soda 2g
- 1 tsp baking powder 4g
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter 176g, room temperature
- 3 egg whites
- 3 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup sour cream 133g
- 1/2 cup whole milk 113g
For the Vanilla Buttercream:
- 2 lbs confectioners sugar 907g
- 1 lb butter 456g, unsalted, room temperature
- 3 tsp vanilla
- 1 tbsp milk
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- Blue food coloring
For the Assembly:
- ½ cup coconut 40g, toasted, sweetened
- 2 tsp cocoa powder nice quality
- 4 tsp vanilla extract
- 6 chocolate eggs mini
Instructions
INSTRUCTIONS
For the Cake:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Spread coconut flakes out on a baking sheet. Cook for about 5-10 minutes. They will toast quickly. Let cool.
Increase temp to 340 degrees F. Butter and flour three 6-inch pans. I use cake strips on my pans for more even baking as well.
Sift the dry ingredients (including sugar) together in a large bowl.
- Beat the wet ingredients together in a medium bowl.
- Add the wet to the dry and mix until just combined.
- Divide the mixture evenly into the cake pans.
- Bake at for about 25-30 minutes or until the centers are springy to the touch.
For the Vanilla Buttercream:
Beat the butter until light and fluffy. Add the confectioners' sugar, 1 tsp vanilla, 1/4 tsp salt, and milk. Mix.
Add blue food coloring until you get robins egg blue.
Transfer to a piping bag. Snip off the tip.
For the Assembly:
Pipe buttercream between each cake layer.
Pipe an outer layer and smooth out with a scraper.
Mix cocoa powder and vanilla or alcohol. Using a paint brush, splatter the cake and chocolate eggs to create a speckled look.
- Chill for about 10-15 minutes.
Pipe a ring of buttercream on the cake. Press toasted coconut flakes onto ring. Create a nest shape.
Add eggs to the inside of the nest.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
- If you’re not using 6-inch pans, double the recipe for 8-inch pans or triple the recipe for 9-inch pans.
- If you see little clumps of butter after you mix the wet ingredients don’t panic, it all works out by the time you mix in the dry ingredients. You can even use melted butter and warm the milk and sour cream up a bit if you like.
- You can substitute whole milk yogurt for the sour cream if desired, I do it all the time and can’t really tell the difference.
IF YOU LOVE THIS RECIPE TRY THESE OUT!
Lemon Lavender Poppy Seed Pound Cake
You can assemble and decorate most of the cake ahead of time and chill it then add the nest on closer to the serving time. If you’re concerned about the eggs and coconut shifting around you can “glue” it all together using some caramel or buttercream.
These also make great cupcakes if you want a smaller set of treats. Just top with buttercream and then roll in the toasted coconut to create the nest then place the eggs.
Love this, John! This is probably a dumb question but can I use this cake recipe for a rainbow layer cake? AKA can I use whole eggs and add food coloring? (I would assume so!)
Ali,
You can definitely use this recipe for a rainbow cake! Don’t use the eggs yolks, specifically so the cake isn’t yellow! Let me know how it turns out!
John
John, it was amazing! Please check it out on my instagram @loveysbakery !!
Beautiful cake! Can’t wait to try this!
Such a perfect color for easter! LOVE
Where did you get this cake stand? It’s beautiful!
Where did you get the chocolate eggs? I’ve looked around, and can’t seem to find them in this color. Most I’ve found are too bright, or in every color except robin’s egg blue.
These eggs are Hershey’s. Picked them up at the drug store.
Beautiful cake! How tall are you cake pans? I was able to find 6″x 3″ on Amazon. Also did you bake all three pans at the same time? Thank you!
Ashly,
I use and own multiple 6×3 cake pans! I always bake the layers at the same time in the oven! Hope that helps!
John
This cake looks delish !!Is there a substitute for sour cream which I can use? As sour cream is not available in my country?
Kitty,
You can use plain greek yogurt as a substitute for sour cream! Hope you enjoy!
John
Hi, John! What color and brand of food coloring did you use to get that shade of robins egg blue for the icing? Thank you!
I was wondering the same thing!
Hi!! I love everything you do!! Definitely aspire to be have my baked goods as popular as you and they are!
I am making this cake for MY BOSS this weekend with my super vanilla bean cake. Could you tell me which color blue or blend to use? I have the americolor set if that helps!
Thank you!!
Amy
Thanks for the cake strip tip! I always wondered how you got your cakes so flat, they’re beautiful!
Miranda,
You’re welcome! Cake strips are incredible! Hope you enjoy this cake!
John
Going to try this recipe now. Would this recipe be enough if I use in 2- 8” pans? Also can I use the whole egg instead of the egg white only?
Maryam,
Double the recipe for 8-inch pans and use the extra for cupcakes! The yolks make the cake more yellow! I like a very white cake, but you can definitely use the whole egg! Hope you enjoy!
John
So I doubled the recipe and felt it was very dense and not moist at all. Any tips for that?
Thanks for sharing! Can it be made very far ahead of time?
Vanessa,
You can make this cake a few days in advance! Cover it with plastic wrap and it should be fine!
John
Hi,
Am wondering if ”bake convection” is better for cooking my cake or I can use ”bake” only.
Sophie,
I’m not sure! I never use convection when baking cakes! Hope you enjoy!
John
Hi John, is this your vanilla cake recipe as well? Or do you have a post specifically for your vanilla cake recipe?
Also, can you please do a pineapple coconut cake? Pineapple filling coconut buttercream and shredded coconut ? Would love to see how your recipe for this comes out.
I was in charge of dessert for our family Easter celebration, and as soon as I saw this cake I knew it would be perfect. First I made 6″ layers, but I was impatient and didn’t mix it properly and ended up with dense cakes. I decided I better try again and make 9″ layers so there would be enough cake. I watched the video and gave my ingredients plenty of time to come to room temperature. These cakes turned out much better and the cake came together beautifully. I was not talented enough to get my buttercream as smooth as yours, but I thought it looked pretty good and I received many compliments. I used the Hershey’s chocolate covered eggs and they looked perfect once speckled. Thanks for the tip about baking strips. I thought they really helped. Thanks also for helping to make me the Easter dessert hero this year!
I followed your directions measured all dry ingredients with a scale – when I was mixing the dry ingredients with the wet the butter did not seems to mix thoroughly and the cake had no taste. What did I do wrong? How soft Should the butter be?
Carol,
I let all of my ingredients come to room temperature before I start baking! Sometimes warming up the milk will even help the batter to be smoother! Even if the batter is lumpy from the butter, it’s okay!
John
I am so excited to try this cake! Question, if doubling the recipe for pan size, should I double the icing recipe as well?
Thanks!
Mandi,
I think you should be fine! I’m pretty sure I had left over buttercream when I was done! Hope you enjoy the cake!
John
I appreciate the quick reply, John! I am so excited about this! Thank you!
Hi, John! Question… in your video, you add kosher salt into the sifted ingredients, but the written recipe calls for baking soda. Are they interchangeable? Which should I use? Thank you!!!
Hi John!
I used this cake recipe this weekend (and used cake strips 🙂 ) – two of the cake layers baked great, while the third did not rise as much, dark edges (even with cake strips) and was buttery and a little doughy tasting. Hm.
Is this because of pan placement in the oven? All ovens can be different, but how do you recommend placing the three 6in cake pans in an oven for best results? Ex) Rotating the pans or baking the third pan separately?
Caroline,
Yes! I always rotate my pans because my oven is uneven! If you are using the wilton cake strips, one has an extender with more fabric. Leave that one in the oven for a bit longer! Hope you liked the cake!
John
Thanks for the strip tip!
Tried the recipe again last night and shifted their position halfway through. The cake was much more consistent across all three pans this time around. Yay!
Does anyone know if this 6-inch 3 layer cake would work as an 8-inch 2 layer without any changes to the recipe?
Lance,
I would double the recipe just in case! Use the extra batter for cupcakes!
John
This is so cute. It also can be used for a boy baby shower.
Hey Lewis,
That’s an adorable idea!
Best,
John
Hi John how far in advance can I make these as cupcakes? Should I refrigerate or leave on counter in air tight container? Thank you!
Hello,
They can be stored in the fridge up to a week. Keep them in an air tight container or wrapped up in plastic wrap.
Best,
John
Yes can you make the cake layers ahead of time and freeze them until you are ready to use them thanks
yup!
Thank you.