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Get the Recipe: Pink Galaxy Birthday Cake

(a.k.a. Almost All Yolks Yellow Cake with Berry Buttercream Frosting)
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Ingredients

For the Yellow Cake

  • 3 cups (12 ounces) cake flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 cup (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 2 1/2 cups (17.5 ounces) granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup (3.75 ounces) tightly packed dark brown sugar
  • 8 large egg yolks, at room temperature (be sure to reserve the whites for the buttercream frosting!)
  • 3 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 cup 8 ounces buttermilk, at room temperature
  • 1 cup 8 ounces canola oil

For the Berry Buttercream Frosting

  • 6 ounces fresh berries, at room temperature (see bakers notes)
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • a pinch of kosher salt
  • red food coloring
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar plus 2 cups (14 ounces) granulated sugar, divided into 2 tablespoon and 2 cup portions
  • 1 cup 8 ounces large egg whites from about 8 eggs
  • 3 cups 24 ounces unsalted butter, at room temperature

Equipment

  • Special Equipment: a food processor
  • a candy thermometer (preferably digital)

Instructions
 

For the Yellow Cake

  • Center a rack in the oven and preheat to 350 (F). Prepare three 8 x 3-inch cake pans by spraying each pan generously with cooking spray and lining the bottom of each pan with parchment paper. Spray the parchment paper as well and set aside.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  • In the bowl of a freestanding electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine butter and sugars. Beat on medium speed for 3 to 4 minutes, or until light, fluffy, and doubled in volume. Reduce the mixer speed to its lowest setting and add egg yolks, two at a time, only adding the next pair when the previous one is fully incorporated. Add 3 large eggs, one at a time, only adding the next egg when the previous one is fully incorporated. Once all the eggs are added, slowly stream in the canola oil, followed by the buttermilk and vanilla. Continue beating on low speed until the mixture is homogeneous and there are no lumps, about 3 to 4 minutes. With the mixer still on its lowest setting, add the dry ingredients all at once and keep beating just until the dry ingredients disappear into the batter, another 30 to 45 seconds.
  • Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl and pour the batter into the prepared cake pans. Transfer to the preheated and oven and bake 40 to 45 minutes. When done, the top of the cake should be golden and bounce back when gently poked. A skewer inserted into the center of the cake should come out with few crumbs. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely before frosting.

For the Berry Buttercream Frosting

  • In the bowl of a food processor, combine fresh berries, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, vanilla extract, and a pinch of kosher salt. Process until the fruit turns into a fine puree; pour into a liquid measuring cup, measuring out a 3/4 cup portion, and discard the remaining puree (or, save for another project!). If your puree has turned out an unattractive brown color, add a few drops of red food coloring and process until the puree has turned a more attractive pink color. Set aside.
  • Combine the egg whites and the remaining 2 cups granulated sugar in the bowl of a freestanding electric mixer. Whisk the ingredients together, and then use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Fill a medium saucepan with a few inches of water and place over medium-high heat. Place the mixer bowl on top of the saucepan to create a double boiler; the bottom of the bowl should not touch the water.
  • Whisking intermittently, cook the egg and sugar mixture until it registers 160 (F) on a candy thermometer, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a heatproof rubber spatula occasionally to prevent any burning. Once hot, carefully transfer to the stand mixer and fit a whisk attachment onto the mixer. Beat the egg white mixture on high speed for 8 to 10 minutes, until it holds medium-stiff peaks. When done, the outside of the mixer bowl should be at room temperature and no residual heat should be escaping the meringue out of the top of the bowl. Stop the mixer and swap out the whisk attachment for the paddle attachment.
  • With the mixer on low speed, add butter a few tablespoons at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl every so often to make sure the butter is incorporating fully. Once incorporated, turn up the mixer speed to medium-high and beat until the buttercream is silky smooth, 3 to 5 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to the lowest setting. Gradually add the reserved fruit puree to the buttercream, mixing until combined.

Notes

a.k.a. Almost All Yolks Yellow Cake with Berry Buttercream Frosting
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