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Snowflake Cake
5 from 26 votes

Snowflake Cake

Snowflake Cake combines layers of moist vanilla peppermint cake baked in 6-inch pans with smooth buttercream frosting and Italian buttercream. The recipe includes instructions to create delicate candy melt snowflakes as decoration. Distinctive for its peppermint extract and layered presentation, this cake offers a festive flavor and elegant look. Tips included help ensure even baking and smooth frosting textures for an attractive finish.

Prep Time
25 mins
Cook Time
35 mins
Total Time
1 hr
Servings: 10
Calories: 240 kcal
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

INGREDIENTS
For the Buttercream:
  • 3 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 lb confectioners sugar
  • 1 cup butter room temperature, unsalted
  • 3 tablespoon heavy whipping cream
  • Blue Food coloring
  • red food coloring
For the Cake:
  • 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3/4 cup butter room temperature, unsalted
  • 3 egg white
  • 3 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1/2 cup milk whole
  • 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
For the Snowflakes:
  • ⅔ cup Candy Melts
  • parchment paper
For the Italian Buttercream:
  • 4 large egg
  • 1 1/3 cup sugar
  • pinch kosher salt
  • 16 oz butter cut into 1-inch pieces, unsalted
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Instructions

INSTRUCTIONS:
For the Cake:
    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Butter and paper three 6-inch cake pans. I use cake strips on my pans for more even baking.
  3. Sift and mix dry ingredients in a large bowl.
  4. Beat the wet ingredients together in a medium bowl.
  5. Add wet to dry ingredients and mix until combined
  6. Divide the mixture evenly into the cake pans.
  7. Bake for about 30 minutes until the centers are springy to the touch.
  8. Let cool completely.
For the Buttercream:
  1. Whip the butter for about 5 minutes using a paddle attachment (stand-up mixer).
  2. Beat in the confectioner’s sugar slowly
  3. Add the cream and vanilla. Beat until you have an even, fluffy consistency.
  4. Transfer a white batch to a piping bag. Add red food coloring to another batch and transfer to a piping bag. Snip off the tips of both and add to a larger piping bag. Pipe a spiral between each layer. 
  5. Pipe and smooth a crumb coat with excess. 
For the Italian Buttercream:
  1. Beat the egg whites, salt and cream of tartar, slowly add in 1/3 cup of sugar and continue beating until soft peaks form. In a medium saucepan add the remaining sugar and 1/3 cup water then place on medium-low heat. Stir until sugar melts and becomes clear.Maintain at medium-high heat until temperature reads 235-240F. 
  2. Drizzle the sugar into the mixer immediately. Run mixer until meringue is cool/tepid. Add room temperature butter into running mixer one tablespoon piece at a time. 
  3. Add the salt and vanilla if using. Beat until butter is combined and mixture has reached a silky consistency.
  4. Create a gradient by adding different amounts of blue food coloring to remaining buttercream batches. Transfer each color to its own piping bag. Pipe the ombre color and smooth with an offset spatula. 
For the Snowflakes:
  1. Melt candy melts in the microwave.
  2. Transfer to the piping bag and snip off the tip.
  3. Pipe snowflakes onto a piece of parchment paper. This can be done freehand or over a snowflake stencil.
For the Assembly:
  1. Pipe the red and white buttercream between each cake layer.
  2. Pipe white, then blue buttercream, lightest to darkest starting from the bottom.
  3. Smooth with an offset spatula.
  4. Add snowflakes.

Notes

  • If using larger pans, adjust by doubling the recipe for 8-inch pans or tripling for 9-inch pans.
  • Butter clumps in wet ingredients are normal and will smooth out once dry ingredients are added; melting butter and warming milk and sour cream can help.
  • Whole milk yogurt can substitute for sour cream with little difference in taste or texture.
  • Use cake strips during baking to achieve flat, moist layers; homemade strips can be made from foil and paper towels.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1slice Calories 240kcal (12%) Carbohydrates 24g (8%) Protein 5g (10%) Fat 12g (18%) Saturated Fat 5g (25%) Cholesterol 24mg (8%) Sodium 188mg (8%) Potassium 33mg (1%) Fiber 2g (8%) Sugar 19g (38%) Calcium 40mg (4%) Iron 0.5mg (3%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 10 Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 240

% Daily Value*

Serving 1slice
Calories 240kcal 12%
Carbohydrates 24g 8%
Protein 5g 10%
Fat 12g 18%
Saturated Fat 5g 25%
Cholesterol 24mg 8%
Sodium 188mg 8%
Potassium 33mg 1%
Fiber 2g 8%
Sugar 19g 38%
Calcium 40mg 4%
Iron 0.5mg 3%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.