Description
Delightful mini ombre cakes emerge as a visual feast with gradient layers of pastel hues. French pastry techniques combine elegantly to create miniature desserts that charm guests with their sophisticated presentation and delicate flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 box white or vanilla cake mix
- 3 eggs
- ⅓ cup (80 milliliters) vegetable oil
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) water
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 red or pink gel food coloring
- 1 cup (2 sticks / 226 grams) unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cups (480 grams) powdered sugar
- 24 tablespoons (360 milliliters) heavy cream or milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preparation: Meticulously prepare three 9-inch round cake pans by greasing and flouring to guarantee seamless cake release.
- Batter Creation: Prepare cake mix according to package instructions, ensuring a silky, homogeneous mixture without lumps.
- Color Transformation: Divide batter into three equal portions, then apply gel food coloring—ranging from soft blush to rich crimson—carefully blending to achieve saturated, uniform shades without disrupting batter structure.
- Pan Filling: Distribute colored batters into prepared pans, using a spatula to level surfaces and eliminate potential air bubbles.
- Baking Process: Position pans in a preheated oven, rotating midway through cooking to ensure consistent heat distribution and golden-brown edges. Bake for 25-30 minutes, checking for a springy texture that indicates perfect doneness.
- Cooling Phase: Transfer baked layers to wire cooling racks, allowing complete temperature reduction before proceeding with cake assembly or decoration.
Notes
- Precise Color Layering: Use gel food coloring for vibrant, saturated colors without altering batter consistency; add color gradually to achieve perfect ombre gradient.
- Measurement Mastery: Always use a kitchen scale to ensure equal batter distribution across layers, guaranteeing uniform cake height and professional appearance.
- Gentle Mixing Technique: Fold color into batter using silicone spatula with minimal strokes to prevent deflating air bubbles and maintain cake’s light, airy texture.
- Cooling Crucial: Allow cakes to cool completely on wire racks before assembling to prevent structural collapse and ensure clean, crisp layer definition.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 13
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 30 g
- Sodium: 200 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 14 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 60 mg