Cotton Candy Cap’n Crunch Cereal Cake Recipe

Introduction

This Cotton Candy Cap’n Crunch Cereal Cake is a delightful and colorful treat that brings playful nostalgia to your dessert table. With layers of pink and blue cereal-infused cake and a creamy buttercream frosting, it’s perfect for celebrations or a fun weekend baking project.

Ingredients

• 1 cup Cotton Candy Cap’n Crunch cereal (just the pink pieces)
• 1 cup Cotton Candy Cap’n Crunch cereal (just the blue pieces)
• 2 cups milk (divided)
• 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar (divided)
• 1/3 cup Cotton Candy Cap’n Crunch cereal (just the pink pieces)
• 1/3 cup Cotton Candy Cap’n Crunch cereal (just the blue pieces)
• 1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup pink cereal milk (from recipe below)
• 1/2 cup blue cereal milk (from recipe below)
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/2 cup unsalted butter (softened)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 5 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 4 ounces cream cheese
• 3/4 cup heavy cream (whipped)
• Pink gel food coloring
• Blue gel food coloring
• Sprinkles

Instructions

1. Step 1: Make the Cereal Milk by placing the pink cereal in one bowl and pouring 1 cup of milk over it. Stir until the cereal is fully soaked. Repeat with the blue cereal and remaining 1 cup of milk. Let both steep for 30-40 minutes.
2. Step 2: Strain the pink cereal milk through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, discarding the soaked cereal. Stir in 1 tablespoon sugar. Repeat with the blue cereal milk and remaining tablespoon sugar in another bowl.
3. Step 3: Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line three 6-inch round cake pans with parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
4. Step 4: Crush the pink cereal finely using a food processor or a rolling pin inside a ziplock bag, then set aside in a small bowl. Do the same with the blue cereal and set aside separately.
5. Step 5: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Add oil, yogurt, egg, and vanilla, stirring until combined; the batter will be thick and doughy.
6. Step 6: Divide batter into two bowls. Add pink cereal milk and crushed pink cereal to one, stirring gently to combine. In the other, add blue cereal milk and crushed blue cereal, mixing just until combined.
7. Step 7: Alternate spoonfuls of blue and pink batter equally among the three pans. Bake 28-32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
8. Step 8: For the buttercream, beat butter and salt on high until fluffy (about 3 minutes). Add powdered sugar gradually, beating until fully incorporated and fluffy. Mix in vanilla, then add heavy cream a tablespoon at a time, beating until light and creamy.
9. Step 9: Set aside 1 cup of buttercream for the filling. Transfer the rest to a separate bowl and return the remaining to the mixer.
10. Step 10: Beat cream cheese and reserved 1 cup of buttercream until smooth. Fold in half the whipped cream, then fold in the rest gently by hand.
11. Step 11: Assemble the cake by placing one layer on a plate, spreading 1/3 of the filling evenly on top. Repeat for all layers, finishing with filling on top. Chill cake in freezer for 1 hour.
12. Step 12: After chilling, frost the entire cake with the reserved buttercream. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes to set the buttercream.
13. Step 13: Divide remaining buttercream into three bowls. Tint one pink and another blue with gel food coloring. Leave the third white.
14. Step 14: Remove cake from fridge. Use an offset spatula to spread thick patches of pink and blue buttercream around the cake, filling spaces with white buttercream. Smooth edges to create a watercolor or marble effect.
15. Step 15: Transfer white buttercream to a pastry bag with a star tip and pipe a border of stars around the top edge. Add sprinkles as desired. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Tips & Variations

• For a stronger cereal flavor, increase the steeping time for the cereal milk to 1 hour.
• Use a stand mixer for the buttercream to achieve a smoother and fluffier texture.
• Try other Cap’n Crunch varieties for different color and flavor themes.
• Allow cakes to come to room temperature before slicing for cleaner cuts.

Storage

Store the cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving to soften the buttercream. You can freeze the cake for up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use regular milk instead of cereal milk?

Regular milk can be used, but cereal milk adds a unique, sweet flavor that complements the cake perfectly. If you prefer, you can skip making cereal milk and use plain milk instead, but expect a milder taste.

Why do I need to crush the cereal for the batter?

Crushing the cereal helps distribute its flavor and texture evenly throughout the cake, creating little bursts of crunch and additional cereal taste in every bite.

Cotton Candy Cap’n Crunch Cereal Cake Recipe

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★★★★★

4.9 from 96 reviews

This whimsical Cotton Candy Cap’n Crunch Cereal Cake features vibrant pink and blue layers infused with cotton candy cereal milk, layered with a creamy, colorful buttercream frosting that creates a stunning watercolor effect. Perfect for celebrations or anyone craving a nostalgic, fun dessert with a playful twist.

• Author: Maya
• Prep Time: 45 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
• Yield: 12 servings 1x
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Ingredients

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Cereal Milk

• 1 cup Cotton Candy Cap’n Crunch cereal (just the pink pieces)
• 1 cup Cotton Candy Cap’n Crunch cereal (just the blue pieces)
• 2 cups milk (divided)
• 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar (divided)

Crushed Cereal

• 1/3 cup Cotton Candy Cap’n Crunch cereal (just the pink pieces)
• 1/3 cup Cotton Candy Cap’n Crunch cereal (just the blue pieces)

Cake Batter

• 1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup pink cereal milk (from recipe above)
• 1/2 cup blue cereal milk (from recipe above)
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Buttercream and Filling

• 1 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 5 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 4 ounces cream cheese
• 3/4 cup heavy cream, whipped
• Pink gel food coloring
• Blue gel food coloring
• Sprinkles (optional)

Instructions

1. Make the Cereal Milk: Place the pink Cotton Candy Cap’n Crunch cereal into one bowl and pour 1 cup of milk over it, stirring to ensure the cereal is fully soaked. In another bowl, place the blue cereal and pour the remaining 1 cup of milk over it, stirring well. Let both bowls steep for 30-40 minutes to infuse the milk with the cereal flavor.
2. Strain the Cereal Milk: Using a fine-mesh sieve over medium bowls, strain the milk from the pink cereal, discard the soaked cereal, and stir in 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar. Repeat this for the blue cereal milk, adding the remaining tablespoon of sugar. Set cereal milks aside.
3. Preheat Oven and Prepare Pans: Preheat your oven to 350ºF (175ºC). Line three 6-inch round cake pans with parchment paper and spray them with nonstick cooking spray for easy release.
4. Crush the Cereal: Using a food processor or a zip-top bag and rolling pin, finely crush the designated pink cereal pieces. Transfer to a small bowl. Repeat the process for the blue cereal pieces into a separate bowl. Set aside.
5. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and granulated sugar until fully combined.
6. Add Wet Ingredients: To the dry mixture, add vegetable oil, Greek yogurt, egg, and vanilla extract. Stir the mixture until combined; batter will be thick and dough-like.
7. Divide and Flavor Batter: Split the batter evenly into two separate bowls. To one bowl, add pink cereal milk and crushed pink cereal, mixing gently until just combined. To the other bowl, add blue cereal milk and crushed blue cereal, stirring until just combined.
8. Layer the Batter: Alternating spoonfuls of blue and pink batter, divide both batters equally across the three prepared cake pans. This creates a fun marbled and layered effect inside the cakes.
9. Bake the Cakes: Place the pans in the oven and bake for 28-32 minutes. Check doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of the cakes; it should come out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
10. Make the Buttercream Filling: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat softened butter and salt on high speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Gradually add powdered sugar, a cup at a time, blending fully. Increase mixer speed and beat for an additional 3 minutes for a light texture. Add vanilla extract and heavy cream one tablespoon at a time, beating for about 2 minutes until fluffy and creamy.
11. Prepare Cream Cheese Filling: Remove 1 cup of the buttercream and set aside for filling. Transfer the remaining buttercream to a separate bowl and return it to the mixer. Beat cream cheese and reserved buttercream together until smooth. Add half of the whipped heavy cream and beat gently to combine. Fold in the remaining whipped cream carefully by hand.
12. Assemble the Cake: Place one cake layer on a cake plate or pedestal. Spread one-third of the cream cheese filling evenly over the layer. Repeat with the remaining cake layers and filling, finishing with a layer of filling on top. Chill the assembled cake in the freezer for 1 hour to firm up.
13. Frost the Cake: Once chilled, frost the entire cake using the plain buttercream. Return the cake to the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to allow the buttercream to set.
14. Color and Decorate Buttercream: Divide the reserved buttercream into three bowls. Tint one bowl pink and another blue with gel food coloring, leaving the third bowl white. Remove the cake from the fridge and use an offset spatula to apply thick patches of pink and blue buttercream around the cake, filling in some areas with white to create a watercolor or marble effect. Smooth the buttercream as the colors blend, applying more buttercream to cover any gaps as desired.
15. Pipe and Add Sprinkles: Transfer the remaining white buttercream to a pastry bag fitted with a star tip (Wilton 1M recommended). Pipe a decorative border of stars around the top edge of the cake. Sprinkle with desired sprinkles for a festive finish. Refrigerate the cake until ready to serve.

Notes

• Make sure to let the cereal steep fully to get the best flavor infusion for the cereal milk.
• Alternating spoonfuls of pink and blue batter creates a beautiful marbled cake appearance when sliced.
• Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment yields the creamiest buttercream consistency.
• Chilling the cake before frosting helps prevent the buttercream from melting and keeps decorations crisp.
• Gel food coloring is preferred as it does not affect the texture of the buttercream.
• Sprinkles add an extra fun touch but are optional based on preference.

Keywords: Cotton Candy Cake, Cap’n Crunch Cake, Cereal Cake, Funfetti Cake, Layer Cake, Buttercream Frosting, Colorful Cake, Party Cake, Birthday Cake