Ombre Cake
Updated
Updated
This 4-tiered layer Ombre Cake in multiple shades of blue will be the talk of the party! And it’s easier to make than you might think!
I’m not really a baker. Not in the traditional sense, anyway. I just pretend to be.
Sure, I bake cookies, and sheet cakes, and bundt cakes. But those are easy. And I usually stick to a glaze where I can drizzle it on – the fancy rosette or ruffle designed frosting scares me. And I certainly don’t make 4-tiered cakes.
Until of course, my son turns 6, sees a picture of an Ombre Cake…and begs me to make it. And then I cry silently inside because he had me at the very first, “Please Mom?” And I know I’m going to need to step outside my comfort zone. And be on my feet for a while.
Honestly, though? It really wasn’t difficult at all. Just a lot of steps…and actually quite fun! I documented the process on Instagram.
The shot of the slice I took could have been cleaner, but by the time I got around to photos at the end of the day, I was tired and decided I didn’t care enough.
If I was to do it over again, I would make sure there was slightly more variation in color between the 2nd and 3rd layer and probably add a little more frosting between the layers. But I think it came out pretty and my son loved it! That’s really all that matters.
My daughter has already put in a request for next year. Purple, of course.
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How To Make This Ombre Cake
Blue Ombre Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 4 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
- food coloring
For the Frosting
- 4 cups unsalted butter, , cut into pieces, at room temperature
- pinch of salt
- 10 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons vanilla
- 6-8 tablespoons milk
- 7 ounces unsweetened shredded coconut, , divided into thirds
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Position rack in the lower third position. Butter 4, 9-inch-round cake pans and line the bottoms with the parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat the granulated sugar and vegetable oil with an electric mixer on medium-high until thick and creamy, about 3 minutes. Add in the eggs, one at a time, and then the vanilla; beat on high until the batter is light and fluffy; about 2 minutes. Turn the mixer down to low and beat in the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the buttermilk, starting and ending with the flour. Beat until the batter is smooth, about 2 minutes.
- Evenly divide the batter among four bowls. Tint in varying shades of the same color (I did 10, 6, 3, and 1, but shades may vary depending on whether you use food dye or gel, and the manufacturer.) Pour batter into the 4 greased pans. Bake 2 pans at a time until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Let cool in the pans for 15 minutes, then invert onto racks to cool completely. Gently remove parchment if it sticks to the cake. (If your cake layers are not flat, take a serrated knife and gently cut off any mound that developed during baking.)
- Make the frosting: in a large bowl, beat the butter and salt with an electric mixer over medium speed until fluffily and smooth, about 2 minutes. Gradually beat in the powdered sugar until smooth; add in the vanilla, increase speed to medium-high and beat until thick, about 2 more minutes. Beat in the milk, a little at a time, until the frosting is spreadable.
- To assemble the cake: place deepest color cake layer on cake plate, stack layers from darkest to lightest, spreading about 1 1/2 cups frosting in between each one. Cover the outside of cake with remaining frosting. Place shredded coconut in 3 separate plastic bags. Add an increasing number of the same food coloring to each bag and shake until fully incorporated. Pat deepest color around base of cake, working your way up with the lighter color, and topping it off with the lightest shade.
- Slice, serve, and enjoy!
Notes
- I have 4 pans, so I baked mine all at the same time, however it took 30 minutes instead of 15. If you decide to do this, just check it after 15 minutes, in 5 minute increments, since oven temps can vary.
- If you don’t feel like making your frosting from scratch, you can use 2 (14 ounce) containers Whipped White frosting.
- This would work with any other color. You don’t have to use blue.
- Don't like coconut? Decorate it with sprinkles or just tint the frosting!
- You can make this the day before you need it. Keep refrigerated, in an air tight container, until serving.
Nutrition
Nutritional information given is an automatic calculation and can vary based on the exact products you use and any changes you make to the recipe. If these numbers are very important to you, I would recommend calculating them yourself.
Did you make this? Leave a rating below!
Hi ..such a beautiful cake.. .I would love to give it a try for my son’s 3rd birthday. Can you please tell me what do you mean by( 10 6 4 1 ) in giving the color . .does it means 10 strokes of color 6 strokes respectively?
I’m referring to how many drops of each dye I used.
Thank you for the reply..
So you used 4 different food colouring ..
No. I used the same blue, but different amount of drops to achieve darker and lighter shades.
Oh … thank you..I am going to do the same ..
Hi it is beautiful cake may i know which dye and color you used ? Thanks in advance
Hi Snigdha – I own a boxed of Wilton food gels and dyes that include a variety of blue hues.
Do you know if this would be strong enough to hold fondant?
Hi Karmen. I never work with fondant, so I’m not familiar with it enough to say.
First of all, I made this cake for my daugher’s birthday and people were FIGHTING over it. It was absolutely delicious! I made it with a little different frosting, but man…the cake was perfect. Thanks so much for a great recipe! I wanted to make it again, but with a DOUBLE layer 9×13 for my son’s bday. Do you know if I would need to double this recipe for that? Thanks!
Hi Kristy – unfortunately I couldn’t say with certainty. I only know it works the way I shared it here. But I’m glad that way turned out for you!
As per the directions, evenly divide the batter among four bowls and tint. Then pour batter into the 4 greased pans.
I’m so glad Trevor put you up to this challenge…it’s beautiful! Sometimes food creations are WORTH all the work that goes into them, and I think it’s safe to say this is one of those times. Way to go, Amy! :)
I’m pretty sure I could not be more impressed with you right now. This is amazing.
Mom of the year goes to…….
This looks so amazing. The gradient is just perfect and the pics are beautiful. Have been to your blog earlier and always love discovering new recipes here. Keep up the good work!
Thank you Riya!
You are my hero. Seriously, love that you tried this for your baby! Turned out gawwwgeous.
Truly a work of art! Nice job.
Thank you so much, Robbie! That means a lot coming from you, being much more of a baker than I am.
the color is lovely!
Wow, that’s gorgeous. I have yet to attempt one, but if it’s just time consuming, not hard, I think I could manage it. Of course, my not-so girlie girl would go for that blue one over the pink.
Wow, colorful. Maybe you should reneame the recipe to “The sky” or “see” cake. Very beautiful color contrast in every layer.
It’s gorgeous, Amy! Inside and out!
Amy, I love this cake, it’s so pretty!!
Oh Amy, this was such a gorgeous cake!! I was logging onto Instagram multiple times an hour over the weekend to check out how it was going. No joke! Despite loving baking, I don’t have the guts to make a 4-layer cake — and an ombré one at that! It turned out incredible, from the colors inside to the coconut outside. Definitely a labor of love from one of the sweetest moms in the world!
Amy, you are too sweet!
I so love that he asked for an Ombre cake. This is gorgeous Amy!!!
This is just the prettiest ombre cake in the entire world. Plus it has coconut so I totally love you right now.
Oh, that is so beautiful! What gorgeous colors, I know Trevor loved it. You are a good mom!
Amy, you make me want to bake a cake! What a lucky little boy
Amy that cake is gorgeous!
I’m requesting a purple one for my birthday. You have 11 months before you have to make it and ship it, lol!!
You did a fantastic job!
Hahaha. I’ll put it on the calendar. Thank you, Lisa! *mwah*
I am in awe – I love how you did the tonal colors. Major kudos!
This cake looks so colorfully good!
I will have a bite of Jay’s cake when we get it. It did look too pretty to cut into when I saw it, though. So proud of you!
Thanks, Jen! <3
Call me impressed! Layer cakes are my nemesis! They always turn out lopsided. So next time I need one I’ll give you a call. Sound good?
You look like a pro to me! What a gorgeous cake!!
So pretty! love it!
So pretty! ALMOST too pretty to eat.
*applauds*
Thank you, Ray!
I am quite proud of you, a challenging cake is a real challenge. And yes, you had me at “Please Mom?”. Heads up, that Please Mom never dissipates, no matter the age. <3
I believe it. They’re our babies forever, right? Even when they have their own..
Here’s hoping you saved your coconut loving BIL a slice, and that said slice is tucked away in some dark recess of your freezer were Paul won’t find it first.
I did wrap one up for you! Although I’m sure Paul will find it. Maybe I should put your name on it…and threaten to take away his PlayStation
Found. No cake for you!
I love the colors!! SO pretty and the outside frosting with coconut is perfect!
Beautiful! This would be lovely to serve to guests at a spring brunch or coffee. PS – Happy birthday to Trevor.
Thank you, Jude! It would. I think it would be so cute with alternating layers of yellow and orange for spring, too. <3 <3
Oh heck yeah!
This cake is so pretty! Love all that color :)
This cake is gorgeous and I think you did a fabulous job! Can you come make my birthday cake next week? ;)
It’s those “Please Mom”s that get me EVERY time! :) The cake looks fab and you did an amazing job!!! xoxo
They certainly have us wrapped around their hearts, no? Thanks you. Betsy!
So, like a million years ago, my little brother asked for a purple cake one year (he got it…it was grape-like). The next year, he asked for a green cake (that was more of a lime cake, which became a good enough hit that Ma-Ma served it at multiple bridge clubs). I, on the other hand, only wanted pink things. So, one year I had pink mashed potatoes for my birthday party, and another year I had pink cottage cheese. And always, always and polka-dotted angel food cake with pink icing. I love this cake (but glad that Stephie always asks for a pie. Easier to do, you know).
Pie is infinitely easier than this…unless you’re making a perfect crust from scratch!
Lovely! I could totally see this at a shower for a baby boy too!!!
Yes! That would be adorable <3
Hello did you fell the cake pans with the same amount of batter for a normal layered cake? Or did you use half the batter per pan a normal cake pan would use?