Ingredients:

  • 280 g all-purpose flour
  • 300 g granulated sugar
  • 12 g baking powder
  • 3 g salt
  • 170 g unsalted butter, softened
  • 3 large eggs
  • 240 ml whole milk
  • 10 ml vanilla extract
  • 450 g unsalted butter, softened
  • 720 g powdered sugar, sifted
  • 45 ml heavy cream
  • 5 ml vanilla extract
  • 1 g salt

Instructions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease your mini pans thoroughly and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Note: Parchment is non negotiable for mini cakes to prevent sticking.
  2. Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl until well combined.
  3. Beat in the softened butter until the mixture looks like coarse sand. Wait until you see no large lumps of butter before moving on.
  4. Add eggs one by one, then pour in the milk and vanilla, beating on medium speed until the batter is smooth and pale.
  5. Split the batter evenly into three separate bowls. Note: Using a kitchen scale here ensures your layers are identical in height.
  6. Add 3-4 drops of gel color to the first bowl, 1-2 drops to the second, and a tiny drop to the third. Stir gently with a spatula to avoid over mixing.
  7. Pour the batter into the pans and bake 30 mins until a toothpick comes out clean and the tops spring back.
  8. Let the cakes cool completely before frosting. Note: Frosting a warm cake is the fastest way to turn your ombre into a melted puddle.
  9. Beat the frosting butter until creamy, then gradually add powdered sugar, cream, vanilla, and salt.
  10. Divide the frosting into three bowls and repeat the coloring process used for the batter.
  11. Pipe the darkest shade at the bottom, the medium in the middle, and the lightest on top. Smooth the edges with a spatula to blend the colors together.