Hello, September! My birthday is coming up on Thursday and I couldn’t help but start the celebration with a cake I’ve been wanting to try! I made a colorful splatter cake with diluted food coloring and a classic vanilla cake recipe! Paint splatter is a fun reminder of the 80s/90s and, honestly, it’s sooo therapeutic. Making mess is just the best. So cover up your kitchen and get ready to get messy with a splatter paint cake that will be perfect for every occasion you’ll celebrate this year!
Keep scrolling for the full recipe card! 👇🏼
Oh, and if you’re a fan of cake (who isn’t?!) be sure to check out my other cake decorating ideas!
How to Make a Splatter Cake
OK, now the reason you’re really here! I’ve seen a few versions of a paint splatter cake, but I wanted to make my own that not only has colorful cake layers but has a specific splattered paint look. Here’s how to achieve this look:
- Cover your work area with plastic or newspaper to protect from the splatter
- Place the frosting cake on a cake stand or some kind of raised pedestal
- For best results, frosting should not be hard from refrigeration
- Add a small amount of food coloring to small bowls
- Dilute the food coloring with 2-3 drops of water so it is splatterable and lighter in color
- Use a food-only paint brush to splatter the food coloring all over the cake until well-covered
PS, be sure to follow along with the party on Instagram!
- 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup hot water
- 2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2-3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp heavy cream or milk
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly spray 2 (or 3) 6-inch cake pans with cooking spray
- In the bowl of your mixer, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt
- With a whisk attachment, mix in vegetable oil and buttermilk, followed by the egg and vanilla
- Add the hot water and mix until batter is smooth, scraping the bowl as needed
- Divide the batter between the prepared cake pans and bake for 25-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out batter-free
- Let cool before removing from the cake pans
- Level the cakes into even layers
- Beat the butter with a paddle attachment until smooth, creamy and fluffy, about 2 minutes
- Add the powdered sugar in batches until desired sweetness is reached
- Mix in the vanilla and cream and beat until smooth
- Assembled the cake layers with buttercream in between
- Frost the entire cake with a crumb coat and chill 30 minutes
- Add more frosting and smooth the cake
- When ready to splatter, add a small amount of food coloring to small bowls and dilute with several drops of water
- Cover your working area with plastic or newspaper
- Use a food-only paint brush to flick the diluted food coloring at the frosted cake with a variety of colors until well-covered
- Refrigerate until ready to serve
- The food coloring will smear easily and stain your hands, so avoid touching the splatter cake
- Three pans will yield a three layer cake; two pans cut into layers yield a four layer cake