Pretty Pastel Swirl Bundt Cake With Strawberry Frosting

Take the butter out of the refrigerator a couple of hours ahead of time to let it soften. Softening butter makes it easier to cream with sugar, which helps create a light, tender cake.

Grease a bundt cake pan with butter or shortening. Or spray with non-stick baking spray. Do NOT skimp on the greasing, otherwise the cake will stick to the pan and it will be very difficult to get out.

For extra non-stick protection, lightly dust the greased pan with flour.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar together. Use a hand or stand mixer on medium speed until the mixture is light in color and fluffy, which usually takes 1 to 2 minutes.

Once light and fluffy, add in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Adding eggs one at a time ensures they incorporate smoothly into the batter, preventing it from curdling.

Then mix in the vanilla and vegetable oil. The vanilla adds flavor, while the oil keeps the cake moist and tender.

Next, add in the flour, salt, and allspice. Mix until just combined.

Be careful not to overmix here, as that can make the cake dense. Mix until you see no streaks of flour, but no more.

Add about ⅓ cup of batter to each of 3 small bowls. These will be your different colors.

Add food coloring of your choice to each bowl and mix until you reach your desired shades.

For vibrant colors, add a few drops of food coloring and mix well. Remember, the color will lighten slightly as it bakes, so don’t be afraid to go a little darker if you want a bold look.

You can also mix colors to create different ones:

• For the lime green, I used a mix of green and yellow food coloring.
• For purple, I combined red and blue.
• For the pink, I used a little red.

Pour ¾ of the original batter into a greased bundt cake pan. Use a spatula to spread it evenly.

Add spoonfuls of each colored batter around the center of the cake. Distributing the colors evenly helps create a balanced swirl effect.

Use a toothpick or butter knife to gently swirl the colors. Insert the tool into the batter and make a few gentle swirling motions.

Don’t overmix, as you want the colors to stay distinct and create a pretty marbled effect.

Then top with the remaining original batter, spreading it evenly over the swirled layer.

Bake at 350°F for 35 to 40 minutes.

Check for done-ness by inserting a toothpick into the center; it should come out clean.

Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire cooling rack for 10 to 15 minutes before flipping it out of the pan onto a cake plate.

Let the cake cool completely before adding the frosting.

Remove the cap and foil from the can of frosting.

Microwave for about 15 seconds to soften, which makes it easier to drizzle smoothly.

Add some frosting to a Ziploc bag.

Cut a tiny corner off the bag’s tip. This acts like a piping bag, giving you control over the drizzle.

Drizzle over the top of the cooled cake, creating a pretty finish. Use about ¾ of the can or more if you like a thicker glaze.