Majestic Royal Blue Velvet Cake with Marshmallow Frosting

Introduction & Inspiration

Prepare to be captivated by the truly majestic beauty of this Royal Blue Velvet Cake! This isn’t just a cake; it’s a statement – a vibrant, stunning twist on the beloved “velvet” cake concept. Imagine three layers of incredibly moist, tender cake, boasting a deep, rich royal blue hue, all enveloped in a uniquely light, sweet, and fluffy marshmallow creme frosting. It’s as delightful to behold as it is to eat!

My inspiration for this recipe comes from wanting to create a cake that’s both visually striking and incredibly delicious, but still accessible for home bakers. Using a white cake mix as a base makes it wonderfully simple, while the addition of buttermilk, oil, a hint of cocoa, and carefully chosen food colors transforms it into something truly special. The marshmallow creme frosting is the perfect whimsical, sweet counterpoint.

This cake is perfect for themed birthday parties (think galaxy, under the sea, or royalty!), celebrations where you want a pop of unique color, or anytime you’re looking to bake something fun and out of the ordinary. It’s surprisingly easy and always wows! It is a perfect celebration cake.

Nostalgic Appeal / Comfort Factor

“Velvet” cakes, most famously Red Velvet, have a distinct nostalgic charm, known for their tender texture and often paired with creamy frostings. Layer cakes themselves are synonymous with celebrations, birthdays, and happy occasions. This Royal Blue version taps into that celebratory spirit but adds a playful, modern twist with its unexpected, beautiful color.

The marshmallow creme frosting adds another layer of fun, slightly retro comfort, reminiscent of childhood treats. It’s lighter than a heavy buttercream but still wonderfully sweet and satisfying. This cake feels both elegant, due to its “royal” hue, and delightfully fun.

It’s a dessert that sparks joy and conversation, offering a unique take on familiar cake comforts. A perfect cake to make an impression.

Homemade Focus (Easy Assembly with Mixes)

This recipe brilliantly combines the convenience of a boxed white cake mix with key homemade touches that elevate it to something truly special. The homemade focus shines in the “doctoring” of the cake mix – adding buttermilk and oil for superior moisture and tenderness, a whisper of cocoa for that subtle velvet character, and precisely blending food colors to achieve the stunning royal blue.

Furthermore, the light and fluffy marshmallow creme frosting is made entirely from scratch, whipping together softened butter, marshmallow creme, powdered sugar, and salt for a unique and delicious topping. You’re taking a simple base and transforming it through these thoughtful homemade additions.

It celebrates how easily you can create a visually impressive and delicious layer cake at home by enhancing a convenient mix with fresh ingredients and a from-scratch frosting. The perfect balance between easy and impressive.

Flavor Goal

The primary flavor goal is a moist, tender vanilla cake with a very subtle hint of cocoa (characteristic of velvet cakes), paired with a distinctly sweet, light, and fluffy marshmallow-flavored frosting. The vibrant royal blue color is primarily for visual appeal and should not significantly impact the taste, which remains a delightful vanilla-marshmallow profile.

The cake crumb, enhanced by buttermilk and oil, should be soft and “velvety.” The marshmallow creme frosting should be smooth, airy, and sweet, providing a wonderful textural contrast to the tender cake layers.

The overall experience should be a visually stunning, moist, and sweet cake with a unique light frosting – a fun and delicious treat for any celebration. A perfect balance between flavour and texture.

Ingredient Insights

For the Cake:

• Betty Crocker™ Super Moist™ White Cake Mix: The convenient base. Prepare according to modified directions.
• Buttermilk (Room Temperature): Adds moisture, tanginess, and reacts with leaveners for a tender crumb.
• Vegetable Oil: Guarantees an incredibly moist cake.
• Eggs (Room Temperature): Provide structure, richness, and binding. Room temperature helps them incorporate evenly.
• Unsweetened Baking Cocoa: Just a tablespoon, for that subtle “velvet” flavor nuance and to interact with food coloring for depth.
• Royal Blue Paste Food Color & Violet Paste Food Color: Key for achieving the desired deep royal blue hue. Paste colors are more concentrated than liquid and provide better color without thinning batter. The violet helps deepen the blue. (Use toothpickful for violet, as it’s potent).
• Vanilla Extract: (Implicitly added to cake ingredients from original list but not explicitly in recipe’s “Cake ingredients” list in step 2; however, vanilla is classic in white cake. Assuming it’s part of the “Cake ingredients” to be beaten).

For the Frosting:

• Marshmallow Creme (Jar, 7 oz): The star of the frosting! Provides unique flavor, sweetness, and a light, fluffy, slightly sticky texture.
• Butter (Softened): Creates the rich, creamy base for the frosting. Use unsalted or salted (adjust added salt accordingly).
• Powdered Sugar (Sifted): Sweetens and provides structure. Sifting prevents lumps.
• Salt: A tiny pinch balances the sweetness of the marshmallow creme and powdered sugar.

Essential Equipment

• Three 8-inch Round Cake Pans: For baking the layers.
• Parchment Paper: Essential for lining pan bottoms for easy release.
• Cooking Spray: For greasing pans.
• Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand Mixer): Crucial for properly mixing the cake batter (2 minutes) and for beating the frosting until smooth and fluffy.
• Large Mixing Bowl(s): For cake batter and frosting.
• Rubber Spatula: For scraping the bowl and ensuring even mixing.
• Wire Cooling Rack: Essential for cooling cake layers completely.
• Serving Plate or Cake Stand:
• Offset Spatula or Icing Smoother: For frosting the cake.
• Toothpicks: For testing cake doneness.

Ingredients

(Based on 1x column)

Cake:

• ▢ 1 box Betty Crocker™ Super Moist™ White Cake Mix (15.25 oz size)
• ▢ 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
• ▢ 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• ▢ 3 large eggs, room temperature
• ▢ 1 tablespoon unsweetened baking cocoa
• ▢ 2 teaspoons royal blue paste food color
• ▢ 1 toothpickful violet paste food color
• ▢ (Recommended: 1 teaspoon vanilla extract for cake batter)

Frosting:

• ▢ 1 jar (7 oz) marshmallow creme
• ▢ 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• ▢ 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• ▢ 1/8 teaspoon salt

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Prepare Oven and Pans:

• Heat oven to 350°F (175°C). For dark or nonstick pans, reduce temperature to 325°F (160°C).
• Spray the bottoms and sides of three 8-inch round cake pans with cooking spray. Line the bottoms of the pans with circles of cooking parchment paper. Set aside.

2. Make the Royal Blue Velvet Cake Batter:

• In a large mixing bowl, place the dry white cake mix, buttermilk, vegetable oil, eggs, unsweetened baking cocoa, royal blue paste food color, and the toothpickful of violet paste food color. (Add 1 tsp vanilla extract here if desired for cake flavor).
• Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes, scraping the bowl occasionally with a rubber spatula to ensure all ingredients are well combined and the color is uniform.
• Divide the prepared batter evenly among the three lined cake pans. Smooth the tops.

3. Bake the Cake Layers:

• Place the pans in the preheated oven.
• Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of each cake layer comes out clean.
• Let the cakes cool in the pans on a wire cooling rack for 10 minutes.
• Carefully run a thin knife around the edges of the pans if needed, then invert the cake layers onto the cooling rack. Remove the parchment paper.
• Let the layers cool completely, about 45 minutes to an hour, before frosting.

4. Make the Marshmallow Creme Frosting:

• Ensure the butter is properly softened to room temperature.
• In a large bowl, using an electric mixer (stand mixer with paddle or handheld), beat the marshmallow creme and the softened butter together on medium speed until completely smooth and well combined. Scrape the bowl occasionally.
• Reduce the mixer speed to low. Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar and the salt.
• Beat on low speed until the sugar and salt are incorporated, then increase the speed to medium-high and beat until the frosting is smooth and fluffy.

5. Assemble and Frost the Cake:

• If necessary, use a long serrated knife to trim the rounded tops of two of the cake layers to create flat, even surfaces for stacking. Leave one layer untrimmed for the top.
• Place one of the trimmed cake layers, cut side up (or top side down), on your serving plate or cake stand.
• Spread about 1/3 cup (or a little more) of the marshmallow creme frosting evenly over this first layer.
• Top with the second trimmed cake layer, cut side up (or top side down). Spread with another 1/3 cup (or more) of frosting.
• Place the final, untrimmed cake layer on top, with its natural top side facing up.
• Frost the entire side and the top of the cake smoothly or decoratively with the remaining marshmallow creme frosting using an offset spatula or icing smoother.

6. Store:

• Store the finished Royal Blue Velvet Cake loosely covered in the refrigerator.
• For best flavor and texture, let slices sit at room temperature for about 15-20 minutes before serving.

Troubleshooting

• Cake Dry/Dense: Overbaked, or cake batter overmixed after initial 2-minute beating. Using oil/buttermilk should ensure moisture. Check doneness at lower end of time range.
• Color Uneven/Not Vibrant: Food coloring not fully mixed in, or not enough paste color used. Ensure thorough mixing for 2 minutes. Paste colors are potent; ensure they are fresh. The small amount of cocoa can slightly deepen/mute a very bright blue, aiming for “royal blue.”
• Frosting Too Stiff: Butter might have been too cold, or needs a tiny splash of milk/cream (though not listed, this is a common fix for American-style buttercreams if marshmallow creme isn’t providing enough moisture).
• Frosting Too Soft/Runny: Butter too warm/melty. Marshmallow creme can be sticky but generally creates a stable frosting. Try chilling the frosting bowl briefly and re-whipping.
• Frosting Grainy: Powdered sugar not sifted properly.
• Layers Uneven/Sliding: Cake layers not cooled completely before frosting, or not leveled properly. Leveling is key for neat stacks.

Tips and Variations

• Room Temperature Ingredients: Especially important for eggs and buttermilk in the cake for even mixing, and for butter in the frosting for a smooth, fluffy result.
• Paste Food Coloring: Gel or paste food colors provide much more vibrant color with less liquid than traditional liquid food coloring, which is ideal here.
• Cool Cakes Completely: Essential before frosting to prevent the marshmallow creme frosting from melting.
• Leveling Layers: For a professional-looking layer cake, use a long serrated knife to trim any domes off the cake layers before assembling (except the top layer, which can be left as is).
• Filling Ideas: Add a thin layer of raspberry jam or lemon curd between the cake layers along with the frosting for a flavor contrast.
• Garnish: Decorate with blue or silver sprinkles, edible glitter, or white chocolate shavings.
• Different Cake Mix: While white cake mix is best for achieving true color, a very light yellow cake mix could work, but the blue might appear slightly greenish.

Serving and Pairing Suggestions

• Serve at Cool Room Temperature: Allows frosting and cake texture to be optimal.
• Celebrations & Parties: The vibrant color makes it perfect for birthdays, baby showers (especially for boys!), or themed events.
• With Milk: The classic pairing for a sweet cake.
• Simple Presentation: The striking blue color is often decoration enough!

Nutritional Information

(Note: Estimated, per slice, assuming 12 slices. Sweet cake, variable based on exact cake mix brand.)

• Calories: 400-550+
• Fat: 20-30g+
• Saturated Fat: 8-15g+ (depends on butter/oil in cake mix)
• Cholesterol: 60-90mg+
• Sodium: 300-450mg+ (Cake mixes and salt in frosting)
• Total Carbohydrates: 50-70g+
• Dietary Fiber: <1g
• Sugars: 35-50g+ (Very sweet)
• Protein: 3-5g+

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Recipe Summary and Q&A

Summary: This Royal Blue Velvet Cake uses a doctored white cake mix base (with buttermilk, oil, eggs, cocoa, and blue/violet food coloring) baked into three 8-inch layers. Once cooled, the layers are frosted and filled with a homemade marshmallow creme frosting made from marshmallow creme, softened butter, powdered sugar, and salt.

Q&A:

• Q: What does the cocoa powder do in a blue velvet cake?
  • A: In traditional Red Velvet cake, cocoa powder reacts with acidic ingredients (like buttermilk and vinegar) and older types of food coloring to contribute to the reddish hue and “velvet” texture. In modern recipes with potent food coloring, its role is more for a very subtle flavor nuance and to add a slight depth that distinguishes “velvet” cakes from plain vanilla cakes. Here, it likely interacts with the blue/violet dyes for richness of color too.
• Q: Why use buttermilk and oil in the cake mix?
  • A: These are common “doctoring” ingredients for cake mixes. Buttermilk (acidic) reacts with leaveners to create a more tender crumb and adds moisture and a slight tang. Oil provides superior moisture compared to butter in many cake mix recipes, leading to a very moist cake.
• Q: Can I make this in a 9×13 pan?
  • A: Yes, you could pour the batter into a greased/floured 9×13 inch pan. The baking time would likely be longer, around 30-40 minutes. Check with a toothpick. You’d then frost it as a sheet cake.
• Q: My blue color looks more green or teal. What happened?
  • A: If you started with a yellow cake mix instead of white, the yellow tones can mix with the blue to create a greenish hue. Using a true white cake mix is best. Also, ensure your food coloring is good quality paste color; some liquid colors can be less true. The tiny bit of cocoa can also slightly alter the pure blue.