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–+ servings
one whole vanilla ombre cake in a cake tray with colorful macarons on top
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5 from 1 vote

Vanilla Ombre Cake With Chocolate Ganache

Treat your sweet tooth with this Vanilla Ombre Cake. This visually stunning dessert features moist vanilla layers in a gradient of pastel hues, elegantly frosted with rich chocolate ganache. Perfect for any celebration or indulgent moment.
Prep Time1 hour
Cook Time1 hour 45 minutes
Assembly30 minutes
Total Time3 hours 15 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Diet: Vegetarian
Servings: 1

Ingredients

For the Vanilla cake

  • 13.2 oz butter room temperature
  • 17.6 oz caster sugar
  • 5 eggs
  • 2 tsps vanilla extract
  • 13.1 oz flour all purpose
  • 2 tsps baking powder
  • ¼ tsps salt
  • 1 orange zest
  • 125 ml milk
  • 125 ml sour cream

Vanilla Buttercream

  • 9.1 oz butter room temperature
  • 17.6 oz icing sugar
  • 2 tsps vanilla extract

For the Ganache

  • 4.5 oz  dark chocolate chunks
  • 125 ml cream
  • 1 tbsp butter

Toppings

  • 8 macarons optional
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

For the Cake

  • Preheat oven to 329°F (165°C)
  • Combine the flour, baking powder and salt and mix until evenly distributed.
  • Beat the butter and sugar together in a stand mixer until pale and fluffy (around 8 minutes).
  • Add the eggs to the butter and sugar mixture, beating thoroughly between each addition.
  • Add the flour in 3 parts, alternating with the milk and sour cream. Mix on a low speed inbetween. Add the orange zest at the end and mix just until everything is smooth and combined. Do not overmix.
  • Grease and line the two 9 inch cake pans and divide the mixture evenly between the two. Bake for 90-100 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of it, the cake comes out clean. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

For the Buttercream Frosting

  • Beat the butter on a high speed in the stand mixer for 8 minutes until pale and fluffy.
  • Gradually add the icing sugar and mix slowly until fully combined. Once all the sugar is combined, add the vanilla and beat on a high speed for a further 10 minutes.

For the Ganache

  • Break the chocolate into small chunks in a heatproof bowl
  • Heat the cream in a saucepan until it just starts to simmer.
  • Pour the cream over the chocolate chunks and stir until chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Add the butter and stir.
  • Set aside until ready to assemble the cake.

Assembly

  • Trim the cakes so they are flat along the top. Ice one of the cakes completely then place the other on top and ice. Scrape off the excess icing to give a “crumb coat”. Place in the fridge for 15 minutes.
  • Remove the crumb coated cake from the fridge. Divide your remaining icing into 3 parts in the ratio 3:1:1. Leave the largest part white. Color 1 of the small parts a pale shade of any color you like using food coloring. Then color the other small part a dark shade of the same color. Put the white icing on top of the cake and around the sides on the top half. Add the pale color to the middle of the sides of the cake and the darkest color around the rim of the bottom of the cake. Use a pallet knife to blend the icing slightly at the joins.
  • Using a large flat scraper or a pallet knife, go all the way around the cake to smooth the icing out. This will help blend the final layers together and create a smooth finish. Place in the fridge for another 15 minutes. Pour the chocolate ganache on top of the cake until it just reaches the edges and then let it drip over the edge slightly. If desired, top with macarons or other cookies for decoration.