TRIPLE STACK DONUT CAKE

INGREDIENTS 

Cake
3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

2 1/2 cups sugar

5 eggs, at room temperature

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

3 cups all-purpose flour (I like White Lily flour)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup whole milk, at room temperature

Glaze:
6 cups confectioners’ sugar

3 teaspoons clear vanilla extract (or other clear extract)

3/4 to 1 cup heavy cream 

Lime green, blue and pink food gel color
Rainbow sprinkles

DIRECTIONS 

Make the cakes: 
Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease and lightly flour a Savarin cake pan (or 3, if you have them – I only used one). 

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until lightened in color and fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes.

Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla extract. 

Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.

Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the milk; begin and end with the flour mixture. Beat until the batter is smooth and thoroughly combined.

Fill the savarin pan(s) a little over halfway full of batter.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick tester comes out clean.

Transfer the cake(s) to wire cooling racks and let them cool completely before frosting

Note: If you only use one pan like I did, then you’ll l need wash, re-grease and flour the pan between baking. Also, while the first and second cakes bake, cover the unused batter bowl with a damp kitchen towel.

Make the glazes: 
Place two cups of confectioners’ sugar in three separate bowls.
Add one teaspoon of vanilla extract to each bowl.
Whisk heavy cream into each bowl 1 tablespoon at a time until a thick, runny glaze forms.
Tint one bowl of glaze lime green; tint a second bowl with blue and the last bowl with pink food color.
Mix until each color is consistent. 

Place a donut cake layer on a cake stand or serving plate. Using a spoon, glaze the first cake with lime green glaze; toss on sprinkles. Top the first donut with a second cake layer; cover with blue glaze and sprinkles. Add the final donut cake layer and cover with pink glaze; add sprinkles. Let the cake stand uncovered until the glaze firms, about 30 minutes. Serve immediately or store covered loosely in plastic wrap (or in an air-tight cake-keeper).