Skittles Cake

For the cake:
Preheat oven to 350 F. Use baking spray and coat two 9″ round pans.

In a medium bowl, cream together the sugar and butter. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the vanilla.

Combine flour and baking powder in a smaller bowl then add this in batches to the creamed mixture and mix well. Finally stir in the milk until batter is smooth. Pour the batter into the prepared pans. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven. Cake is done when an inserted toothpick comes out clean or the cake bounces up to the touch.

Remove cakes from oven and set aside to cool for a few minutes then invert them out of the pans onto a cooling rack. Poke the top of the cakes with a fork several times. Drizzle the syrup (recipe below) over the top several times, allowing the syrup to absorb into the cake before adding more.

For the simple syrup:
Put each color of Skittles into a small microwave-safe bowl and add 1/4 cup of warm water to each. Place each one in the microwave and cook in 15 – 30 second increments. Stir and repeat until the Skittles are fully dissolved.

For the frosting:
Using a food processor, grind Skittles until a fine powder forms. Separate the chunks from the powder by sifting over a small bowl.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter until fluffy. Add Skittles powder and 2 cups of the sugar. Mix on low speed until mixed. Gradually add 2 tablespoons of milk and continue to mix. Add the remaining sugar, mix, and add the remaining tablespoon of milk if desired for a softer buttercream.

For the assembly:
Put the first layer of cake onto a platter and add frosting over the top. Top with the second cake and then frost the rest of the cake. Chill in the fridge for a couple of hours. Serve and enjoy!