Before we get to the actual recipes it’s good to know the plan of attack. Everything needs time to cool so as long as you follow this plan you should be fine with time and not left standing around with cooled cake and no frosting. Please read the recipe thoroughly 2-3 times before you begin! Please note you will need a 6 inch cake cake ring, and acetate sheets.

Bake the cake

While the cake’s baking make the pudding from the first part of the frosting recipe.

Start working on the cake crumbs so they can go in the oven right after the cake is done so they can cool.

Beat together the frosting right before assembly so it’s the freshest and fluffiest, making it easier to spread and assemble.

•2½ cups all purpose flour

•2½ teaspoons baking powder

•1 teaspoon freshly ground Mexican cinnamon

•½ teaspoon salt

•¾ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

•1¾ cups white granulated sugar

•3 large eggs

•2 teaspoons vanilla extract

•1⅓ cups buttermilk

Preheat your oven to 350ºF and grease and line a 18x13” baking sheet with a parchment sling so the two longer sides have a piece hanging over the pan to help with lifting later.

In a medium sized bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt and set aside.

Beat the butter with the sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium speed until light and fluffy and paler in color, this should take about 2 minutes.

Add the vanilla and eggs, one at a time, making sure that ones mixed in before adding the next. After the eggs have been mixed in, add one third of the dry ingredients, mix on low to incorporate, then ⅓ of the buttermilk, followed by another third of the dry mixture, another third of the buttermilk and then finally the last amount of each. Mix just until combined then use a silicone spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl to make sure everything’s mixed in there then add the batter to the prepared pan, smooth it out, and bake for 20-25 minutes, until the cake is lightly golden brown and a toothpick or skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

For the Crumbs: Adapted lightly from Bon Appetit

•¾ cup all-purpose flour

•½ cup granulated sugar

•2 tablespoons light brown sugar

•2 tablespoons rainbow sprinkles

•3/4 teaspoon ground Mexican cinnamon

•½ teaspoon baking powder

•½ teaspoon kosher salt

•1/3 cup vegetable oil

•1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Start by lining a large baking sheet with parchment paper and preheating the oven to 300ºF

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, brown sugar, sprinkles, cinnamon, baking powder and kosher salt. Pour in the vegetable oil and vanilla extract, and mix everything together using your hands until large clumps start to form. (If your mixture isn’t holding any shape, add an extra tablespoon of vegetable oil) Form large clumps, and then break it down into smaller pieces and spread them onto your baking sheet. Bake for 12-14 minutes until golden brown. Let cool completely.

•6 tablespoons all-purpose flour

•1 1/2 cup granulated sugar

•1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

•1 1/2 cups Horchata (from your favorite taqueria)

•1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature

•1 teaspoon vanilla extract

•1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground Mexican cinnamon

In a small sauce pan, combine the flour, sugar and salt. Whisk in the horchata until everything has been fully incorporated. Turn the heat on to medium-low and bring your mixture to a boil, whisking occasionally to make sure your mixture doesn’t burn. Once your mixture reaches a boil, lower the heat and continue whisking for about 2 minutes, or until your mixture has thickened up. Use a rubber spatula to transfer your mixture onto a plate, and immediately press plastic wrap onto the pudding to prevent a skin from forming. Let it cool for a few minutes, then refrigerate for about an hour or until it has cooled completely.

Once the pudding mixture has cooled, beat the butter on medium speed with the vanilla and cinnamon for a minute using the whisk attachment. With the mixer on low, add your pudding mixture 1 tablespoon at a time until it’s all added then boost the speed to medium high and beat for 2-3 minutes until the frosting is light and fluffy.

•3/4 cup Horchata (from your favorite taqueria)

•3/4 cup rainbow sprinkles

To Assemble:

Use your cake ring to cut out 3 6” cake rounds. Use the scraps to form a 4th round, trying to cut out two half circles from the perimeter of the sheet cake. It’s fine if it’s not perfect, it’ll be used as a bottom layer.

Once your cake rounds are cut out, take your cake ring and place it on whatever you’re serving the cake on then place your acetate sheet inside the cake ring so it forms a tall tube you can place your cake rounds in. (I purchased mine at joanns and then cut it in half and they fit perfectly)Take the cake round you formed out of the scraps and place it in the ring bottom side up (so it soaks the horchata easier). Drizzle 3 tablespoons of horchata over the cake round, and then add 1/4 of the frosting to the cake round and smooth it out (i used a bent spoon to do this but you can also use a silicone spatula with a long handle). Top the frosting with a layer of crumbs and about 2 tablespoons of rainbow sprinkles. Repeat this process with your remaining layers.

Place your finished cake in the fridge for 2-3 hours before serving. To serve, pop the cake ring out of the cake, gently peel off the acetate sheet then transfer your cake to a cake stand.