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Biscoff Stuffed Donuts
Filled donuts have become our go-to dessert!
I recently published ‘filled cake mix donuts,’ and they’ve become a go-to dessert at our house! Then when we were out grocery shopping, I saw a jar of cookie butter – and an idea struck. Could I make Biscoff stuffed donuts?
Turns out – the answer is yes! They’re quick, simple, and delicious – and my 3 year old can help make them!

Those tiny kitchen helpers, man. My little one is always SO excited to help mama in the kitchen. (“Help mama the KITCHEN pwease!!”) Here’s the thing though. Said help isn’t of much actual help, at least at this point. Just because of life circumstances, we had our kids later in life. I was 32 when my first was born. So – somewhat unfortunately – I’ve had a lot of time to get set in my ways and move at my own pace in the kitchen.

I saw a post the other day that hit me hard – “I used to always want to keep my kids out of the kitchen, thinking, “they’ll slow me down.” … but maybe that’s the whole point.”

Learning to slow down to the speed of a 3 year old has been a process! She really CAN do a lot of the things that I do. But every step needs set up help, explanation and coaching, and often clean-up help afterwards. Little hands – and little brains – need a lot of teaching, and they take time to figure things out!

So recipes that are easy enough that mom’s not stressed about the process means I have more brain space free for teaching. And this recipe is one of those!

Why you’ll love this Biscoff Stuffed Donuts recipe –
Super quick and simple dessert – great when you a treat to go together quickly!
Plus – a super easy drizzle of melted cookie butter dresses these up so they look cool and fancy!
Ring donuts with filling aren’t super common (though I don’t know why). So they’re a pretty special and unique treat!
And honestly – can you beat Biscoff cookie butter anything? Especially in a donut topped with cream cheese icing?
Couple of quick tips before we get to the Biscoff donut recipe…
First, I really really recommend greasing your donut pan well! These are a real bugger to get out of the pans without breaking if they stick. As the idiot who forgot the baking spray and had to try, consider yourself duly warned.
Next, don’t be surprised if the mixture is really thick! Mix until it’s well-combined and looks uniform. It should have almost a cookie dough texture, but that texture makes it shape-able so you can add half to the pan at a time to add the cookie butter ring in the middle.
Finally, easy does it on the baking! I’ve tried 8, 10, and 12 minutes in my oven. 8 wasn’t quite enough; they were a touch doughy. 10 didn’t look like enough on the first try; I almost left them in longer. But I pulled a pan at 10 minutes and left the other pan for an additional 2 minutes, and the 10 minute ones were the best! The 12 minute ones were just a little more brown and more dry.
(Disclosure: As an Amazon associate I may earn from qualifying purchases, and my posts often contain affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you!)

Don’t forget to pin this recipe for later!

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Biscoff Stuffed Donuts

Biscoff stuffed donuts – a handful of ingredients make the absolute best homemade donuts ever. So easy my 3 year old can help!

Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Decorating time25 minutes
Total Time55 minutes

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Biscoff Cake mix donuts, Biscoff cookie butter donuts, Biscoff stuffed donuts, Cake Mix Donuts

Servings: 12 donuts

Calories: 355kcal

Equipment
Donut pan(s) (linked is a set of 2 6-donut pans by Wilton)
Baker's floured cooking spray (optional)
wire cooling rack
2-tablespoon cookie scoop (optional)

Ingredients
Donuts
1 Vanilla cake mix
¼ cup unsalted butter (½ stick, melted and cooled)
½ cup Biscoff cookie butter (melted and cooled)
2 eggs (room temperature)
Filling
¾ cup Biscoff cookie butter (don't melt 1/2 cup for the filling; you'll eventually melt the last 1/4 cup for the topping)
Glaze
8 ounces cream cheese softened
½ cup powdered sugar
1-3 Tablespoons milk (if needed)

Instructions
Donuts
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease donut pan(s) with baker’s floured cooking spray (or grease and sprinkle with a bit of flour). (Don't skip this step; they're a nuisance to get out of the pans if they stick!)
Melt butter and cookie butter together and allow to cool (so the mixture doesn't cook the eggs).
Whisk eggs in a large mixing bowl, and when butter/cookie butter mixture is cool beat together with eggs until fully combined.
Add cake mix to the bowl. (I switch to a spoon or spatula at this point.) Mix until completely combined and even in texture. (The mixture will be very thick; this is normal.)
Fill the base of each donut ring with 2 Tablespoons of donut mixture, and press it down into the base and slightly up the sides, creating space in the center for the cookie butter filling.
Filling
Transfer 1/2 cup of cookie butter (unmelted) to a piping bag. Cut a hole in the tip of the bag about the size of a pencil. Pipe a ring of cookie butter into each donut, filling the space you made in the step above. (Use as much as you'd like; just bear in mind the more filling you use the more likely it is to leak out of the donuts as they bake.)
Add another 2 Tablespoons of donut mixture to the top – I did this in sections to keep the cookie butter filling inside.
Baking
Bake at 350 ℉ for 10-12 minutes, until each donut is no longer sticky in the center and a toothpick comes out clean (other than the cookie butter). (10 minutes was perfect in my oven; they may look a little underdone.)
Frosting
Beat cream cheese until smooth. Beat in sugar until well-combined, and add milk if needed to achieve a glaze-like consistency.
(You can add a bit more powdered sugar or milk if your glaze seems too thin or thick. A thick syrup-like consistency worked well for me. Too thick and it won't stick to the donuts; too thin and it runs *everywhere.*)
Glaze donuts either by dipping upside down in the bowl, or by transferring glaze to a piping bag and drizzling over the donuts.
Melt remaining 1/4 cup of cookie butter, and transfer to a piping bag with a small (skewer-sized) hole in the top. Drizzle the top of the glazed donuts – I found it looked the best when I did the drizzling in two directions.

Video

Notes
(Please note nutrition information is an estimate, and may not be exactly accurate. Counts will be lower in all fields if not all the glaze is used.)

Nutrition
Serving: 1donut | Calories: 355kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 14g
August 4, 2024
Frost a Cake with Smooth Buttercream (how-to + video)
“How do I frost a smooth cake with buttercream?”
Once upon a time, my only answer to that question would’ve been “Idk. I’m pretty sure getting frosting super smooth involves witchcraft.”
It used to take me multiple attempts – and literal hours of time – to get frosting even semi-smooth on my cakes. I’d get super frustrated, and eventually have to just say – “well, that’ll have to be good enough.”
But! That was before I had the right cake tools and enough knowledge to see what I could’ve been doing better. So I write this post to hopefully make that process easier for you!
(Disclosure: As an Amazon associate I may earn from qualifying purchases, and my posts often contain affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you!)
(If you’re looking for the video, use the ‘Jump to Video’ button above to watch the video on-page – or here to watch ‘Smooth cake frosting! Tutorial + Troubleshooting’ on Youtube.)
– – – – – – –
UPDATING TO ADD!!
Since writing this post – and recording the accompanying video – I’ve learned a GAME CHANGER cake frosting hack.
Here’s the post I wrote on the Cake Ring hack for frosting!
I made a quick tutorial video here; I’m hoping to get a more in-depth tutorial done as I do more experimenting with using the cake ring.
Here are two quick links to the acetate sheet and the metal cake ring I used –
Cake ring – https://amzn.to/4e0hHZA
Acetate – (the sheet I used was cut from an 8-inch roll) – https://amzn.to/3ABqnHI
– – – – – – –

——————–
Okay – back to the classic frosting method!
I won’t lie – I hesitated to write this post (and make the accompanying video) for two reasons.
One, there are 1000 posts – at least – and more videos on YouTube to show you this already. I’m definitely not the first to post on this, nor am I the most experienced.
Second, one tip that I am going to share I expect to get some flak for. As always, a percentage of the internet’s going to be mad.
BUT. I’m writing this post (/video) because I struggled as I was learning to frost a smooth cake with buttercream. And – the tip that was the most helpful for me I didn’t find in the first few videos that I watched. It won’t be for everyone, and I’ll get to that below – but I’ll post it in hopes it’ll help someone struggling like I was!

So let’s get into it!
You’ve baked the cake, made the frosting – now
how the heck do you get it onto the cake crumb-less and smooth?
I’ll cover the equipment you need and the five basic steps first –
1. LEVELING YOUR CAKE LAYERS (click to jump to section)
2. STACKING YOUR CAKE LAYERS (click to jump to section)
3. CRUMB COATING (click to jump to section)
4. FROSTING (click to jump to section)

5. SMOOTHING YOUR FROSTING (click to jump to section)
6. FAQs / TROUBLESHOOTING (click to jump to section)
Each step has its own section below, and I have a few tips for each step to help the process go more easily.
Then, at the bottom of the post – I’ll get into some troubleshooting. I’ll cover all the things that have tripped me up as I’ve put cakes together, and how to prevent them- or fix them if they’ve already gone wrong.
(I’ll also try and get the sections time-marked and linked in the description box in the video!)
Okay! On to the reason you came here in the first place!

Quick run-through of the minimum tools you’ll need!
Tools you need to get smooth frosting –
Cardboard cake circle – or a completely flat plate
Cake turntable
Cake scraper or pastry cutter
Tools that are technically optional but REALLY nice to have –
Cake leveler (you can use a serrated knife instead)
Offset spatula (you could use a regular spatula or a large spoon)
Cake pans with straight sides (many cake pans have angled-out sides for ease of storage – but those layers tend to be harder to frost smoothly.)

1. Level your cake layers (once they’re completely cooled, ideally well-chilled)
One of the BEST tricks to get your cake smooth is to start with even, level cake layers. You’ll have a *rough* time smoothing frosting over a cake that’s not holding still because of domed or slanted layers. (Trust me; I’m the idiot that tried. It went poorly.)
So! Once your cake layers are completely cooled (and ideally chilled), Trim down the tops until they’re flat. Then they’ll stack evenly without wobbling or tipping.
You can do this with a cake level or with a serrated knife. I’ll be honest; I personally haven’t had the best time leveling with a knife. (Some people swear by it so I know it can be done; I’m just garbage at it.) Unless I only have a tiny bit of trimming from the cake tops, I really prefer (cough::completely depend on::cough) my cake leveler.
CAN you get smooth frosting on layers that aren’t perfectly level? Sure. You CAN fill in that gap with frosting. But it’s going to take more time, more frosting, and it’s likely to cause you a lot more frustration. I found early on that if my cake layers looked uneven before I started frosting, they also tended to look uneven after frosting.
Also worth mentioning – cake pans. If you have pans with slanted edges (so the pans stack together for storage) you may have a bit more trouble frosting evenly. You can make them work, but I eventually got rid of my slanted edge pans and bought straight edge pans, and had a much easier time frosting my cakes after I did.

2. Stack your cake layers:
Now that you have your cake layers level, it’s time to stack them! If you’ve ever built a block tower, it’s really not more complicated than that. After adding frosting/filling on the top of your first layer, center the next one on top. Repeat the process with your remaining cake layers.
As I add sequential layers to the cake, I like to either hold my bench scraper up to them or give the turntable a quick spin watching the cake edges to make sure that I have the layers centered and even.
Now - that said - the other thing that could mess you up here is your cake filling. I’ll get into this more in the troubleshooting section, but you want to make sure the FILLING stays INSIDE the cake and doesn’t get out into your frosting!
If you’re filling the cake with frosting - cool, no issue. If you’re new to frosting cakes this is definitely your easiest option.
If you’re filling the cake with something other than frosting though - like ganache or jam - you’ll want to pipe a ring or ‘dam’ of frosting around the outer edge of your cake layer, and put the filling in the center. Also bear in mind the filling needs to have a thick enough consistency or be in a thin enough layer to handle the weight of all the cake layers going on top of it without ‘squishing’ down and making your cake sides bulge!

3. Crumb coat and chill:
Some will say you can skip this step - and they’re not wrong - but especially if you’re newer to getting smooth frosting on your cakes I really recommend adding a crumb coat.
Spread a thin coat of frosting over your entire cake - this keeps crumbs out of your next layer! Cakes often have some crumbs on their edges that come off into the frosting when you start to spread it on the cake.
I move some frosting into a separate bowl so I don’t accidentally mix crumbs into my main frosting bowl.
Your crumb coat doesn't have to be completely smooth - but the smoother it is, the easier smoothing your next layer of frosting will be.
Crumb-coating is essentially a 'practice round' for getting smooth frosting on your cake - the spreading + smoothing motions are the same!
It also doesn’t matter if the cake looks covered in crumb-filled frosting when you’re done. (Honestly, that’s the whole point.)
Here's the start of the tip I expect might be controversial - at this point I put my cake in the freezer for at least 30 minutes. Usually longer; often closer to an hour. I don't want to even be able to make a dent with my finger in the side before I start frosting. This has been a MASSIVE help to me in the frosting process! A cold cake will firm up your frosting layer, and make it MUCH harder to accidentally scrape back down to your crumb coat as you smooth your frosting.
At a minimum, chill the cake for 10-15 minutes in the fridge until it’s firm to touch and not sticky. The crumbs are now trapped in that first layer, and you can frost without them getting in your way!
Speak of the devil…

4. Finally -frost your cake!
Now it's finally time to start working on that outermost frosting layer!
Start by spreading a layer of frosting over the top of the cake, and a bit over the top edge. This sets you up to get a smooth top, and enough icing on the top cake edge for a sharp edge.
Next - Pipe or spread your final layer of frosting onto your cake sides - you want this one thicker than your first crumb-coat layer. I usually shoot for about 1/4-inch or so (a little over a half centimeter).
You’ve got two options here - 1) spread and smooth, or 2) pipe and smooth.
I prefer spreading just because I find it easier. I can’t explain to you why; I just do. But I'll cover both here! Doesn't hurt to give both a go to see which one you prefer.
To pipe your final layer on, you’ll want your remaining frosting in a piping bag with a flat icing tip like Wilton’s #789. Start at the base and work your way up a layer at a time, making sure the last layer comes up over the top edge of the cake a bit (this will be important later). Or -
To spread your final layer on, you’ll want an offset spatula. You'll see me use a small one in the video/photos, but a large one is much faster. (I used a large one until I did too many cakes in a short time period and injured a tendon in my thumb; now I use a small one because there’s less resistance.)
Okay! Finally, onto the part you probably came here for -

5. Smooth the frosting - and get that smooth sharp edge at the top!
Okay! Now your final layer of frosting is on - and if you’re like me it’s nothing close to smooth. What now?
This is where the magic of the cake scraper / pastry cutter comes in!
Place your pastry cutter with the base flat on your cake board or turntable. This will help you keep it straight up and down so your cake sides are straight.
This is where a quick watch of the video will be especially helpful. Hold the scraper with an edge touching the frosting, at an angle close into the side of the cake. Rotate the turntable, holding the scraper as still as you can. The frosting you leave behind probably won't be perfectly smooth, but it'll be better!
Clean the excess frosting off of your cake scraper (I usually use the side of the mixing bowl for this) - and repeat! Work your way around the cake, scraping/smoothing as you go.
After your first couple of passes, you'll probably notice some holes and gaps in your frosting. With some frosting on your offset spatula, fill the holes in. (Use too much rather than too little. It doesn't have to be pretty.) Now repeat the smoothing process with your cake scraper. Getting closer! ;)
Here's where my maybe-controversial tip comes back in.
Maybe I'm just an over-zealous cake scraper. But I used to have SO MUCH TROUBLE with accidentally scraping most of my frosting back off. I'd have thin spots in the frosting where I could see the cake layers again. SO FRUSTRATING! Then I accidentally left a crumb-coated cake in the freezer longer than I meant to. And it was the easiest frosting job EVER. The frosting close to the cake was so firm because the cake was so cold, I couldn't accidentally scrape it back off! It was a game changer, and I've put my crumb-coated cakes in the freezer before frosting ever since.
One caveat - if you live in an area where's it's warm + humid, that last tip may not work for you. I haven't lived in super super hot or always humid areas. So I haven't had a huge issue with my cakes 'sweating,' or developing condensation on the sides because of the temperature change. If you live in a humid area and still want to try it, you'll either have to deal with a bit of condensation on the outside of the cake - or plan to crank up your A/C and run a fan. FYI!
As you've been working around the cake, you've probably noticed a bit of a frosting 'crown,' or rough-looking edge poking a bit past the top of the cake. This is a good thing! This is what you'll use to create a clean, sharp edge at the top of the cake.
(If you haven't seen that 'crown' start to form, you probably don't have quite enough frosting at the top of the cake. Add more frosting to that top edge, and make another few passes with your cake scraper.)

5.5 - Shaping the top edge of the cake
Once you're happy with the look of the sides of the cake and you see a frosting 'lip' or 'crown' around the top of the cake, you're ready to shape the top edge.
(Take a deep breath; you're almost there! This can feel a little nerve-wracking the first couple times you try it, but it's also super satisfying :)
ALSO - it doesn't matter if this doesn't go perfectly on your first try! You can always add a bit of frosting and re-smooth the sides to re-create that lip, and try shaping the edge again.)
Gently use your offset spatula/scraper to pull a small section of frosting 'lip in toward the center of the cake. Clean your spatula/scraper off after each pass.
(Most posts I've read recommend the offset spatula for this; I know a few others that like to just remove that 'lip' with a sharp hot knife. But to be honest I usually have the easiest time shaping the top edge with my bench scraper. I can line the bench scraper up with the top of the cake and make sure I'm keeping it straight and not taking off too much frosting.)
Continue working your way around the cake, pulling that top edge in to create a clean, sharp edge at the top of your cake!
5.95 - Practice makes...better!
If your first few tries at frosting a cake don't go the way you want, that's NORMAL!
If it feels like it's taking a MILLION years to smooth your frosting, that's ALSO NORMAL!
(If you get frustrated and want to throw your cake out the window - again, still normal!!)
None of these techniques are exactly complicated, but they're not really intuitive either, and every new skill takes practice.
Even cake decorators who have been frosting cakes for years sometimes struggle with frosting, and (despite what Instagram would have you believe) getting smooth frosting on cakes doesn't happen instantly for anyone. But the more you'll practice the better - and faster - you'll get!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

FAQs & Troubleshooting
Alllllright. All of that said - nothing goes to plan 100% of the time.
Sometimes you've checked all the boxes and followed all of the steps and you're STILL glaring at a lumpy, bumpy, freakin' wonky-looking cake on that turntable.
Now what??
This is where I'll do my absolute best to help you with troubleshooting! I'll try to cover the questions and the 'weird issues' that have come up for me and the people I've talked to about cake frosting. If you have a question that isn't in my list below please send me an email and ask! Emails through my contact page go straight through my inbox. :)

"*Why* are my cake sides bulging?"
There are actually a few possible reasons for this.
1) your buttercream isn't quite thick enough, or
2) your cake filling is too soft or the filling layer is too thick (and it's trying to squish out the sides of the cake), or
3) the cake layers are a little uneven, and as they're settling, trapped air pockets are causing the bulges.
In my experience 1 and 2 are the most common, but 3's definitely a possible culprit as well.
Making sure your buttercream is a good medium consistency, your cake fillings aren't too soft or layered on too thickly, and leveling your cake layers and pressing each one down a bit as you add each layer will help the cake settle without bulging between the layers.
Sometimes - usually several hours after frosting - I'll find a bulge on top of my cake. When this happens, it's almost always an air bubble. I poke into the bubble with a a toothpick or pin and pull it back out - and see if pressing gently on the side of the bubble releases the air. It's worked for me before!
Having said all that - I recognize it's of limited help if you have a cake in front of you right now with bulged-out sides. So if you need a fix for a bulging cake right now -
Disassembling the cake and putting it back together is an option, albeit time-consuming and a bit of a nuisance. (Okay, a big nuisance.)
You could also try putting the cake in the freezer for 20 or so minutes - this will set the frosting and hopefully a bit of the filling more firmly. Then spread another layer of frosting over the top, and try smoothing again. That's a bit of a "hail Mary" fix, and the bulges may come back if the cake comes back to room temperature, but it's something to try if you don't have time for a complete disassembly / reassembly.
"Why are my cake layers sliding around while I'm trying to frost this cake??"
Again - there are a few possible reasons.
The most likely - again - is your frosting isn't quite thick enough. Thickening your frosting with some powdered sugar - or using a firm stable recipe like American or Cream cheese buttercream - will help.
Another possibility is your cake filling is too wet or slippery - this happens to me often when I fill cakes with jam or macerated fruit. A thicker 'dam' or rim of buttercream around the outside of the cake layers will help.
A third possibility is one or more of your cake layers might be a touch uneven - an uneven base layer can tend to cause the next layers to tilt and slide. Making sure your cake layers are level and even as you stack should help.
Another 'quick fix' involves the 'cake-in-the-freezer-for-at-least-30-minutes' tip that I mentioned above. You might get a bit of condensation or 'sweating' if you're in a humid area, but a more stable cake will probably be worth it.
"Why are my cake layers crumbling when I frost them? / Why is the frosting 'pulling' when I'm smoothing it?"
I grouped these questions because often the answer is the same - your buttercream might be a little bit too thick.
Some cake layers are my prone to crumbling than others - this is just a function of the recipe components and how cohesive or dense the cake structure is.
Try thinning down your frosting a bit with some milk or heavy cream - and / or try chilling your cake layers for at least 20 minutes before continuing. Chilled cake layers always handle more easily and crumble less!
(smoothed it a little too hard - took too much frosting off!)

"This stupid cake frosting isn't...FROSTING!!" I'M SO IRRITATED RIGHT NOW!"
I get it. You've done all the things; it's not working, you're aggravated. My best advice for this situation?
Take 10. Deep breaths. And just. Walk. Away.
There it is.
If that stupid cake just ISN’T smoothing the way you want it to, stuff it in the fridge. Take 10 minutes - or 15, or 20 - and go do something else. It’ll be fine in the fridge; you’ll get time to clear your head, and you can come back to it with a clean(er) slate. When you come back, spread a thin layer of frosting over the cake, and try it again. This is embarrassing to admit, but I 100% did this with the cake that I made to photograph for this post. Things ALWAYS go better for me after I take a break!

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5 from 2 votes

Frost a Cake with Smooth Buttercream

Wondering how to frost a cake with buttercream - and get the sides and top smooth? This post covers all the basics and some troubleshooting!

Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Chilling + Decorating time1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time2 hours 15 minutes

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Frost a Cake with smooth frosting, How to get cake frosting smooth, How to get cake sides smooth

Servings: 8 (variable)

Calories: 785kcal

Equipment
round cardboard cake circle (or a completely flat plate; the same size or a bit larger than your cake layers)
Cake turntable
cake scraper or pastry cutter

Ingredients
baked cake layers (size / flavors of your choice)
frosting (flavor / color of your choice) (I use 1x this frosting recipe for an 8-inch 3-layer cake)

Instructions
Level your cake layers
Once your cake layers are completely cooled (and ideally chilled),  trim down the tops until they’re flat. Then they'll stack evenly without wobbling or tipping.
You can do this with a cake level or with a serrated knife. I'll be honest; I personally haven't had the best time leveling with a knife.
Stack your cake layers
Now that you have your cake layers level, it’s time to stack them! If you’ve ever built a block tower, it’s really not more complicated than that. After adding frosting/filling on the top of your first layer, center the next one on top. Repeat the process with your remaining cake layers.
As I add sequential layers to the cake, I like to either hold my bench scraper up to them or give the turntable a quick spin watching the cake edges to make sure that I have the layers centered and even.
Add a Crumb coat + Chill your cake
If you’re newer to getting smooth frosting on your cakes I really recommend adding a crumb coat. Spread a thin coat of frosting over your entire cake - this keeps crumbs out of your next layer!
Your crumb coat doesn't have to be completely smooth - but the smoother it is, the easier smoothing your next layer of frosting will be. Crumb-coating is essentially a 'practice round' for getting smooth frosting on your cake - the spreading + smoothing motions are the same!
Tip that helped me the most -
After the crumb coat, I put my cake in the freezer for at least 30 minutes, often longer. I don't want to even be able to make a dent with my finger in the side before I start frosting. This has been a MASSIVE help to me in the frosting process! A cold cake will firm up your frosting layer, and make it MUCH harder to accidentally scrape back down to your crumb coat as you smooth your frosting.
(Skip this tip if you live in a hot / humid area; you may have too much condensation that forms on the outside of your cake if it's partially frozen.)
Add the final frosting layer
Start by spreading a layer of frosting over the top of the cake, and a bit over the top edge. This sets you up to get a smooth top, and enough icing on the top cake edge for a sharp edge.
Next - Pipe or spread your final layer of frosting onto your cake sides - you want this one thicker than your first crumb-coat layer. I usually shoot for about 1/4-inch or so (a little over a half centimeter).
Smooth the frosting - and get that smooth sharp edge at the top!
Place your pastry cutter with the base flat on your cake board or turntable. This will help you keep it straight up and down so your cake sides are straight. This is where a quick watch of the video will be especially helpful. Hold the scraper with an edge touching the frosting, at an angle close into the side of the cake. Rotate the turntable, holding the scraper as still as you can. The frosting you leave behind probably won't be perfectly smooth, but it'll be better!
Clean the excess frosting off of your cake scraper (I usually use the side of the mixing bowl for this) - and repeat! Work your way around the cake, scraping/smoothing as you go.
After your first couple of passes, you'll probably notice some holes and gaps in your frosting. With some frosting on your offset spatula, fill the holes in. (Use too much rather than too little. It doesn't have to be pretty.) Now repeat the smoothing process with your cake scraper. Getting closer! 😉
Shaping the top edge
As you've been working around the cake, you've probably noticed a bit of a frosting 'crown,' or rough-looking edge poking a bit past the top of the cake. This is a good thing! (If you haven't seen that 'crown' start to form, you probably don't have quite enough frosting at the top of the cake. Add more frosting to that top edge, and make another few passes with your cake scraper.)
Gently use your offset spatula/scraper to pull a small section of frosting 'lip in toward the center of the cake. Clean your spatula/scraper off after each pass or two, when the frosting starts to build up.
Continue working your way around the cake, pulling that top edge in to create a clean, sharp edge at the top of your cake!

Video

Nutrition
Calories: 785kcal | Carbohydrates: 98g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 37g
That covers everything I have to tell you - for now!
Please send me an email if you have any questions or issues frosting your cakes - I'm always happy to help however I can! Thanks to 2020 I have WhatsApp and Zoom; happy to schedule a call to help you troubleshoot if you're having a recurrent problem. :)
Have fun - stick with it, keep practicing, and happy decorating! You've got this!

Few links to other resources I referenced as I was learning -
'British Girl Bakes' - 5 hacks for smooth frosting on cakes (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sNOp8XRmaM)
Sugar & Sparrow: Your Guide to Frosting a Cake with Smooth Buttercream (https://sugarandsparrow.com/smooth-buttercream-cake-tutorial/)
Chelsweets: How to Frost a Cake Smoothly (https://chelsweets.com/how-to-frost-a-cake-smoothly/)

Some cake recipes you could practice with -
July 26, 2024
Wild One Smash Cake
It's been One Wild year!
Have you ever been on a roller coaster that really got to you? I'm not talking the 'just got my stomach a bit,' I'm talking 'whole body shakes when I got off.' That's a little bit how this year has felt to me - and the thought behind the theme and the Wild One smash cake that I picked out for my son's birthday!
Postpartum after baby 1 for me progressed as predicted. I had the normal amount of healing to do, and felt the usual 'baby blues' for about a week. But other than that, everything went back to normal after her delivery. I felt like myself again after a couple of weeks.
Postpartum after baby 2 was a completely different story. I suspect the fact that little man just straight up didn't want to sleep - ever - probably had something to do with that. But postpartum depression hit me like a train when our son was about a month old. Relentless anxiety plagued every day and insomnia plagued every night. I'll spare you the drama of the details, but suffice to say I had a rough time with ALL of life for a few months.
As I slowly emerged from the cloud of PPD over the next several months, life seemed to go insanely fast and super slow at the same time. Just as I began feeling like I had my feet under me again, my two two littles' (0 and 2 years old) birthdays were coming up!
The good news?
PRAISE Jesus we MADE IT! I've never been more proud of myself for getting through a year with my sanity intact. (Though I suspect this may be the first of several years I'll be saying that as my kids get older.) Celebrating baby's birthday felt like a sort of finish line or at least a mile marker in returning to manageable life after the havoc of postpartum and the 1-to-2-kid transition.
NOW...THE LESS GOOD NEWS 😉
Unfortunately...our kiddo's actual birthdates are less than a week apart. Nope, we for sure didn't plan it that way! Stuff happens, lol.
I'm not a twin, but I do have younger twin sisters that hated sharing birthday parties growing up. That just stuck in my memory. So in their little years I really wanted my kids to have separate birthday parties.
Unfortunately, that meant prepping cakes and decorations for two parties about a week apart.
Mother. Of. Pearl. And I thought normal life was busy. :/ I know I did it to myself, but holy cow. Planning 2 back to back parties is rough.
So I pretty quickly realized that for both cakes, I was really going to need a decorating plan that would come together quickly and easy! (Especially given that my decorating hours are currently limited to nap times - and those are SO incredibly unpredictable right now. But I digress.)
I saw plenty of adorable jungle animal-topped cakes on Pinterest...but I don't trust myself to make anything cute out of fondant. And I quickly discovered that pre-assembled decorations were all on the expensive side (or just on the ugly side, tbh).
So I went super super simple with this one. I chose two shades of green that matched the balloon decorations and the cake topper I'd purchased, and bought some wafer paper leaves to finish out the look of the decorations.
WHY MAKE THIS 'Wild One' smash cake?
Choose your own cake layers - I went with chocolate since that's the only type of cake I've gotten little buddy to try so far! That's the recipe in the card below since that's what I used, but this vanilla cake recipe or a customizable cake mix recipe are good options too!
Super easy decorating! The look of the frosting around the outside has a unfinished / uneven look on purpose. (Which fits the theme well, IMHO.) Toss on a cake topper and some leaves (optional), and you're done!
Obviously, setting up to film took a little bit of extra time, but I don’t think the actual decorating of the smash cake took me more than an hour.
And I wouldn't rank my own decorator skills much past 'advanced beginner,' so if I can hack it - so can you!
"What if I want to make a full-size Wild One cake?"
You absolutely can! (I did this for my son's party since there were so many people coming.) Double the cake + frosting recipes (there's a '2x' recipe button below to make that super easy)! Bake in 3 8-inch cake pans, and follow the rest of the instructions as written below!
(Disclosure: As an Amazon associate I may earn from qualifying purchases, and my posts often contain affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you!)

8-inch Wild One birthday cake
(I added a bit of gold leaf just as an extra touch on the large cake, but left it off the smash cake. Whether you use it is up to you!)
ONE LAST QUICK TIP BEFORE WE GET TO THE RECIPE!
I may be the only one to ever give you this particular advice. It's a little odd, and honestly I'm the only one I know that frosts cakes this way. But I'll put it out there anyway because it was helpful to me.
Frosting actually went really quickly - because my cake layers were partially frozen. I had prepped and frozen the cake layers ahead of time - and they were still super cold while I was frosting the cake. Frosting always goes WAY faster for me with really cold layers!
You may want to skip this tip if you're in a hot or humid area, because you're likely to have trouble with condensation on the outside of your cake as it warms up. But if you're newer to frosting cakes and get frustrated with the smoothing process I put that out there in case it's helpful. 🙂 Just let the cake thaw the rest of the way in the fridge so it doesn't get wet from condensation.
RECIPES, INSTRUCTIONS, AND SUPPLY LINKS ARE BELOW - HAPPY BAKING!!
Don't forget to pin this recipe for later!

Print Recipe

Wild One Smash Cake

Have a wild little one getting ready to turn one? This 'Wild One' Smash cake is sure to be a smash hit for their party!

Prep Time45 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Decorating time1 hour
Total Time2 hours 20 minutes

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: 1st birthday cake, One Wild Year smash cake, Wild One cake, Wild One smash cake

Servings: 1 smash cake

Calories: 4500kcal

Equipment
3 6 inch round cake pans
1 8 inch cardboard cake circle (a 6-inch circle would work; I've just found moving cakes on larger circles easier)
Baker's floured cooking spray (optional)
large offset spatula (to spread frosting)
cake scraper or pastry cutter (to smooth frosting)
Cake turntable (optional, but makes decorating much faster and easier!)
small piping bag + leaf tip (I also used a grass tip, but this is optional)

Ingredients
Chocolate Cake layers
1 ⅛ cups all purpose flour
1 ⅛ cups granulated sugar
⅔ cup cocoa powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick; softened)
2 large eggs (at room temperature)
¾ cups buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting
4 ounces cream cheese (softened)
4 ounces butter (softened)
4 cups powdered sugar
2 Tbsp milk
1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
2-4 drops electric green gel food coloring (save & add later)
2-4 drops green gel food coloring (save & add later)
Decorations
cake topper
wafer paper leaves (optional)

Instructions
Chocolate cake layers
Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (180C). Prepare three 6-inch round pans with baker's floured spray (or grease and line with parchment rounds).
Mix together dry ingredients (flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt) in the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle (or hand mixer or whisk) until well combined. Add in bits of softened butter, mixing until no lumps of butter are visible and the mixture looks crumbly.
Whisk together eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla. Add to dry ingredients and mix until no dry ingredients are visible. Scrape down the bowl and beat for another 20 seconds. Fill the three pans evenly - I find a kitchen scale helpful for this part.
Bake for 28-35 min or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow cake layers to cool for 10-15 minutes on a wire cooling rack before removing from pans, and cool completely before frosting. Set in the fridge or freezer to accelerate the cooling process if desired. (This is a great time to make your frosting!)
Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting
Beat together softened cream cheese and butter; slowly add in powdered sugar alternating with milk until frosting reaches desired consistency. Add vanilla and salt if needed and beat until well combined. (Don't add the gel color yet - see below!)
Assembly
Once your cakes are cool, level them - this can be done with a cake leveler or a large serrated knife and a ruler.
Place a smear of frosting on your cake circle (to keep the cake from sliding while you decorate it) and center your first cake layer in the center of the circle. Spread the layer with frosting, and add the next layer on top. Repeat the process with your remaining layers – I like to flip the top layer upside down to make smoothing the top edge easier.
Now you're ready to crumb-coat . If you're unfamiliar with crumb-coating, it's just what it sounds like – spreading a thin layer of frosting over the entire outside of the cake tiers to keep crumbs out of your final layer. Place in the fridge for 5-10 minutes to set.
Decorating
Add a final layer of frosting to the outside of the cake - I didn't worry about making it thick enough or perfectly smooth at the base of the cake, since I knew I'd be covering that part with other frosting colors.
Add 2-4 drops of electric green gel color to about 2/3 cup of your remaining frosting, and add a layer of bright green frosting around the bottom two thirds of the cake. Smooth with your bench scraper.
Add 2-4 drops of deep green gel color to about 2/3 cup of remaining frosting. Repeat the above process around the bottom third of the cake.
Transfer your remaining deep green frosting to a piping bag fitted with a leaf tip, and add 'vines' of leaves up the cake as far as you'd like - I went about halfway up.
Add your cake topper on top! The wafer paper leaves are optional, but I thought they added a really cute touch to the cake. And with that...you’re done! Enjoy!

Video

Notes
(Please note nutrition information is an estimate and may not be exactly accurate. Counts will be lower in all fields if not all frosting is used to decorate.)

Nutrition
Serving: 1cake | Calories: 4500kcal | Carbohydrates: 623g | Protein: 64g | Fat: 242g

Did you make this Wild One Smash cake?
Help other people find it by leaving a rating or comment below!

Other recipes you may love -
(Click / tap the photos below to be taken to the recipe pages!)
July 19, 2024
101 Dalmatians cake
I risk sounding like a broken record here...
but it really feels like it was just the other month that I was making my daughter’s first birthday cake. Now here I am posting the 101 Dalmatians cake I made for her THIRD birthday, wondering where all the time has gone! Seriously. I swear it’s gone even faster since we had baby # 2 last year!
First - the good news!
This year my spunky little miss is finally old enough to have an opinion on her birthday party theme and cake. She was so excited to pick out a birthday cake theme; it was adorable. And she opted for 101 Dalmatians!
Now...the less good news 😉
Unfortunately, our kids birthdays are about a week apart. We for sure didn’t plan it that way; sometimes we don’t get to control certain circumstances.
I have younger twin sisters that hated sharing birthday parties growing up, so I really wanted the kids to have separate birthday parties. Unfortunately, that meant prepping cakes and decorations for two parties about a week apart.
Lord. Have. Mercy. Can you say time-consuming?
So I pretty quickly realized that for both cakes, I needed decorations that would come together and go on the cakes without a ton of time and extra effort. My decorating hours are currently limited to nap times - and those are massively unpredictable. But that’s a story for another day.
I definitely don’t trust myself to try making anything complicated out of fondant, so I ordered a pack of dalmatian figurines online. They were super cute, inexpensive, and my daughter was excited to have them once we’d eaten the cake. Win, win, and win. Bam!
For the rest of the decorations, I just used red and black fondant – and the topper that came with the decoration set that I bought on Amazon. Super easy!
Why make this 101 Dalmatians cake?
The chocolate chip cake layers stay with the 'Dalmatian' theme - and the cake layers + Oreo filling got rave reviews. And everyone commented on how cute the cake was!
The only time-consuming part of the decorations was the stitch marking I added to the red collar at the base of the cake. Fortunately - that’s a very skippable step. I’m not sure you can even see the stitch marking in the photos. Kicking myself a bit for bothering with it now, honestly.
Obviously, setting up to film took a little bit of extra time, but I don’t think the actual decorating of the cake took me more than an hour.
And I’d rank my fondant skills somewhere between ‘clueless’ and ‘beginner,’ so if I can hack it - so can you!
One last quick tip before we get to the recipe!
I may be the only one to give you this advice because it's a little odd, but I'll put it out there anyway.
Frosting actually went really quickly - because my cake layers were mostly frozen. I had prepped and frozen the cake layers ahead of time - and they were still super cold while I was frosting the cake. Frosting always goes faster with really cold layers! If you're newer to frosting cakes and get frustrated with the smoothing process I put that out there in case it's helpful. 🙂 Just let the cake thaw the rest of the way in the fridge so it doesn't get wet from condensation.
Recipes, instructions, and supply links are below - happy baking!!
(Disclosure: As an Amazon associate I may earn from qualifying purchases, and my posts often contain affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you!)
Don't forget to pin this recipe for later!

Print Recipe

101 Dalmatians Cake

Need a 101 Dalmatians cake - one that you can assemble and decorate easily? This chocolate chip Dalmatians cake is super cute and easy!

Prep Time45 minutes
Cook Time37 minutes
Decorating time1 hour
Total Time2 hours 22 minutes

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: 101 Dalmatians Cake, Cruella De Vil, Dalmatians Cake, Disney cake, Kids birthday cake

Servings: 16 servings

Calories: 720kcal

Equipment
3 8 inch round cake pans
1 10 inch cardboard cake circle
Cake turntable
large offset spatula
cake scraper or pastry cutter
Ruler (to cut the red band / collar)

Ingredients
Chocolate Chip cake layers
3 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
3 cups granulated sugar
2 ½ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter (or 2 sticks, room temperature)
5 eggs
1 ½ cups buttermilk (room temperature)
2 teaspoons clear vanilla extract
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Cheese Buttercream Frosting
8 ounces cream cheese softened (one package)
1 cup butter softened (two sticks)
6-7 cups powdered sugar
2-4 Tablespoons milk
1 Tablespoon clear vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon frosting whitener (optional)
Filling / Decorations
8 crushed Oreos + frosting; above
4 ounces Black fondant linked is the brand I used
8 ounces red fondant linked is the brand I used – I tried using 4 ounces and it wasn’t enough!
Dalmatian figurines (linked is the set I used)
Cake topper (the one I used isn't available on Amazon now - this is the closest one I could find)

Instructions
Chocolate Chip Cake layers
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line three 8-inch cake pans with parchment or silicone rounds, and /or grease with non-stick or baker’s floured cooking spray.
Mix together all dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt) in a mixing bowl or stand mixer with a paddle until fully combined.
Mix chunks of room-temperature butter slowly into the dry mix, on a low speed. Continue to mix until no large chunks of butter remain, and the mixture becomes crumbly.
Pour in eggs and half the buttermilk and mix on low until just incorporated. Add remaining buttermilk, vanilla and oil, and mix at a low speed until fully incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula, then beat on medium speed for about 30 seconds. Stir in chocolate chips by hand.
Divide batter evenly between the prepared cake pans (I find a kitchen scale helpful for this part). This guarantees your layers will bake to be the same height.
Bake for 35-37 minutes (or until a toothpick comes out clean). Allow cake layers to cool for 10-15 minutes on a wire cooling rack before removing from pans – it helps to run an offset spatula or knife around the perimeter of the pan first. Cool completely before frosting. Set in the fridge or freezer to accelerate the cooling process if desired.
Frosting + filling
Beat together softened cream cheese and butter; slowly add in powdered sugar alternating with milk until frosting reaches desired consistency. Add vanilla and salt and beat until well combined.
Remove about 1 cup of frosting for filling, then beat in frosting whitener.
Combine reserved 1 cup of frosting and crushed Oreos; stir until well blended.
Assembly
Place a smear of frosting on your cake circle (to keep the cake from sliding while you decorate it) and center your first cake layer in the center of the circle.
Pipe a small ‘dam’ of frosting around the outer edge to contain your filling so it doesn’t show through to the outside of the cake.
Add filling to center of cake layer and smooth to the edges. Add your next cake layer on top, and repeat the process with your remaining cake layers.
Now for the crumb-coat – here’s a quick video link if that’s a new term.
Basically you’re just spreading a layer of frosting over the outside of the cake, to keep crumbs out of your final layer.
Once your crumb coat has set (this takes about 15 minutes in the fridge), add your final layer of frosting and smooth. I like to use an offset spatula and cake scraper / pastry cutter for this part. Once your cake is covered, place it into the fridge to set the frosting.
The fun part! Decorations!
Roll the red fondant out in about a 1-inch band – I used a ruler as a guide. (If you watch the video you’ll see 4oz wasn't quite enough – just no time to order more!) Wrap the band around the base of the cake to make the red collar.
Cut about a 6-inch band section and cut the end to a point to make the end of the collar.
With a knife or small cookie cutter, cut out a black rectangle the same height as the collar (I used the same ruler as a guide). Cut out the center to make the buckle, and use a couple dabs of water to adhere to the cake.
Add a tiny piece of black fondant to make the buckle center, and adhere with water to the right side of the buckle. With a toothpick, add a few collar ‘holes’ by pressing the toothpick through the fondant.
Shape the ‘spots’ out of black fondant. I started with a couple of circle cutters for the black spots to make life easier, but you could use a shot glass or bottle cap if you don’t have circle cutters on hand. I used a cut coffee straw to make the smallest spots. Free-handing the spots is also an option. Adhere to the frosting in a bit of a random ‘Dalmatian’ pattern.
Add your figurines – if using – and your cake topper to the top of the cake! And that’s it – congratulations on your awesome 101 Dalmatians cake!

Video

Notes
(Please note nutrition information is an estimate, and may not be exactly accurate. Counts will be lower in all fields if not all the frosting / fondant is used.)

Nutrition
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 720kcal | Carbohydrates: 103g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 38g
Did you make this 101 Dalmatians cake?
Send me an email and let me know how it went – or make my day and find me on Pinterest or on Instagram and tag @IntensiveCakeUnit in your photo!
You can also add a comment or a recipe rating at the bottom of the page! 🙂
Other recipes you may love…
(Click / tap the photos to be taken to the recipe pages!)
July 13, 2024
Filled Cake Mix Donuts
Get the best of both worlds with these filled cake donuts!
First - quick backstory on how these filled cake mix donuts came into being!
Someone asked me about my favorite type of donut not too long ago. I couldn’t pick a favorite! It took me a bit thinking about it to pin down why though. I love filled donuts - because of the filling (duh). But I love cake-style donuts because of their texture.
Then the idea hit - I have donut pans! Could I make a *filled* cake donut…?
The process -
Well obviously, that question needed an answer. I stocked up on a few extra cake mixes and cream cheese packages.
Then - when work put me on call one day - recipe testing commenced!

I’ve been making baked cake mix donuts for a couple of years now. They’re so easy - I can make them with my toddler. (Which is saying something, lol. She’s very much at that ‘want to help mama with everything’ stage. Which is adorable, and I love it. Only issue is her help isn’t generally super helpful.) So - if I try and tackle anything too complicated with her help pretty soon we’re both just frustrated.
The results -
I stuck with that cake mix donut base for these filled cake mix donuts. Worked great!

Then onto the filling! Again - toddler help being what it is - I wanted to keep the filling super simple. Cream cheese and sugar made the perfect mixture - rich, sweet, delicious, and still visible after the donuts were baked.

I added a couple of tablespoons of whipping cream to the remaining cream cheese filling. It thinned it down enough to make the perfect topping for the donuts!

"What do I need to make filled cake mix donuts?"
Not much! Donut pans, a box of cake mix, 1/2 cup of unsalted butter, 2 eggs, plus cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla for the filling and topping! Cookie scoop and baker's floured spray make the process a little easier, but are optional. I might also recommend a piping bag for filling the donuts, but a sandwich bag with a corner cut or rolled plastic wrap would work.
A few quick tips -
Make sure you grease your pans well! It would be a huge bummer to get these baked and have them break coming out of the pans.
Don't over-bake these donuts; they tend to get on the dry side when overbaked.
These donuts - as the recipe's written - have a very dense texture. If you want a bit of a light cake-y donut add a 1/4 cup of buttermilk (or milk) to the donut mixture before baking. You just might have a touch harder time getting them filled.
Should you want to skip the hassle of filling the donuts, just check out my 'Cake Mix Donuts' recipe page!

Don't forget to pin this recipe for later!

Print Recipe

Filled Cake Mix Donuts

Can't choose between a cake and filled donut? These filled cake mix donuts have it all - cake donut texture, filling - AND they're SO easy!

Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Decorating time20 minutes
Total Time1 hour 5 minutes

Course: Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Baked Donut Recipes, Cake Mix Donuts, Donuts, Donuts from Cake Mix, Low Fat Donut Recipes

Servings: 12 donuts

Calories: 304kcal

Equipment
Donut pan(s) (linked is a set of 2 6-donut pans by Wilton)
Baker's floured cooking spray (optional)
wire cooling rack
2-tablespoon cookie scoop (optional)

Ingredients
Donuts
1 boxed cake mix (I used chocolate; flavor's up to you!)
½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick, melted and cooled)
2 eggs (room temperature)
Filling
8 ounces cream cheese (softened)
½ cup powdered sugar
Glaze & decorations
2-3 Tablespoons milk (add to remaining filling mixture to make glaze)
1 teaspoon vanilla (add to remaining filling mixture to make glaze)
Sprinkle mix of your choice optional; I used a rainbow jimmies mix

Instructions
Donuts
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease donut pan(s) with baker’s floured cooking spray (or grease and sprinkle with a bit of flour).
Mix together wet ingredients (eggs and butter) with a whisk or in a stand mixer with a paddle until fully combined (make sure melted butter isn't too hot, so it doesn't cook the eggs).
Add in cake mix, and mix on low speed until incorporated, and then increase speed to medium and beat for 1 minute. The mixture will be thick.
Fill the base of each donut ring with 2 Tablespoons of donut mixture, and press it down into the base and slightly up the sides, creating space in the center for the filling.
Filling
Beat cream cheese until smooth. Beat in sugar until well-combined and not grainy.
Transfer ½ cup of filling into a piping or plastic bag. Pipe a ring of filling into each donut. I used about a pencil-thick ring of filling - more and it's harder to keep the filling inside the donut, but feel free to use more if you're feeling like it!
Add another 2 Tablespoons of donut mixture to the top - I did this in sections to keep the donut filling inside.
Baking + Decorating
Bake at 350 ℉ for 10-14 minutes, until each donut is no longer sticky in the center and a toothpick comes out clean.
Add milk and vanilla to remaining donut filling; beat until well blended.
(You can add a bit more powdered sugar or milk if your glaze seems too thin or thick. I hate this comparison, but an Elmer's glue consistency worked well for me. Too thick and it won't stick to the donuts; too thin and it runs *everywhere.*)
Glaze donuts either by dipping upside down in the bowl, or by transferring glaze to a piping bag and drizzling over the donuts. Add sprinkles if desired. And you're done! Refrigerate if not serving immediately - and enjoy!

Video

Notes
(Please note nutrition information is an estimate and may not be exactly accurate. Nutrition information per donut will be less if not all the cream cheese topping is used.)

Nutrition
Serving: 1donut | Calories: 304kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 12g
DID YOU MAKE THESE CAKE MIX DONUTS?
Let me know how it went – or make my day and find me on Pinterest or on Instagram and tag @IntensiveCakeUnit in your photo!
You can also add a comment or a recipe rating at the bottom of the page! 🙂
OTHER RECIPES YOU MAY LOVE…
(Click / tap the photos to be taken to the recipe pages!)
June 13, 2024
Golf Ball Smash Cake
Need a golf ball smash cake - or a golf ball birthday cake?
I've got you covered! 🙂 As conceptually simple as they look, golf ball cakes can be surprisingly tricky to pull off convincingly. Backstory: my friend’s son was turning one, and I had the privilege of making a golf ball smash cake for his birthday! I couldn’t find many recipes as I was researching the best way to go about making it. So I post this in hopes it’ll be helpful to someone else. If that’s you, I’m glad you found this page and I hope this is helpful!
Design snags I had to work out-
Cake shape.
I started off a touch worried about the shape of the cake. I’d only ever made one half-sphere cake, and sculpted it from 3 8” cake layers – the shape wasn’t what I’d wanted, and I wasted a ton of cake in the process. At the same time, I dislike large cake pans because the edges often get dry before the center is baked through. I knew a half-sphere cake pan was an option, but didn’t really know how to use one. (Hint - flower nail in the pan base, and don't over-fill it!)
Frosting color.
My other worry was the frosting. Buttercream with some added cream cheese is my go-to frosting, and while it’s delicious it’s really not a bright white that would match a golf ball. This was my first go at buttercream with shortening added, and I added some frosting whitener that worked really well.
(I did learn though: don’t try to turn whitened frosting deep green. Doesn’t work!)
Baking method.
I did a ‘tester’ cake about a week ahead of time. Definitely had one big cake-fail my first go at the half sphere. I over-filled the pan - filling it almost to the rim - and batter overflowed during the baking process. Smh. HUGE mess. (Hint: keep the batter level a good centimeter below the edge of the pan!)
Result -
I was SO glad I did the tester, because I was happy with how the real thing came out! Picture above, and the video’s at the end of the recipe card -
If you’re looking to make a golf ball cake, tips are above and the recipe’s below – happy baking! If you try out the recipe let me know what you think!

FAQS:
"I'm having trouble with the divots in the golf ball - tips?"
Yes! Several, in fact. Putting this section in bullet points for clarity!
First I just need to re-emphasize - make sure you ROTATE the spoon out of the frosting. Pulling it straight out causes the frosting to stick and deform as the spoon is removed. That said -
I heard from someone who was having a really rough time getting the indents into the frosting. I got more details on her process, and re-tested with a plastic measuring spoon.
Turns out - a metal spoon worked MUCH better for me than a plastic spoon. Why it makes a difference I have NO idea. But the frosting stuck to the plastic spoon way more than to the metal one! I also noticed I have several measuring spoons with a bit of a 'lip' around the edge - that lip will just get in your way. Try to find a spoon without any kind of raised rim if you're having trouble.
As an added bonus, a metal measuring spoon will retain heat much better than a plastic one. If you're using a metal spoon and still having trouble, try dipping the spoon in hot water before pressing it into the frosting. It'll slightly melt the frosting and make it easier to shape.
If the indents aren't going well, you can also try refrigerating or flash-freezing the cake - sometimes stiffer frosting is easier to work with.
Last note - again, why this would make a difference I have no idea. But the cake-maker I talked to didn't use any frosting whitener, so I tried the cake again without whitener in the frosting. It still worked okay, but I did have a touch harder time smoothing the divots using frosting without whitener.
"Can I use store-bought frosting instead?"
So the short answer is yes you can! (If you don't mind either a messy-looking cake OR using some vegetable oil to make the indents.)
I need to pass on a few tips though, because trying this with store-bought frosting gave me some trouble. Especially at first.
(For the quickest overview check out the video below this text box; it's a YouTube short (less than 1 minute long.) )
FIRST - be smarter than me and get 2 containers. Oh, and get white instead of vanilla, lol. You'll have some extra frosting, but with 1 container I wasn't able to make the indents very deep, and I barely had any frosting left to color and pipe the grass at the end.
SECOND - be aware this stuff is way, way stickier than homemade frosting and it doesn't crust. Like at all. I tried wetting the measuring spoon with water, I tried greasing it with Crisco shortening - no luck; the frosting just stuck to the spoon. Greasing the back of the spoon with vegetable oil allowed me to do 2-3 indents at a time without it sticking though. I did have to wash the spoon a couple times in the process; even when it was oiled frosting residue made the spoon sticky.

cake w store-bought frosting - not as clean, but still looks like a golf ball!
"Your recipe calls for cake mixes? Seriously?"
Yes - but hear me out; I have a reason! I love scratch cakes; nothing beats them for taste. One catch though - all my favorite scratch recipes bake too dense to be easily mash-able. After making tons of smash cakes over several years, I've just found cake mixes to work the best. Littles need to be able to smash their smash cakes! 😉
All that said, I've since realized not everyone makes this cake for littles. So if you'd rather use a scratch recipe, a half batch of my favorite Vanilla Cake layer recipe is a great size for this cake!
"Help me out; what am I actually supposed to do with the flower nail?" ( / flower pin?)
So - concepts first. The whole point of the flower nail is to conduct heat from the oven into the center of the cake batter. Cakes this thick can be difficult to bake all the way through without over-baking the edges. So you put the flower nail flat-side-down into the base of the pan, and then pour the batter in. I sprayed the pan and the nail together with baker's floured spray once the nail was in the pan.
Here's where a picture's really worth a thousand words - photo below!
(Disclosure: As an Amazon associate I may earn from qualifying purchases, and my posts often contain affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you!)

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5 from 3 votes

Golf Ball Smash Cake

Looking to make a Golf ball cake? Here's a recipe and all the tips and tricks I learned making this cute golf smash cake! Happy baking!

Prep Time45 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Decorating time1 hour
Total Time2 hours 25 minutes

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Golf Ball Smash Cake, Golf birthday cake, Golf smash cake, Hole in One smash cake

Servings: 1 6-inch smash cake

Calories: 516kcal

Equipment
6-inch half sphere cake pan
Baker's floured cooking spray (optional)
large flower nail (optional but highly recommended; helps the cake bake evenly)
Cake turntable (optional, but makes smoothing the frosting much easier)
rounded measuring spoon (to make indents in the frosting; I recommend a metal measuring spoon and used a rounded ¼ teaspoon)
Small acetate sheet (or small flexible piece of plastic; to smooth frosting. A folded piece of parchment or wax paper can work, but will tend to leave lines in the frosting.)
small piping bag + grass tip

Ingredients
Cake
1 box cake mix (Flavor's up to you; I used strawberry mix + ½ cup mashed strawberries)
½ cup butter, melted and cooled
3 eggs
1 cup buttermilk (room temperature, or use 1 cup milk mixed with with 2 tsp lemon juice)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Frosting
¾ cup butter (room temperature)
¾ cup shortening
5 cups powdered sugar
1 Tablespoon clear vanilla extract
2 Tablespoons frosting whitener (optional; see instructions before adding)
1-3 Tablespoons milk (if needed to reach a spreadable consistency)
2-3 large drops green gel food coloring

Instructions
Cake
Preheat oven to 350°F (177℃). Prepare a 6-inch half sphere pan with baker's floured cooking spray (or grease and flour pan well). Place flower nail in the base of cake pan.
Combine melted butter, buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla in a large bowl and mix until combined. Add in cake mix and stir until moistened (about 30 seconds), then beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes.
Pour batter into prepared pan (I didn't use all of the batter; an overfilled sphere pan will overflow and make a mess in your oven). Batter level should be about a centimeter (not quite half an inch) below the cake pan rim. (Might not hurt to place a baking sheet in the oven below the pan just in case.)
Bake for 35-45 minutes, (or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean). Allow to cool for 10 minutes before removing cake from pan.
Cool to room temperature before decorating. (Place in the fridge to accelerate the cooling process if desired.) While you’re waiting…make your frosting!
Frosting
Beat together butter and shortening; beat in powdered sugar and vanilla until well combined.
(If using frosting whitener, remove ½ cup of frosting into another bowl - color this deep green for the 'grass' frosting border. Add whitener to remaining frosting.) If not using whitener, remove ½ cup of frosting and color it green whenever you'd like 🙂
Add milk if needed until frosting reaches an easily spreadable consistency.
Assembly & Decorating
(If desired, use a cake leveler or large serrated knife to slice cake into 2 or 3 layers to fill with frosting).
Place a smear of frosting on a plate or cake circle (to keep the cake from sliding while you decorate it) and center cake in the center of the circle. Spread a thin coat (crumb coat) of frosting around the outside of the cake and chill in the fridge for 10 minutes.
Once your crumb coat has set, add another thicker layer of frosting to the outside of the cake and smooth. I used a small offset spatula and credit-card-sized piece of acetate for this part. Set cake in the fridge for about 10 minutes to semi-set the frosting.
(This will be the most time-consuming step-) Make the golf ball indents! Gently press the back of a rounded measuring spoon into the frosting and rotate it out to form an indent in the frosting. I found it helpful to very lightly grease the back of the spoon with a bit of cooking spray every 4-5 indents.
If you're having any trouble at this step - first, make sure you twist/rotate the spoon out of the frosting. Pulling it straight out will deform the indent. Next, I found a metal spoon worked better than a plastic one. You can try heating it or wetting it if just the oil isn't working well enough. Chilling the cake may also help.
(More details in the post intro if you're having trouble - and please leave a comment or shoot me an email if the divots still aren't working.)
Transfer green frosting to a piping bag fitted with a grass tip, and pipe a rim of grass around the cake base. High-five yourself on your awesome cake - and enjoy!

Video

Notes
(Please note nutrition information is an estimate and may not be exactly accurate.)

Nutrition
Serving: 1cake | Calories: 516kcal | Carbohydrates: 71g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 24g
Did you make this Golf Ball smash cake?
Send me an email and let me know how it went – please let me know if you had any issues! Or make my day and find me on Pinterest or on Instagram and tag @IntensiveCakeUnit in your photo!
If you loved the recipe, please help other people find it! Add a comment or a recipe rating at the bottom of the page! 🙂

Other recipes you may love...
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May 5, 2024
Thomas the Train Cake
All aboard!
All aboard! This Thomas the Train cake is a great birthday or special event cake for your little engineers (like my little nephew) or more experienced conductors!
(Okay, sorry - Thomas the Tank engine cake. I had it wrong in my head for years. So I entered it wrong on the title page.)
Anyway – this cake is made with simple cake layers, delicious cream cheese frosting, and the easiest of decorations. No sculpting required; simply cut down an edible image and adhere to the side of the cake!
When your 'caking' time is limited...
I LOVE making my nephews birthday cakes! But MAN. We we had our second baby last summer, and my cake-making time is LIMITED. SO much more limited than it’s ever been before.
It just takes a wail from a baby (who's supposed to be napping) to de-rail my plans. (Lame joke not intended, but I'm leaving it anyway.) One crap nap can mess up my perfectly-contrived cake assembly schedule.
Darn you, sleep regressions!
With my limited decorating time in mind, I knew stacked and sculpted cakes were out. I also know from several years of experience that no one in my family eats fondant. Period. (Who does?) So I didn’t want large amounts of it involved in my nephew’s cake.
But at the same time – I still wanted an easily recognizable Thomas the Tank engine cake!
So...what to do?
Enter (ta-da!!) the edible image. I ordered a round image designed for the top of the cake, buuut I wanted it on the side. I know. Some of us gotta be extra. 😉 This meant I had to move the 'happy birthday' to the top and cut down the blue surrounding Thomas. But I loved the way it turned out!
I’ll link the edible image I ordered on Amazon; you'll find it in the recipe card below. One thing to bear in mind though. Since supply levels can fluctuate though, you'll probably need to trim down the image that you buy. Most aren't small enough to fit it onto the side of an 8-inch round cake. 🙂
If the Thomas the Tank Engine edible image linked above is out of stock (or you just don't like it, lol) here and here are a couple of other options!
Few quick points of advice!
Edible image size: Edible images are often made to go on top of 9x13 inch cakes, and they can be BIG. Make sure you check the dimensions before you order so you don’t end up with an image that’s too big for your cake!
Cake size: I scaled this recipe to make 4 8-inch round layers, so that the cake would be about an inch taller than my 8-inch cakes usually are. Feel free to use your own cake layer recipe – but keep cake size in mind so that your image will fit the way that you want!
Timing of applying the image: I assembled and decorated this cake the day before my nephew's party - the image did warp just a bit in the fridge overnight. It was - fortunately - an easy fix, but I did have to do a little bit of straightening and removing of wrinkles in the decoration before taking the cake to the party. I recommend applying the image the day-of if possible - but if that's not workable its not the end of the world either. 🙂
One more time-saver option - you can speed up the cake layers by substituting 3 boxes of your favorite cake mix plus the ingredients the mix calls for. Keep the baking pans the same though! The cake layers will be less rich, but man - with two tiny kids I know sometimes you need a time-saver option. Substituting butter for oil, buttermilk for water, and adding an extra egg will help!
FAQs:
"Can I use store-bought frosting?"
Yes - just be aware you'll need quite a bit! Store bought frosting also tends to be a little thinner than my recipe; add a 1/4 cup of extra powdered sugar at a time until you reach a consistency that spreads and stays in place on the cake well.
Anyway! All of that said – pull out and dust off your baking tools and don your conductor’s cap – your whole family will love this fun Thomas the Tank Engine cake recipe!
(Disclosure: As an Amazon associate I may earn from qualifying purchases, and my posts often contain affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you!)
Don't forget to pin this recipe for later!

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Thomas the Train Cake

No sculpting required - this Thomas the Train cake is easily decorated with a cut-down edible image! Makes a great simple birthday cake.

Prep Time1 hour
Cook Time35 minutes
Decorating time1 hour
Total Time2 hours 35 minutes

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Thomas the Tank Engine cake, Thomas the Train cake

Servings: 16 servings

Calories: 798kcal

Equipment
4 8 inch round cake pans
Baker's floured cooking spray (optional)
Cake leveler
10 inch cardboard cake circle
Cake turntable
large offset spatula
cake scraper or pastry cutter
large piping bag + star tip (for decorating)

Ingredients
Chocolate Cake layers
3 cups all purpose flour
3 cups granulated sugar
1 ¾ cup cocoa powder
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups unsalted butter (3 sticks, softened)
6 large eggs (room temperature)
2 cups buttermilk (room temperature)
2 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting
12 ounces cream cheese (1 ½ packages, softened)
1 ½ cups butter (24 Tbsp or three sticks, softened)
6-8 cups powdered sugar
2 Tablespoons clear vanilla extract
2-3 Tablespoons milk (if needed)
½ teaspoon salt (if using unsalted butter)
6-10 drops Blue gel food coloring
Filling (optional)
¾ cup semisweet chocolate chips (optional; see instructions)
Decorations
1 Thomas the Tank Engine edible image
Red sugar pearls (optional but recommended)

Instructions
Cake layers
Preheat an oven to 350℉ (180℃). Grease 4 8-inch cake pans with baker's floured spray and/or line pans with parchment rounds or silicone rounds.
Mix together dry ingredients (flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt) in the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle (or hand mixer or whisk) until well combined.
Add in bits of softened butter, mixing until no lumps of butter are visible and the mixture looks crumbly.
Whisk together eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla. Add to dry ingredients and mix until no dry ingredients are visible. Scrape down the bowl and beat for another 20 seconds.
Fill the four pans evenly - I find a kitchen scale helpful for this part, and each of mine weighed out to about 550g. Bake for 30-35 min or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow cake layers to cool for 10-15 minutes on a wire cooling rack before removing from pans, and cool completely before frosting. Set in the fridge or freezer to accelerate the cooling process if desired.
Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting
Beat together softened cream cheese and butter; slowly add in powdered sugar alternating with vanilla and milk if needed until frosting reaches desired consistency. Add salt if needed and blue gel food color and beat until well combined.
Assembly
Once your cake layers are cool, level them (if needed/desired). This can be done with a cake leveler or a large serrated knife and a ruler. Place a smear of frosting on your cake circle (to keep the cake from sliding while you decorate it) and center your first cake layer in the center of the circle. Spread the layer with frosting. Repeat the process with your remaining cake layers.
(If you're watching the video closely, you'll see I added a chocolate layer and chocolate chips on top of the frosting - this is optional; I wanted a touch more height to the cake without tons of extra frosting. I just mashed the cake tops with a couple tablespoons of frosting and added that mixture between the layers with a couple tablespoons of chocolate chips.)
Now you're ready to crumb-coat . If you're unfamiliar with crumb-coating, it's just what it sounds like – spreading a thin layer of frosting over the entire outside of the cake to keep crumbs out of your final layer. I usually do this with a large offset spatula.
Once your crumb coat has set (this takes about 5-10 minutes in the fridge), add your final layer of frosting and smooth. I like to use an offset spatula and bench scraper for this part. Once your cake is covered, place it into the fridge or freezer to set the frosting.
Decorating
This is actually where it gets easy! All that's left is adding your edible image and some frosting swirls and sprinkles on top. 🙂
If you use the same image I did, you can use the video as a cutting guide. I cut the 'Happy Birthday' off the top, and cut it into two sections to put on the top, but that step is 100% optional. Trim the lettering from the top, then cut a straight line across the bottom below the train wheels. You could technically add the image to the cake just like this, but I thought it looked a little cleaner to cut two more straight lines from the base up to the arch formed when I cut off the lettering from the top of the image.
If you're using a *different* image - essentially you just need to cut it to fit your cake! I found it easiest to hold the image up next to the cake and decide where I wanted to make my cuts to get it to fit. I used a sharp paring knife, a ruler, and a pair of sharp scissors to make my cuts.
With small dabs of frosting, adhere the edible image to the side of the cake. (I found it easiest to start from the center and work out, using extra frosting to adhere the edges since they're the most likely to pull away from the side of the cake.)
Transfer remaining frosting to a piping bag fitted with a star tip, and pipe a rim of frosting swirls around the top of the cake (I added one larger one above the center of the image as a small frosting 'smokestack.') Add a ring of sugar pearls around base of the cake, and top each frosting swirl with a sugar pearl.
Annnd you're done! Congratulations - and enjoy!

Video

Notes
(Please note nutrition information is an estimate and may not be exactly accurate. Nutrition information also does not include edible image.)

Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 798kcal | Carbohydrates: 104g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 35g
If the Thomas the Tank Engine edible image linked above is out of stock (or you just don't like it, lol) here and here are a couple of other options!
Did you make this Thomas the Train cake?
Send me an email and let me know how it went – or make my day and find me on Pinterest or on Instagram and tag @IntensiveCakeUnit in your photo!
You can also add a comment or a recipe rating at the bottom of the page! 🙂
Other recipes you may love…
(Click / tap the photos to be taken to the recipe pages!)
March 19, 2024
Confetti Chocolate Chippers
What's better than homemade chocolate chip cookies?
They really are the ultimate comfort food! They're delightfully crispy on the outside, irresistibly gooey on the inside - a timeless classic cookie recipe! They've been the go-to cookie recipe in my house for as long as I can remember.
Whenever I make chocolate chip cookies, my sprinkle addiction comes out to play – I love adding rainbow jimmies sprinkles to bring a fun pop of confetti color to the recipe! (Absolutely feel free to leave them out or replace with a few extra chocolate or vanilla chips if you prefer 🙂 )
Why you'll love this cookie recipe!
They have a perfect balance of buttery richness, a hint of vanilla, sweet chocolate chips, and a colorful splash from the confetti sprinkles!
Easy to tackle whether you're a cookie novice or a seasoned baker.
Slightly crunchy-on-the-outside, chewy-on-the-inside deliciousness that will have everyone reaching for seconds!
This cookie recipe is SURE to be a hit with the kids - I've still never encountered a kid that doesn't like sprinkles. And I've met a lot of kids!
So on to the recipe - gather your ingredients, preheat your oven, get ready to turn out the best Confetti Chocolate Chip cookies you've ever eaten!
What do I need to make Confetti Chocolate Chippers?
The classic cookie ingredients - Butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, vanilla, flour, baking soda, salt – and sprinkles!
These are the kitchen staples you'll need to make the best chocolate chip cookies of your life:
Butter + sugars: This classic recipe begins with two sticks of butter creamed with both brown and white sugars. The blend of sugars creates a perfectly balanced flavor.
Eggs: Eggs add moisture and act as a binding agent, which means they help hold the dough together.
Vanilla: Vanilla extract enhances the overall flavor of the chocolate chip cookies. I highly recommend Mexican vanilla extra if you can get it – it adds more depth to the flavor and really makes the flavor profile of these cookies pop. The extra moisture also helps create steam as the cookies bake, working with baking soda to help the cookies puff up.
Baking soda: Baking soda reacts in the oven to help the cookies puff and rise.
Salt: A bit of salt enhances the flavors of the other ingredients (with only a half teaspoon it won’t make the cookies too salty.)
Flour: All-purpose flour helps create gluten, which adds structure to the cookie dough.
Chocolate chips: Of course, you'll need chocolate chips! Semisweet is my personal favorite for these cookies. You can use dark or milk chocolate chips if you prefer – or a blend of any of the three!
(Disclosure: As an Amazon associate I may earn from qualifying purchases, and my posts often contain affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you!)
Don't forget to pin this recipe for later!

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Confetti Chocolate Chippers

What’s better than homemade chocolate chip cookies? They really are the ultimate comfort food - delightfully crispy on the outside, irresistibly gooey on the inside! Whenever I make chocolate chip cookies, my sprinkle addiction comes out to play – I love adding rainbow jimmies sprinkles to bring a fun pop of confetti color to the recipe!
Absolutely feel free to leave them out or replace with a few extra chocolate or vanilla chips if you prefer 🙂

Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time12 minutes
Cooling time5 minutes
Total Time47 minutes

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Chocolate Chip cookies, Chocolate Chippers, Confetti Chocolate Chip Cookies, Confetti Chocolate Chippers

Servings: 30 cookies (depending on size)

Calories: 120kcal

Equipment
Hand mixer (or stand mixer)
cookie sheet(s)
large cookie scoop (any size will work; I prefer my large 1/4 cup scoop)
silicone baking mats (optional)
wire cooling rack

Ingredients
1 cup butter (2 sticks, softened)
1 cup brown sugar
¾ cup granulated sugar
2 eggs (room temperature)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (I recommend Mexican vanilla extract for these cookies; it really does add to the flavor!)
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoons salt
½ cup rainow jimmies sprinkles (Not nonpareils; the color will dissolve and turn the dough a weird ugly gray-brown color. :/ )

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 ℉ (175 ℃).
In a large mixing bowl, beat together butter, white sugar, and brown sugar with a hand mixer (or beat in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment). Beat on medium-high speed until lightened, well-creamed, and smooth. (This should take about 4-5 minutes.)
Beat in eggs one at a time, beating at least one minute after each addition. Beat in vanilla.
Add baking soda and salt to flour in a separate bowl, and mix to combine. Add flour mixture to butter/sugar mixture, and mix until combined and no dry flour remains. Stir in chocolate chips and rainbow jimmies sprinkles. The dough should be quite thick; this is normal. 🙂
Transfer with a cookie scoop to baking sheet(s); bake in preheated oven for 12-15 minutes until lightly golden. Bake a few minutes longer if you prefer crispy cookies. (Please note smaller cookies will take less baking time.)
Remove from oven and cool 4-5 minutes before transferring to wire cooling racks (or before eating!) - this will keep them from deforming or tearing when they’re moved.
Serve and enjoy!

Video

Nutrition
Serving: 1cookie (1/30th recipe) | Calories: 120kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 5g
Did you make these Confetti Chocolate Chippers?
Send me an email and let me know how it went – or make my day and find me on Pinterest or on Instagram and tag @IntensiveCakeUnit in your photo!
You can also add a comment or a recipe rating at the bottom of the page! 🙂
Other recipes you may love…
(Click / tap the photos to be taken to the recipe pages!)
February 19, 2024
Bee Gender Reveal Cupcakes
"What Will Baby Bee?"
Below is my first go at the ever-popular 'gender reveal' cupcake - since I'm due with our second kiddo in about 3 months as I write this! I went with the 'What Will Baby Bee' theme for the cupcakes because you just can't go wrong decorating cupcakes with bumblebees!
Let's face it - pregnancy + busy toddler means NOT a lot of extra time. These cupcakes are SUPER simple and easy to put together! No special decorating skills required.
They feature an easy vanilla cupcake base topped with cream cheese buttercream frosting. Surprise centers and glittery Bee cupcake toppers from Amazon made for super easy and fun cupcakes! Recipe below!
Why make these 'What Will Baby Bee' cupcakes?
First- they're so insanely easy! One bowl for the cupcakes and one bowl for the frosting, and no fancy decorations - just order some toppers! (I thought about doing cake pops but I've had the worst time getting cake pops coated thick enough to show the filling inside. In my experience they turn into a sticky mess that's not worth the time or supplies.)
Second - they work so well! The down side of using a cake for a gender reveal is that as soon as you cut in and pull the knife up the color of the crumbs or frosting gives the secret away! With cupcakes everyone gets to find out on their own all at once.
Finally - they're just so dang cute! 'What will baby bee' can be the theme of just the cupcakes or even the entire party, and the bumblebee theme opens up so many fun decoration options! Anyway - onto the FAQs and the recipe!
FAQs
"Short on time - like you said. Can I use a cake mix or canned frosting?"
For sure! To make the colors stand out I recommend a white cake mix, but anything not too dark will work fine. The cupcakes will be a little less rich - swapping in butter for oil and buttermilk for water will help.
Store bought frosting is usually on the thin side for piping, in my opinion. I'd recommend adding a 1/4 cup of extra powdered sugar at a time until you reach a consistency that stays in place well when it's piped. Some extra flavoring doesn't hurt either.
"How should I store any leftover cupcakes?"
Store in a sealable container or cupcake carrier. If using a lidded container, I often put a layer of plastic wrap over the top between the container and lid for a better seal.
Cupcakes will keep in the fridge for 3-5 days - as long as they're protected from drying out. Just know the color inside them - depending on how dark it is - may start to bleed into the cupcakes a bit.
Okay! I think that's everything - on to the recipe card!
Don't forget to pin this recipe for later!

Print Recipe

Bee Gender Reveal Cupcakes

Make these fun and super-easy Bumblebee 'What Will Baby Bee' cupcakes! Vanilla cupcakes, cream cheese frosting, and a surprise center!

Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Decorating time20 minutes
Total Time1 hour 5 minutes

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Bee Gender Reveal cupcakes, Gender Reveal cupcakes, What Will Baby Bee cupcakes, What Will It Bee cupcakes

Servings: 24 cupcakes

Calories: 495kcal

Author: Sarah H

Equipment
2 Cupcake tins (24 cups total)
24 Cupcake liners
1 piping bag, disposable
1 large piping bag + star tip
large cookie scoop (optional; to transfer batter to pans)
Cupcake corer (optional; or a small plastic knife)

Ingredients
Cupcakes
1 cup butter (melted and cooled)
3 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
2 cups granulated sugar
5 large eggs
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup milk (I used whole milk)
½ cup sour cream
Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting
8 ounces cream cheese (one package; softened)
1 cup butter (two sticks; softened)
5 ½ -6 cups powdered sugar
1 Tablespoon vanilla
1-2 Tablespoons milk (to desired consistency)
3-4 large drops gel food coloring (blue or pink for surprise filling; save and add later!)
Decorations
1-2 Tablespoons gold sprinkles
24 Bumblebee cupcake toppers

Instructions
Cupcakes
(First – melt your unsalted butter and let it cool - this ensures it won’t cook your eggs when you add it!) Preheat your oven to 325℉, and prepare 24 muffin tins with cupcake liners.
Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to combine and set aside.
In a medium bowl, beat sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, milk and sour cream until well combined. Add the cooled melted butter and whisk again until well combined.
Add flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Don't overmix. The batter will be fairly thick; this is normal.
Divide the batter evenly between the cupcake liners, filling them about 2/3 full. (I like to use a cookie scoop for this part!) Bake for 16-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean.
Allow to cool completely before decorating. (This is a great time to make your frosting!)
Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting
Beat together softened cream cheese and butter; slowly add in powdered sugar alternating with milk and vanilla until frosting reaches desired taste, color, and consistency.
Remove about 1/2 cup frosting and color blue or pink for the cupcake centers.
Once the cupcakes have cooled, you're ready to core them. There are a few ways you can do this....you can buy a cupcake corer, you can try using the rounded end of a large piping tip, or....you can do what I do and cut a cone-shaped core out with a plastic knife. Up to you! (I haven't the foggiest idea why cupcake crumbs don't stick to plastic knives like they do regular knives, but the plastic knife's been working too well for me for years!)
Pipe colored frosting into your cored cupcakes with a small piping bag.
Transfer remaining (white) frosting to a large piping bag fitted with a star tip. Pipe in large swirls onto your cupcakes. Decorate the top of each frosting swirl with a Bumblebee topper.
Done and done! Enjoy!

Video

Notes
(Please note nutrition information is an estimate and may not be exactly accurate.)

Nutrition
Serving: 1cupcake | Calories: 495kcal | Carbohydrates: 64g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 24g
Did you make these 'What Will It Bee' Gender Reveal Cupcakes?
Let me know how it went – or make my day and find me on Pinterest or on Instagram and tag @IntensiveCakeUnit in your photo!
You can also add a comment or a recipe rating at the bottom of the page! 🙂
Other recipes you may love…
(Click / tap the photos to be taken to the recipe pages!)
March 25, 2023
Poop Emoji Cupcakes
TP Cake & Poop Emoji Cupcakes
"Why would anyone make poop emoji cupcakes?"
Haha - valid question! 😉
So I made the cake and cupcakes in the photos and video for a jokester/prankster co-worker's birthday. (You know the type, right?) They were perfect!
Why are these poop emoji cupcakes so great?
If you have a similar jokester in your life - which seems pretty likely - these 'Holy crap you're old' poop emoji cupcakes will be a great fit for them too!
These are also super popular with kids - and easy enough to decorate that kids can do it!
Can you ever go wrong with chocolate?
On that note - chocolate cream cheese frosting is arguably one of the best things that has ever come out of my kitchen. And this cupcake design lets you pile tons of it on - and no one will complain! 😉
I originally published this recipe along with my Toilet paper cake recipe. But when I was looking over the recipe page recently I realized it was confusing and cumbersome to have both recipes on the same page.
Looking for the Toilet Paper cake recipe?
If you're looking for the Toilet Paper Cake recipe - please click here to be taken to the recipe page!
If you're looking for the Poo Emoji Cupcake recipe - use the 'Jump to Recipe' button above, or just keep scrolling to reach the recipe card!
Quick time-saver option -
Scratch recipes are great, but no one says you have to use them! You can substitute your favorite chocolate cake mix + ingredients the mix calls for. I like to substitute butter for the oil, buttermilk for the water, and add an extra egg. The cupcakes will be a little less rich - but also less time-consuming!
Store bought frosting is often on the thin side - if you want it to pipe correctly, add a quarter cup of extra powdered sugar alternating with 2 Tablespoons of cocoa powder at a time until you reach a consistency thick enough to stay in place when it's piped onto the cupcakes.
FAQs:
"Can I make the cupcakes / frosting ahead of time?"
Definitely! Wrap the cupcakes well or place in a few gallon freezer bags and refrigerate up to 4 days or freeze up to 4 months. Transfer the frosting to a zip-lock bag and squeeze out the extra air, and again - refrigerate up to 4 days or freeze up to 4 months.
If frozen I recommend thawing the frosting in the refrigerator to keep it from separating.
Also on that note - cover any remaining cupcakes well to keep them from drying out. They will keep in the fridge for 3-5 days! (and maybe longer, I just haven't personally checked past that timeframe). I recommend the fridge because of the cream cheese in the frosting recipe.
"I hate fondant - can I decorate with something else?"
Absolutely! If you cut slices off a large marshmallow and then cut those circles in half you'll get an edible half-circle similar to the ones in the photos. Fondant holds its shape and color better than marshmallow, but using marshmallow slices is definitely easier!
Poo Emoji Cupcakes

Print Recipe

Poop Emoji Cupcakes

These Poop Emoji cupcakes are a perfect hilarious way to add some humor to a birthday party! (Pairs well with a 'Holy Crap You're Old' toilet paper cake!)

Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
25 minutes
Total Time1 hour 5 minutes

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Poop Emoji Cupcakes, Poo Emoji Cupcakes

Servings: 24 cupcakes

Calories: 320kcal

Author: Sarah H

Equipment
2 Cupcake tins (24 cups total)
24 Cupcake liners
1 large piping bag + large round tip (linked is the set I used that includes both!)
1 Small biscuit or circle cutter (to cut out emoji mouths - or you can use a small bottle cap)
1 Cupcake corer (optional; if you'd like to fill your cupcakes with ganache)

Ingredients
Chocolate Cupcakes
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour (350 grams)
2 1/4 cups granulated sugar (450 grams)
1 1/4 cup cocoa powder (100 grams)
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter (250 grams /16 Tablespoons, softened)
4 large eggs at room temperature
1 1/2 cups buttermilk (350mL; buttermilk powder with water is an option if you can’t find liquid buttermilk at your grocery store!)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Chocolate Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting: (for cupcakes)
8 ounces one package cream cheese, softened
16 Tablespoons two sticks butter, softened
5 ½ -6 cups powdered sugar
1 cup cocoa powder
4-6 Tablespoons milk
1 Tablespoon clear vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt if using unsalted butter
Filling (optional) + Decorations
6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips (for filling; optional)
6 ounces heavy whipping cream (for filling; optional)
2 ounces white fondant you can purchase this (buttercream fondant is the best-tasting one I’ve found, and fondarific doesn't run too expensive or make your own!
48 small candy eyes

Instructions
Cupcakes
Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (180C). Line cupcake pans with cupcake liners.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix on low for 1-2 minutes (or whisk the ingredients together). Add in the softened butter a Tablespoon at a time, mixing until well incorporated and no lumps of butter are visible.
Whisk eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla together and whisk until well combined. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix until combined. Scrape down the bowl and beat for another 20 seconds.
Fill each paper 3/4 full (using an ice cream scoop makes this a quick and easy process).
Bake for 20-25 min or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow them to cool completely on a wire cooling rack before decorating. (This is a great time to make your frosting!)
Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
Beat together softened cream cheese and butter; slowly add in powdered sugar alternating with cocoa powder and milk until frosting reaches a pipeable consistency. Add vanilla and salt if needed and beat until well combined.
(I cored my cupcakes and filled them with chocolate ganache, but this step is 100% optional. To make ganache, microwave 6 ounces semisweet chocolate + 6 ounces heavy whipping cream together in 30-second increments on half power until melted & smooth, then cool until thick enough to transfer to cupcake centers.)
Decorating
Transfer your chocolate cream cheese frosting into your large piping bag fitted with a round tip – pipe in swirls onto the tops of your cupcakes, lifting away at the center to resemble the poop emoji!
Press two candy eyes into the frosting on one side of each cupcake, leaving enough room for the fondant 'mouths.'
Roll out white fondant to about 1/8" thick, then use a small circle cutter or a bottle cap to cut out 12 circles. Cut each one in half, and press into the frosting to make the emoji mouths.

Video

Notes
Please note Nutrition Information is an estimate and may not be exactly accurate.

Nutrition
Calories: 320kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 2.4g | Fat: 18g
Did you make these Poop Emoji cupcakes?
Let me know how it went – or make my day and find me on Pinterest or on Instagram and tag @IntensiveCakeUnit in your photo! You can also leave a comment / recipe rating at the bottom of the page. 🙂
You may also love...
(click / tap photos or links below to be taken to the recipes!)
Oreo Birthday Cake
Older Than Dirt Cake
Dinosaur Birthday Cake
January 24, 2023
Cauldron Oreo Pudding Parfaits
Cauldron Oreo Pudding Parfaits

The perfect simple + decorative + delicious Halloween dessert!
.When I saw this cauldron cups online... it took me all of a few minutes to decide they'd be perfect for little Halloween desserts!
Halloween is one of my favorite dessert seasons - I get to make so many fun bright-colored cute + slightly spooky cakes and desserts, and use color combos that I don't really get away with any other time of the year! (Orange + purple + neon green, anyone?)
Why you'll love these Cauldron cups -
Cauldron cup desserts are a fun, easy, and creative way to add some spooky flair to your dessert table. I went with a 'cookies and cream' theme and made Cauldron Oreo pudding parfaits - and they were delicious! The green pudding is super easy to make and color with a bit of gel food coloring. (Have to tell you; I think the color creeped my husband out just a bit and it was great!)
These Cauldron pudding parfaits are SUPER easy to prep and assemble, delicious and so fun to eat!
Even including chilling time for the pudding, they can be assembled in less than an hour. They don't require any complicated decorating skills - honestly, the messier they look the better!
Have a fun time dressing up your dessert table with these fun Cauldron Pudding Parfaits! Recipe below!

FAQs -
"Can I prep these ahead of time? How far ahead of time?"
Well.....yes and no, lol. These little desserts will store well for several hours in the fridge. More hours than 3-4 though, and the Oreo layers may begin to get a bit on the soggy side. Some people love that, but some don't. Up to you! If you'd like softer Oreos you could prep them a bit further ahead of time. The green color from the pudding also may begin to seep into the candy eyes if they're refrigerated overnight, however.
All of that said, if you want to prep ahead, the pudding itself stores fine covered well in the fridge for a few days!
Have any questions or comments? Send me an email - all emails through my contact page go straight to my inbox!
(Disclosure: As an Amazon associate I may earn from qualifying purchases, and my posts often contain affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you!)
Don't forget to pin this recipe for later!

Print Recipe

Cauldron Oreo Pudding Parfaits

Want a super-easy no-bake Halloween themed dessert? Look no further! Plastic cauldron cups (available on Amazon), Oreos, green pudding, and candy eyes make the cutest Cauldron Oreo Pudding Parfaits!

Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time0 minutes
Total Time30 minutes

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cauldron parfaits,, cauldron pudding parfaits, oreo pudding parfaits

Servings: 12 parfaits

Calories: 280kcal

Equipment
12 Cauldron cups (linked are the cups I bought on Amazon)
1 piping bag, disposable (cut the end to about 1/4" opening for decorating!

Ingredients
2 boxes Vanilla instant pudding box, large (5.1oz)
5 cups milk (I used whole milk)
8 drops green gel food color (I used Americolor Electric Green)
32 each Oreo Cookies, crushed (1 regular pack)
24 each Candy eyes
1 Tbsp Sprinkles, black and gold (optional - linked is a mix very similar to the one I used!)

Instructions
Blend vanilla pudding and milk with a blender or wire whisk until smooth, and stir in green gel food color. Refrigerate until set; about 30 minutes. Chop or crush Oreo cookies.
When pudding is set, transfer to piping bag. Pipe a layer of pudding into the base of each cauldron and top with crushed Oreos – my layers were about 1/2”thick, and three layers of pudding and two layers of Oreos fit into each cauldron. You can adjust to your liking! Repeat until cauldron are full, ending with pudding.
To decorate, pipe small ‘dabs’ of pudding over the top of each cauldron to resemble bubbles. Top with black sprinkles if desired, and 1-3 candy eyes on each one – I liked varying the placement of the eyes so they seem to be looking different directions.
Refrigerate untilready to serve! Enjoy!

Video

Notes
Make these Cauldron Oreo Pudding Parfaits? Let me know how it went – or make my day and find me on Pinterest or on Instagram and tag @IntensiveCakeUnit in your photo!

Nutrition
Serving: 1cauldron cup | Calories: 280kcal | Carbohydrates: 46.3g | Protein: 4.7g | Fat: 8.5g
Did you make these Cauldron Oreo Pudding Parfaits?
Send me an email and let me know how it went – or make my day and find me on Pinterest or on Instagram and tag @IntensiveCakeUnit in your photo!
You can also add a comment or a recipe rating at the bottom of the page! 🙂
Other recipes you may love…
(Click / tap the photos to be taken to the recipe pages!)
October 17, 2022
Black Cocoa Cream Cheese Buttercream
What's the #1 issue with black frosting...?
Aside from getting white buttercream to turn a deep black - many people worry black buttercream will stain their teeth. No bueno. So as we head into spooky season and Halloween baking, I want to re-share a recipe / tip! This is one I use in almost all my Halloween decorating - Black Cocoa cream cheese frosting!
Why you'll love this recipe -
First the backstory (lol). My first attempt at making black frosting was ill-informed and not too successful. :/
I started with regular buttercream and added a *ton* of black gel color until I got in the ballpark of the color I wanted - but my end result was more dark gray than actual *black.*
After all that work, it didn't even really taste good! I had a big bowl of buttercream flavored with food dye. Yick. And super frustrating!
This black cocoa frosting recipe is the one I wish I'd have had that day!!
This recipe relies on the dark color of the cocoa powder to do 90+% of the coloring work. Just a touch of black dye finishes off the job if you'd like - or if not, you can leave it out!
You can't taste the dye, just the chocolate and cream cheese - and you get gorgeous deep black frosting! Best of all worlds. 😉
"How do I make black frosting that won't stain my teeth?"
The short answer - with black cocoa powder!
Black cocoa powder doesn't contain any dyes; it's simply cocoa powder that has been more heavily 'dutched' or alkalinized. This keeps it from reacting with leavening agents in baked goods. It retains its delicious chocolate flavor - and it also gives it a dark color perfect for black frosting that won't taste bad or stain your teeth!
I've added a bit of food dye to the recipe, but it is optional - if you'd prefer to leave the dye out you absolutely can!
Quick tip if you'd like to leave out the black gel coloring -
Especially if you'd like to skip adding the black gel food coloring - prep this frosting recipe ahead of time!
I'd recommend making this black cocoa cream cheese frosting at least 24 hours in advance; letting it sit that long will deepen the black color.
"How should I store this frosting?"
Because of the cream cheese in the frosting, I recommend storing this frosting in an airtight container or ziplock bag in the refrigerator.
(With the amount of sugar in the recipe you could maybe get away with storing it at room temperature for up to a day...but it seems risky to me.)
And like I said above - I recommend storing it overnight to let the color deepen to that super-dark-black we all love this time of year! 😉
Have at it - happy baking!!
(Disclosure: As an Amazon associate I may earn from qualifying purchases, and my posts often contain affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you!)
Don't forget to pin this recipe for later!

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Black Cocoa Cream Cheese Buttercream

Frosts one 8-inch cake or 24 cupcakes

Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time0 minutes
Total Time10 minutes

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: black buttercream, black cocoa frosting, black frosting

Servings: 24 cupcakes

Calories: 217kcal

Author: Sarah H

Ingredients
8 oz one package cream cheese, softened
16 Tablespoons two sticks butter, softened
5 ½ -6 cups powdered sugar
1 cup black cocoa powder (linked is one of my favorite brands on Amazon)
4-6 Tablespoons milk
1 T vanilla extract
1/4 t. salt if using unsalted butter
3 large drops black gel food color (optional, but will make your frosting a deeper black more quickly)

Instructions
Beat together softened cream cheese and butter; slowly add in powdered sugar alternating with cocoa powder and milk until frosting reaches desired consistency.
Add vanilla, black gel color (if desired), and salt if needed and beat until well combined.

Video

Notes
As mentioned above, letting the frosting sit for several hours or overnight will deepen the black color several shades!
Please note nutrition information is an estimate and may not be exactly accurate. Nutrition listed is for 1/24 recipe (amount for 1 cupcake); 1/16 (amount for 1 slice of cake) is 326 calories, 17.3g fat, 44.6g carb, 2.3g protein.

Nutrition
Serving: 1cupcake (frosting only) | Calories: 217kcal | Carbohydrates: 29.7g | Protein: 1.5g | Fat: 11.5g
Black Cocoa Cream Cheese Buttercream additional notes / links:
Nielsen Massey vanilla extract (best reviewed) Watkins vanilla extract (less expensive)
Americolor black gel food color - I use black pretty frequently, especially around Halloween, so I bought this large bottle from Amazon!
Did you make this Black Cocoa Frosting? Let me know how it went – or make my day and find me on Pinterest or on Instagram and tag @IntensiveCakeUnit in your photo!
Featured in these recipes:
September 23, 2022
Ladybug Smash Cake
When my 'little love bug' turned 1 ...
Honestly, I had to spend some time wondering where all the time had gone when my ‘little love bug’ was about to turn one. (Just like everyone warned me, the year went SO fast!) But after some time scrolling back through her little newborn pictures (okay, and after a few happy/sad tears), I turned my attention to planning a first birthday party!
Smash cakes are a first birthday near-necessity (imho), so in the month beforehand I spent hours searching for Ladybug smash cake ideas 🙂
I very much on purpose didn't go for anything too complicated. We were wrapping up a cross-country move at the time, and tons of my spare time (read: nap time) was going into unpacking and sorting out our house. I was still trying to organize a kitchen, and most of my cake stuff was either in boxes or horrendously disorganized in a corner cabinet. So I nixed the idea of a sculpted / ladybug-shaped cake. This was the design I decided on, and I really loved the way it turned out!
Recipe's in the card below - but before you get there - please don't be intimidated by my long-winded instructions! I write instructions a bit on the detailed / lengthy side as an attempt at clarity. This cake truly was a fast and easy assembly! I recommend giving the video a quick watch; it's less than a minute long. (Honestly, most of the instructions could be summed up in the video!)
My little one loved her Ladybug Smash cake, and I loved watching her with it!
Editing to add one more quick FYI!
I didn't think of this at the time I posted the recipe - I was still a fairly new mom at the time. But now with my second little one that likes to stuff EVERY imaginable thing in his mouth - I'm adding this note.
I'd recommend pulling the ladybugs off the cake if you think baby might stuff them in their mouth. While they're edible, they really don't chew well or dissolve easily and might turn into a choking hazard.
See below for the recipe - and happy baking!
FAQs:
"Can I just use frosting to make the ladybugs?"
If you have a really delicate touch with frosting - and time to spend chilling it - go for it. I'd imagine you'll need to pipe and chill the frosting to shape and decorate it, and maybe freeze them in order to transfer them. They'll be a little more finicky, but hey - they'll taste better!
"Your recipe calls for cake mixes? Seriously?"
Okay, all my scratch recipe purists - hear me out on this one! 😉 I'm ALL about those scratch recipes because nothing beats them for taste. One catch though - all of my favorite scratch recipes are delicious, but they bake a little bit too dense to be easily smash-able by little hands. After making many smash cakes over several years, I've found cake mixes to work the best. Kiddos need to be able to smash their smash cakes! 😉
If you'd like a scratch recipe though, a half batch of my favorite Vanilla Cake layer recipe is a perfect size for smash cakes! 🙂
(Disclosure: As an Amazon associate, I may earn from qualifying purchases and my posts often contain affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you!)
Don't forget to pin this recipe for later!

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Ladybug Smash Cake

Cute first birthday Ladybug smash cake - fondant ladybugs and a cute topper make this one a cinch to bake and decorate!

Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Decorating time30 minutes
Total Time1 hour 20 minutes

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: ladybug smash cake

Servings: 8 people

Calories: 688kcal

Author: Sarah H

Equipment
2 6 inch round cake pans
1 8 inch cardboard cake circle
Baker's floured cooking spray
large offset spatula (to spread frosting)
cake scraper or pastry cutter (to smooth frosting)
Cake turntable (optional, but makes decorating much faster and easier!)
piping bag with leaf and grass tips (linked is a set that contains reusable bags and both grass and leaf tips!)

Ingredients
Cake
1 box Cake mix, Vanilla (I prefer Duncan Hines French Vanilla)
½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick) melted
1 t. clear vanilla extract
3 eggs
1 cup buttermilk room temperature, or use 1 cup milk mixed with with 2 tsp lemon juice
Frosting
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
4 ounces butter, softened
4 cups powdered sugar
2 Tbsp milk
1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
3-4 drops Green gel food color (save, add later!) Liquid food coloring won't make deep green frosting.
Decorations
4 oz Red fondant
4 oz Black fondant
1 Ladybug cake topper
2 drops Black gel food color (I used Americolor Super Black)

Instructions
Cake
Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare two 6-inch round pans with baker's floured cooking spray (or grease and line with parchment rounds).
Combine melted butter, buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla in a large bowl and mix until combined. Add in cake mix and stir until moistened (about 30 seconds), then beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes.
Using a kitchen scale, divide batter evenly between the two 6” pans – I had about 450 grams in each of my smaller pans. You may have a bit less batter if using cake mixes. (Using the kitchen scale guarantees your layers will bake to be the same height.)
Bake for 35-37 minutes, (or until a skewer comes out clean). Allow to cool for 10 minutes, then run an offset spatula around perimeter of the pans to separate the cake from the pans. Place cake layers into the freezer for 45 minutes, to accelerate the cooling process. While you’re waiting…make your frosting!
Frosting
Beat together softened cream cheese and butter; slowly add in powdered sugar alternating with milk until frosting reaches desired consistency.
Add vanilla and salt if needed and beat until well combined. (I waited until my cake was stacked and frosted, then colored the remaining frosting for the green ‘grass’ border.)
Assembly
Once your cakes are cool, level them - this can be done with a cake leveler or a large serrated knife and a ruler. Place a smear of frosting on your cake circle (to keep the cake from sliding while you decorate it) and center your first cake layer in the center of the circle. Spread the layer with frosting. Add your second cake layer on top – I like to flip the top layer upside down to make smoothing the edges easier.
Now you're ready to crumb-coat . If you're unfamiliar with crumb-coating, it's just what it sounds like – spreading a thin layer of frosting over the entire outside of the cake tiers to keep crumbs out of your final layer. Once your crumb coat has set (this takes about 10 minutes in the fridge), add your final layer of frosting and smooth (I like to use an offset spatula and bench scraper for my final frosting layers).
Decorating
To make the ladybugs, roll about ½ a tablespoon of fondant into an oblong circle and flatten slightly on one end. With a dab of water stick about a ½ teaspoon size ball of black fondant to the flattened end. I used a toothpick and the blunt end of a skewer to make the lines and dots on the ladybug’s back, but a paintbrush would work as well. Allow 1-2 hours to dry before transferring to the cake.
I flattened the angled end of a picture hanger hook and used it as a stamp to make the little dotted lines on the side of the cake, but an angled paintbrush would work as well. I found it the easiest to put on the lines first and then the ladybugs at the ends. With a leaf tip and the multi-hole grass tip (both the tips I used are in this set or you can use the Wilton grass tip and the middle tip from this set) pipe a rim of short and tall grass around the base.
Optional, but I loved this Ladybug Cake Topper in a décor set I found on Amazon! I thought it looked super cute and finished the cake off really well.

Video

Notes
Make this recipe? Let me know how it went – or make my day and find me on Pinterest or on Instagram and tag @IntensiveCakeUnit in your photo!

Nutrition
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 688kcal | Carbohydrates: 95g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 33g
Did you make this Ladybug Smash Cake?
Let me know how it went – or make my day and find me on Pinterest or on Instagram and tag @IntensiveCakeUnit in your photo!
You can also add a comment or a recipe rating at the bottom of the page! 🙂
Questions / comments? Send me an email!
Other birthday cakes you may love...
(Click / tap the photos to be taken to the recipe pages!)
Featured in this recipe:
Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting
September 9, 2022
Ladybug Birthday Cake
I still don't know where the year went...
My ‘little love bug’ turned 1 a few months ago (they didn’t lie; that first year went super fast just like everyone said!) annnnd so in the month beforehand I spend ages trolling pinterest for Ladybug birthday cake ideas 🙂
There are SO many cute ladybug cake ideas out there!
I narrowed it down with 2 criteria - first, I hate sculpting cakes. Messy, wastes tons of cake, and I also hate dipping cake pops so that idea was out too.
Second - I needed a good-sized cake! I had about 20 people to feed at her party. So this was the cake design I went with!
"What do I need to make a ladybug birthday cake?"
Below in the recipe card is a more detailed list, but I'll sum up here!
First - some classic cake / frosting ingredients -
- made more simple by cake mixes, lol. I used 3 vanilla mixes with 1 1/2 cups of butter, 3 cups of buttermilk, 10 eggs, and 1 Tablespoon of vanilla extract. You need cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, clear vanilla extract, and maybe some milk for the frosting.
To decorate -
black gel color, green gel color, red gel color, and red and black fondant! Plus a piping bag and grass and leaf tips. I used the cake topper that came with a decorations set that I bought online.
To stack the cake tiers -
Whether or not to put your base tier on a cake circle is up to you, but you'll need a cake circle the size of your top tier, and 4-5 large straws or cake dowels. A ruler makes the whole process much easier!
"Holy smokes; these instructions go on forever. How complicated is this cake??"
I know, I'm sorry! I wrote detailed instructions below, so I know it looks like a short book. :/ The length is my attempt at clarity. Honestly, you could probably skip reading most of the instructions if you watch the video.
First - don't let the instructions intimidate you! Tiers are easy to stack, and both tiers are easy to decorate!
As an aside - if you're really NOT feeling stacking cake tiers, just leave them separate! Get another cake topper if you feel like it - and just save yourself the hassle! 😉
If DO want to make a tiered cake but you've never stacked one before, I actually wrote a post detailing how to do it! Long story short, as long as your base tier is supported (I use cut-to-length coffee straws), your top tier won't sink into it or tip.
"Did I see cake mixes in the recipe card? Seriously??"
Yup, I know. And yes, I know they don't taste as good. For sure. I have a reason though.
All my 'scratch cake purists,' hear me out on this - I recommend using cake mixes if you want to use the top tier as a smash cake! My favorite scratch recipes are delicious, but they bake too dense for little hands to smash. After making many smash cakes over several years, I've had the best luck actually getting smashed smash cakes with cake mix layers.
All that said - if you'd rather use a scratch recipe, here's my favorite! A 1.5x batch of my absolute Favorite Vanilla Cake Recipe.
Or use your favorite cake recipe - up to you! 🙂
Recipe, supplies, and all my tips are below! 🙂 Enjoy!
(Disclosure: As an Amazon associate I may earn from qualifying purchases, and my posts often contain affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you!)

Print Recipe

Ladybug Birthday Cake

Perfect for a 'Little Love Bug's' first birthday - don't let the tiers intimidate you; they're easy to stack and both tiers are easy to decorate!

Prep Time1 hour
Cook Time38 minutes
Assembly & Decorating1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time2 hours 53 minutes

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Ladybug birthday cake

Servings: 24 people

Calories: 745kcal

Author: Sarah H

Equipment
3 8 inch round cake pans
2 6 inch round cake pans
Baker's floured cooking spray you can use parchment rounds, but I usually just use this spray!
1 10 inch cardboard cake circle (optional - 8" would also work, but moving the cake is easier with a larger circle)
1 6 inch cardboard cake circle (not optional if you want to stack the tiers)
Cake leveler (or a serrated knife and a ruler)
large offset spatula (to spread frosting)
cake scraper or pastry cutter (to smooth frosting)
Cake turntable (optional, but will make decorating much faster and easier)
5 Cake dowels or large plastic straws I usually use dark straws (so they're visible when cutting the cake)
Ruler for spacing dowels or straws and centering top tier
piping bag with leaf and grass tips (linked is a set with bags and both tips!)
Ladybug cake topper (I used the one from this decor set)

Ingredients
Cake
3 Vanilla boxed cake mixes I like Duncan Hines French Vanilla Mixes
1 ½ cups butter (3 sticks) melted
3 cups buttermilk
10 eggs
1 Tablespoon clear vanilla extract
Frosting
12 oz one and a half packages cream cheese, softened
24 Tablespoons butter, softened (three sticks)
10-12 cups powdered sugar
4-6 Tablespoons milk
1 Tablespoon clear vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt if using unsalted butter
(Save and add later)
6-7 drops Red gel food color I used Americolor Super Red
3-4 drops Green gel food color I used AmericolorLeaf Green
Decorations
4 oz Red fondant
4 oz Black fondant
2 drops Black gel food color

Instructions
Cake
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line three 8 inch round pans and three 6 inch round pans with parchment rounds, and /or grease with non-stick or baker’s floured cooking spray.
Combine melted butter, buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla in a large bowl, and beat until blended. Add cake mixes and stir moistened (about 30 seconds), then beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.
Using a kitchen scale, pour 600 grams of batter into each of your 8” pans. Divide remaining batter evenly between the remaining two 6” pans – I had about 375 grams in each of my smaller pans. (Using the kitchen scale guarantees your layers will bake to be the same height.)
Bake for 35-37 minutes, (or until a skewer comes out clean). Allow cake layers to cool for 10-15 minutes on a wire cooling rack before removing from pans, and cool completely before frosting. Set in the fridge or freezer to accelerate the cooling process if desired.
Once the layers have fully cooled, the caramelized edges can be trimmed from the sides / top of the cake using a serrated knife if desired. Be sure the layers are completely cooled or chilled before trimming. If you try to trim the layers while they’re still warm, they will crumble and break.
While you’re waiting…make your frosting!
Frosting
Beat together softened cream cheese and butter; slowly add in powdered sugar alternating with milk until frosting reaches desired consistency. Add vanilla and salt if needed and beat until well combined.
(I waited until my layers were stacked and crumb-coated, then removed a third of the remaining white frosting for the top tier and green ‘grass’ border and colored the remaining frosting red for the base tier.)
Assembly
Once your cakes are cool, level them (if needed/desired; these cakes usually bake fairly flat so I didn’t trim much from the tops). This can be done with a cake leveler or a large serrated knife and a ruler. Place a smear of frosting on your large cake circle (to keep the cake from sliding while you decorate it) and center your large first cake layer in the center of the circle. Spread the layer with frosting. Add your next cake layer on top, and repeat the process with your remaining 8” cake layers.
Next, repeat the same process with your 6" cardboard circle and cake layers. Of note – if your circles aren’t pre-center-punched, be sure to grab a dowel or scissors and make your own hole in the exact center of the 6" circle - this will allow you to center the top tier on the base tier later on.
Now you're ready to crumb-coat . If you're unfamiliar with crumb-coating, it's just what it sounds like – spreading a thin layer of frosting over the entire outside of the cake tiers to keep crumbs out of your final layer. Once your crumb coats have set (this takes about 10 minutes in the fridge), frost your top 6” tier white, then remove about ½ cup of frosting to color green for decorating, and color the remaining frosting red.
Add your final layers of frosting to both tiers and smooth (I like to use an offset spatula and bench scraper for my final frosting layers).Note – for my larger tier, I was able to smooth the frosting fairly well free-handed, but I struggled getting the sides smoothed on my smaller one. Trimming the layers just smaller than the cake circle and using the cardboard as a guide for my bench scraper worked well for smoothing the frosting on the top tier!
Stacking the tiers
(Doweling a tiered cake is done to ensure that the top tier doesn’t crush the lower tier, as well as keeping it centered.) Cut four straws to the height of your base tier, and cut one at an angle for the center. Grab your ruler for this next part! Push the straws down into the base tier just over one inch from the cake edge, placing them evenly at quarter intervals around the cake. Place your last, tallest straw or dowel into the exact center of the cake, making sure to keep it straight as you press down.
Now you’re ready – center the hole in the bottom of your top tier cake circle over the tallest dowel and let the top tier gently down onto the base tier. The dowel will poke into the center of the top tier to hold it in place.
Decorating
For the base tier polka dots, roll thin about half of your black fondant and cut about 20 1-inch circles (I used a circle cutter from this set). I spaced mine over the base tier at random, 2-3 inches apart.
To make the ladybugs, roll about ½ a tablespoon of fondant into an oblong circle and flatten slightly on one end. With a dab of water stick about a ½ teaspoon size ball of black fondant to the flattened end. I used a toothpick and the blunt end of a skewer to make the lines and dots on the ladybug’s back, but a paintbrush would work as well. Allow 1-2 hours to dry before transferring to the cake.
Now you’re ready to finish decorating! I used a piece of bent wide wire to make the little dotted lines on the side of the cake, but an angled paintbrush would work as well. I found it the easiest to put on the lines first and then the ladybugs at the ends.
With a leaf tip and the multi-hole grass tip (both the tips I used are in this set or you can use the Wilton grass tip and the middle tip from this set) pipe a rim of short and tall grass around the base of the top tier.
Last step - add your Ladybug cake topper to your top tier - and step back and admire your cake!

Video

Nutrition
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 745kcal | Carbohydrates: 101g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 39g
Did you make this Ladybug Birthday Cake?
Let me know how it went – or make my day and find me on Pinterest or on Instagram and tag @IntensiveCakeUnit in your photo!
Other birthday cakes ideas you may love...
(Click / tap the photos below to be taken to the recipe pages!)
Related:
Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting
How to make a Tiered Cake
Favorite Vanilla Cake Layers
August 30, 2022
Sunflower Cupcakes
That one day plain swirls got boring...
I had a batch of cupcakes to decorate, and was bored with my standard go-to designs. Said boredom left me looking for something different to decorate with this time around!
Given the thousand or so sunflowers in full bloom surrounding my city, sunflower cupcakes seemed like a great idea! I was a little uncertain as to how the cupcakes would turn out at first. After all - intricate piping has never been my strongest skill set. But it turns out - after a few practice petals it was shockingly simple! Would highly recommend. 😉 You only need a leaf-tip or teardrop piping tip for the sunflower petals. You can use a small star tip for the centers like I did - or just add some frosting and then chocolate sprinkles to the centers!
There's one thing I didn’t realize though. Sunflowers have a lot of petals! Piping that many petals takes approximately an eternity - and can cramp the heck out of your hand. :/ I made it through about 2/3 of the batch. Then I decided to lower my tendonitis risk and swirl-pipe the rest! 😉
The combo of decorations made for some fun pictures and I definitely recommend mixing up the decorating if your hand is cramping. 😉
Overview of the recipe -
Bake and cool 24 cupcakes - the recipe below is simple and makes the most delicious rich vanilla cupcakes!
Make sure the cupcakes have completely cooled before you begin decorating. (No one wants their freshly-piped sunflowers to melt because the cupcakes were too warm!)
Beat together cream cheese, butter, sugar, and flavoring to make the frosting, and color with gel color (and cocoa powder for the centers if desired).
Transfer yellow frosting to your piping bag fitted with a leaf tip - and pipe rings of sunflower petals from the outside edge inward to create a beautiful sunflower design!
Recipes / instructions below!
FAQs -
“What's the best way to store these cupcakes?”
I recommend either a cupcake carrier or sealable container. If using a plastic container with a snap-on lid, I often put a layer of plastic wrap over the top between the container and lid for a better seal. They'll keep well in the fridge for 3-4 days as long as they don't dry out. (I recommend the fridge because of the cream cheese in the frosting; they just need protection from the airflow in the fridge.) Enjoy!
(Disclosure: As an Amazon associate I may earn from qualifying purchases, and my posts often contain affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you!)

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Sunflower Cupcakes

Looking for a bright, fun, fall-themed cupcake? Sunflower cupcakes are easy to make and decorate, and gorgeous to display!

Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Decorating time40 minutes
Total Time1 hour 35 minutes

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Buttercream Sunflower Cupcakes, Easy Sunflower Cupcakes, Sunflower Cupcakes

Servings: 24 cupcakes

Calories: 482kcal

Author: Sarah H

Equipment
2 Cupcake pans (24 cups total)
24 Cupcake liners
large cookie scoop (optional, but makes transferring batter much easier)
1 small piping bag + leaf tip (Ateco 352 or a teardrop tip, for sunflower petals)
1 small piping bag + star tip (for sunflower centers)
1 large piping bag + star tip (optional - I frosted some cupcakes with swirls for variety and hand-cramp relief!)

Ingredients
Sunflower cupcakes
2 ½ cups all purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter softened
1 cup granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1 T pure vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting
8 ounces cream cheese (one package; softened)
1 cup butter (two sticks, softened)
6 cups powdered sugar
1-2 Tablespoons milk
1 Tablespoon clear vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt (if using unsalted butter)
5 large drops yellow gel food coloring
¼ cup black cocoa powder (for the cupcake centers – you can also use black gel food color but cocoa powder tastes better!)
Sprinkles of your choice (Optional; I used a black/gold mix from Fancy Sprinkles very similar to this one)

Instructions
Sunflower cupcakes
Preheat your oven to 325℉, and prepare cupcake pans with cupcake liners.
Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir to combine and set aside.
In a medium or stand mixer bowl, cream together butter and sugar until lightened. Mix in eggs, vanilla, and buttermilk. (The mixture will look clumpy and strange at this stage. This is normal!)
Add flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined – don’t overmix! The batter will be fairly thick.
Fill each cupcake liner ⅔ full (using a large cookie scoop to transfer the batter into the cupcake liners makes this a quick and easy process).
Bake for 16-23 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before frosting. (This is a great time to make your frosting!)
Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting
Beat together softened cream cheese and butter; slowly add in powdered sugar alternating with milk until frosting reaches desired consistency. I recommend making it fairly thick for this recipe, so that the frosting petals will hold their shape. Add vanilla and salt if needed and beat until well combined. Mix in food coloring until frosting is a deep sunflower yellow.
On to the fun part - Decorating!
(I recommend watching the video for reference here; it's less than a minute long. Some decorating techniques are easier to watch than read!)
Transfer yellow frosting to a piping bag fitted with a leaf or teardrop tip, and pipe petals around the outermost cupcake edges. Repeat until about halfway into the cupcake center; 2-3 rows.
Pipe dark frosting in small stars to make the sunflower centers; about a quarter-sized circle. (I picked up my yellow frosting again at this point and added one more circle of petals to rim the center – optional, but I thought they looked a little more realistic with a few more petals near the center.)
Uncramp your hand if needed, and repeat!
(I also used my large piping bag & large star tip and piped a few of the cupcakes - when I couldn't work the cramps out of my hand and running out of decorating time. Large swirls made a fun way to break up the cupcake designs!)
And you’re done! Step back and admire your gorgeous cupcakes! 😉

Video

Notes
(Please note nutrition information is an estimate, and may not be exactly accurate. Counts will be lower in all fields if the full batch of frosting isn't used.)

Nutrition
Serving: 1cupcake | Calories: 482kcal | Carbohydrates: 65g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 22g
Mentioned in post: Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting
Did you make these Sunflower Cupcakes?
Let me know how it went – or make my day and find me on Pinterest or on Instagram and tag @IntensiveCakeUnit in your photo!
You can also add a comment or a recipe rating at the bottom of the page! 🙂
Other recipes you may love…
(Click / tap the photos to be taken to the recipe pages!)
August 29, 2022
Biscoff Banana Cake
Any great cake is worth tweaking and making again, right? 😉
I recently ran across a photo of a Banana Caramel Drip Cake I made about a year ago, and wondered about trying out a similar cake but with Biscoff cookie butter instead of caramel.
The one complaint I sometimes get about recipes with caramel in them is they can get overly-sweet quickly, so swapping the caramel for cookie butter seemed like a fun way to get a little more balance in the cake’s flavor profile!
I tried out Dolly Parton’s Southern style Banana cake mix for the first time, and am a definite fan! The banana flavor was distinct without being cake-mix-artificial, and it made rich cake layers that baked flat and made stacking and decorating easy!
Why make this Banana Biscoff Cake?
Delicious blend of banana and Biscoff cookie butter - in the cake, filling, and decorations!
Also cream cheese buttercream is my favorite frosting ever, and super easy to make!
Can you say 'simple?' Literally 4 ingredients for the cake layers, and just 5 for the frosting! Plus - decorate with a single-ingredient drip!
Semi-naked cakes are super easy to frost - you're basically adding the crumb coat and leaving it at that!
The recipe for this Biscoff Banana Cake is below! Happy baking, and enjoy!
FAQs
"Haven't done any / many cake drips - any tips?
For sure! First off - there's no perfect science to drips, and I'm pretty sure they're easier than you think!
This drip is a perfect drip to start with; no measuring involved! You just have to soften cookie butter until it's warm enough to drip down the side of the cake.
Just note it should be warm and fairly thin - but not too hot or it will melt your frosting!
Make sure you try a test drip first! Too warm and it'll melt the frosting and be super runny. But too cold and it won't 'drip' right. So don't pour the cookie butter over your whole cake until you're happy with the test drip.
"How should I store this cake?"
Should you want to prep any part of the recipe ahead of time -
Wrap the cake layers well and refrigerate up to 4 days or freeze up to 4 months. Transfer the frosting to a zip-lock bag and squeeze out the extra air, and again - refrigerate up to 4 days or freeze up to 4 months.
If you assemble more than about 12 hours before serving, I like to loosely wrap cakes in cling wrap or use a cake box.
Cover or wrap any remaining cake well to keep it from drying out - it will keep in the fridge for 3-5 days. (Assuming it lasts that long!)
(Disclosure: As an Amazon associate I may earn from qualifying purchases, and my posts often contain affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you!)
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Biscoff Banana Cake

Two incredible flavors combine to make one delicious Biscoff Banana Cake! Recipe features Dolly Parton's Banana cake and an easy Biscoff drip!

Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Decorating time25 minutes
Total Time1 hour 20 minutes

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Biscoff Banana Cake, Biscoff Cake, Biscoff Cookie Butter Drip Cake

Servings: 16 servings

Calories: 775kcal

Author: Sarah H

Equipment
3 8 inch round cake pans
Baker's floured cooking spray
1 10 inch cardboard cake circle (or 8 inch circle; optional)
Cake turntable
large offset spatula
cake scraper or pastry cutter
large piping bag + star tip
spoon (or squeeze bottle; to add cookie butter drip)

Ingredients
Banana Cake layers (3 8-inch cake layers)
2 Dolly Parton Southern style Banana boxed cake mixes
2 cups buttermilk (or milk)
8 eggs
1 cup butter (melted)
Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting
8 ounces cream cheese (one package, softened)
1 cup butter (two sticks, softened)
6 cups powdered sugar
2-4 Tablespoons milk
1 Tablespoon clear vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt (if using unsalted butter)
Filling & Decorations
20 (ish) large banana chips (these tend to break, but you only need about 7-8 whole or mostly-whole for the top of the cake! The rest I chopped to put between the cake layers.)
7-8 Biscoff cookies (available in a large 2-pack on Amazon if they’re not sold in your area)
1 ½ cups Biscoff Cookie Butter (divided)

Instructions
Banana Cake layers
Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare three 8 inch round pans with baker's floured cooking spray, or grease and line with parchment rounds.
Combine buttermilk, eggs, and melted butter in a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment.
Add in cake mixes and mix until moistened, then beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.
Divide batter evenly between the prepared cake pans (I find a kitchen scale helpful for this part). This guarantees your layers will bake to be the same height.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Allow cake layers to cool for 10-15 minutes on a wire cooling rack before removing from pans. Cool completely before frosting. Set in the fridge or freezer to accelerate the cooling process if desired. (This is a great time to make your frosting!)
Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting
Beat together softened cream cheese and butter; slowly add in powdered sugar alternating with milk until frosting reaches desired consistency. Add vanilla and salt if needed and beat until well combined.
Assembly
Place a smear of frosting or caramel on your cake circle (to keep the cake from sliding while you decorate it) and center your first cake layer in the center of the circle. Spread the layer with frosting, and either pipe a frosting dam around the outside edge or just press a little more firmly in the center to raise the outside edge of the frosting a bit (you can see me do this in the video). This helps keep the filling inside so it doesn’t show through to the outside of the cake.
Slightly soften 1 cup of cookie butter in the microwave (this only takes a few seconds; let it re-firm if it melts) and spread the cookie butter on top of the frosting, being sure not to spread quite all the way to the edge.
Chop about 12 banana chips and 6 Biscoff cookies, and sprinkle them over the cake filling, then center the next cake layer on top. Repeat the process once more, and add your last layer on top - I like to flip the last layer upside down to make getting a clean top edge easier. (Optional - I saved about ¼ cup of this mixture for decorating.)
Now you're ready to crumb-coat . If you're unfamiliar with crumb-coating, it's just what it sounds like - a thin layer of frosting over the entire outside of the cake to keep crumbs out of your final layer.
Once your crumb coat has set (this takes about 5-10 minutes in the fridge), add a thin second layer of frosting and smooth with a bench scraper – you’re really not looking for much more thickness for a semi-naked style, you’re just looking to fill in any holes and get the frosting between the cake layers smooth. Once your cake is covered, place it into the fridge or freezer to set the frosting.
Okaaaay – now it’s time for the drip!
Warm your cookie butter in the microwave for a few seconds at a time until it’s melted and warm to the touch but not hot – you don’t want it to melt your frosting. (I'd recommend a test drip to make sure it's warm enough to drip but not too hot.)
Slowly drizzle the cookie butter around the upper edge of the cake, pausing every inch or so to let more fall in a drip down the side. Return cake to the fridge to set the drips.
Pipe large swirls of frosting around the top of your cake – I alternated halved Biscoff cookies with whole banana chips, and needed about 7 of each.
Optional - add a ring of chopped cookies and banana chips around your cake base if desired - I also added a few gold and sugar sprinkles to the base and the cake top.
And you're done! Cut in and enjoy!

Video

Notes
Please note nutrition information is an estimate and may not be exactly accurate.

Nutrition
Serving: 1slice (1/16th cake) | Calories: 775kcal | Carbohydrates: 95g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 39g
Did you make this Biscoff Banana Cake?
Let me know how it went – or make my day and find me on Pinterest or on Instagram and tag @IntensiveCakeUnit in your photo! You can also leave a comment or a recipe rating at the bottom of the page!
Related
Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting
Other recipes you may love...
(Click / tap the photos to be taken to the recipe pages!)
August 27, 2022
Cake Mix Donuts
Donuts - at home - in less than an hour? Yes please! ;)
As a new mom for just about three months as I write this - baked cake mix donuts are my newest favorite super-easy dessert!
The ‘base’ donut recipe that I’ve been playing around with was inspired by Jennifer Meyering and the BakerMama. And also the dozen or so 'cake mix cookie' and 'cake mix blondie' recipes I've read on Pinterest!
I tweaked those recipes a bit until I found a donut consistency that I loved. This recipe makes rich and delicious baked donuts with waay less grease than their traditional deep-fried counterparts. And they’ve gotten great reviews from my taste-testers!

FAQs
"Can you really make these in under an hour?"
You totally can! I've even made them with help from my now-3-year-old as I update this post. That tells you how easy they are!
One quick word of heads-up though; make sure the glaze dries before you try and stack them on a plate. I made a huge sticky mess with my first batch! :/
"Can I make the donuts or glaze ahead of time?"
Definitely! Wrap (unglazed) donuts well and refrigerate up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months. (If frozen, thaw in the refrigerator.)
Transfer glaze to a freezer bag or sealable container - I've not tried freezing it yet as it's super easy to make, but it kept fine for 3 days in the refrigerator!
"How do I store these donuts?"
Store in a sealable container; I often put a layer of plastic wrap over the top between the container and lid for a better seal. They'll keep at room temperature for 1-2 days or in the fridge for 2-3 days. (If they last that long ;) - and as long as they're protected from drying out.)
(Disclosure: As an Amazon associate I may earn from qualifying purchases, and my posts often contain affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you!)
Don't forget to pin this recipe for later!

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Cake Mix Donuts

Recipe for baked Cake Mix Donuts - my newest favorite quick and easy dessert! 4-ingredient donuts + easy glaze to decorate!

Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time16 minutes
Decorating time20 minutes
Total Time51 minutes

Course: Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Baked Donut Recipes, Cake Mix Donuts, Donuts from Cake Mix, Low Fat Donut Recipes, Red Velvet Donut Recipe

Servings: 12 donuts

Calories: 240kcal

Equipment
Donut pan(s) (linked is a set from Wilton that contains 2 6-donut pans)
Baker's floured cooking spray (optional)
wire cooling rack
small piping bag (optional)

Ingredients
Cake Mix Donuts
1 boxed cake mix (I used red velvet mix for the Gryffindor donuts in the photos)
3 eggs
½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick, melted and cooled)
Glaze & decorations
1 cup powdered sugar
¾ Tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
Sprinkle mix of your choice (optional; I used a Harry Potter sprinkle mix similar to this one!)

Instructions
Cake Mix Donuts
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease donut pan(s) with baker’s floured cooking spray (or grease and sprinkle with a bit of flour).
Mix together wet ingredients (eggs and butter) with a whisk or in a stand mixer with a paddle until fully combined (make sure melted butter isn't too hot, so it doesn't cook the eggs).
Add in cake mix, and mix on low speed until incorporated, and then increase speed to medium and beat for 1 minute. The mixture will be thick.
Fill each donut ring just over half full – the batter will overflow the rings if they're over-filled. About ¼ cup usually fills my donut pans to the right level
Bake at 350 ℉ for 12-16 minutes, until each donut is no longer sticky in the center and a toothpick comes out clean.
Glaze & Decorations
Combine all ingredients in a small mixing bowl, and whisk until well blended. (You can add a bit more powdered sugar or milk if your glaze seems too thin or thick.)
Glaze donuts either by dipping upside down in the bowl, or by transferring glaze to a piping bag and drizzling over the donuts.
(This glaze can dry fairly quickly in warm/dry weather, so cover if you’re not going to glaze your donuts right away!) Decorate to your liking – and enjoy!

Video

Notes
(Please note nutrition information is an estimate and may not be exactly accurate.)

Nutrition
Calories: 240kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 8g
Did you make these Cake Mix Donuts?
Let me know how it went – or make my day and find me on Pinterest or on Instagram and tag @IntensiveCakeUnit in your photo!
You can also add a comment or a recipe rating at the bottom of the page! 🙂
Other recipes you may love…
(Click / tap the photos to be taken to the recipe pages!)
September 20, 2021
Reese's Candy-filled Cake
Twist on one of my most popular cakes...
One of my all-time most popular recipe posts to date has been the Candy-Filled M&Ms cake. Probably because I cut the centers out of the base cake layers and filled the cake with M&Ms candy! (Who in the world would argue with that??) The candy spills out when you cut into the cake, and it's one of the most fun cakes I've ever made. I thought my little nephew's eyes were going to bug right out of his head when he saw it for the first time. I’ve been surprised how many views the video's accumulated on Pinterest and YouTube over time!
Anyway, I’m also a bit of a peanut butter addict. So when the idea of making a similar cake with Reese’s Pieces struck...well, it had to happen! This cake came together from that idea, and to this day I'm proud of it. 😉
I used Reese’s Pieces and quartered Reese’s cups inside the cake and on top. I didn’t add the empty Reese's Pieces box on top of this one like I did to the M&Ms cake. That said - adding the box on top would definitely be an option if you felt like it!
Recipe below!
(Disclosure: As an Amazon associate I may earn from qualifying purchases, and my posts often contain affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you!)
Why you'll love this cake:
Cake and frosting 100% homemade - they each come together in just one bowl, and are simple to make!
Perfect blend of chocolate and peanut butter - in the cake as well as the surprise center! Speaking of which...
SUPER fun to serve - because of the cascade of Reese's candy that spills out when the cake is cut!
Chocolate and peanut butter is arguably one of the best flavor combinations on the planet! I'm also not sure there's a type of frosting I love more than peanut butter frosting.;)
FAQs:
“How do I store this cake?”
Before serving, I often store my cakes in cake boxes – they help keep the cake from drying out without any plastic wrap touching the sides of the cake and potentially messing up the decorations. They're often expensive to buy though, so if you want to wrap your cake in plastic wrap flash-freeze it for at least 20 minutes, then wrap it well with plastic wrap and place into the fridge. I place cakes in the fridge if storing overnight but allow them to come to room temperature before serving.
Cover any remaining cake well after serving to keep it from drying out - it will keep at room temperature for 2-3 days or in the fridge for 3-5 days.
"Can I make the cake / frosting ahead of time?"
Definitely! Wrap the cake layers well and refrigerate up to 4 days or freeze up to 4 months. Transfer the frosting to a zip-lock bag and squeeze out the extra air, and again - refrigerate up to 4 days or freeze up to 4 months.
Quick 'cheater' cake layer version if you're short on time!
I can't say I really recommend this, but just to put out the option because I've tried it and it worked okay - You can simplify the cake-baking with cake mixes. (I know, I know. Judge all you want. I have two small kids as I update this post; I've had to call an audible or two in the last couple of years to maintain my sanity. I didn't say it was the best option, just that it can save you some time and mess. Cool?)
Substitute 2 of your favorite chocolate cake mixes plus the ingredients the mix calls for, and keep the baking pans the same. The cake layers will just be a little less dense and rich.
Substituting butter for oil and buttermilk for the milk or water will make the cake layers richer. 🙂

Print Recipe

Reese's Candy-Filled Cake

The only thing better than a Reese's cake...? A Reese's candy-filled cake with Reese's pieces and peanut butter cups in the center!

Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Decorating time30 minutes
Total Time1 hour 25 minutes

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Reese's cake, Reese's candy-filled cake

Servings: 16 servings

Calories: 795kcal

Author: Sarah H

Equipment
3 8 inch round cake pans
1 10 inch cardboard cake circle
Cake leveler
medium biscuit cutter (or you can use a glass; to remove cake layer centers)
Cake turntable
plastic cake scraper / pastry cutter (no idea why, but plastic scrapers worked much better for this frosting!)
1 Squeeze bottle (or piping bag or a spoon - whatever you'd prefer to add the ganache drip)
large piping bag + star tip

Ingredients
Reese's Candy-filled cake layers
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour (350 grams)
2 1/4 cups granulated sugar (450 grams)
1 1/4 cup cocoa powder (100 grams)
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter (250 grams /16 Tablespoons, softened)
4 large eggs (at room temperature)
1 1/2 cups buttermilk 350mL; buttermilk powder with water is an option if you can’t find liquid buttermilk at your grocery store!
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Peanut Butter Frosting
8 ounces cream cheese (one package, softened)
16 Tablespoons butter (two sticks, softened)
1 cup creamy peanut butter (8 ounces)
6-7 cups powdered sugar
2-4 Tablespoons milk
Ganache (for drip)
6 oz semisweet chocolate chips (1 cup)
6 oz heavy whipping cream (3/4 cup)
1 bag Reese’s Pieces candy
24-30 Reese’s peanut butter cups

Instructions
Cake layers
Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (180C) or 325 FC (160C) for a convection oven. Grease 3 8-inch cake pans with non-stick or baker's floured spray.
In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, add the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix on low for a minute to combine dry ingredients, then add softened butter 1 Tablespoon at a time until well incorporated into the dry ingredients and no lumps of butter are visible.
Next, whisk eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla together until well combined. With the mixer on low, add wet ingredients to dry ingredients in a steady stream until no dry ingredients are visible. Scrape down the bowl and beat for another 20 seconds.
Fill the three pans evenly - I find a kitchen scale helpful for this part, and each of mine weighed out to about 550g. Bake for 30-35 min or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow cake layers to cool for 10-15 minutes on a wire cooling rack before removing from pans, and cool completely before frosting. Set in the fridge or freezer to accelerate the cooling process if desired.
Once your cake layers are cool, level them (if needed/desired). This can be done with a cake leveler or a large serrated knife and a ruler.
Use a glass or medium-sized biscuit cutter to remove center from two of the three cake layers (so you can fill the cake with candy!)
Ensure cake layers are well-cooled or chilled before decorating. This is a great time to start prepping your frosting and ganache for the filling and drip!
Peanut Butter Frosting / Ganache
Beat together softened cream cheese and butter; beat in peanut butter until thoroughly combined. Slowly add in powdered sugar alternating with milk until frosting reaches desired consistency.
Meanwhile, make your ganache. Place chocolate chips in a heat-proof bowl. Add whipping cream and microwave on half power in 30-second intervals, stirring in between until smooth.
This peanut butter frosting recipe has a different texture than buttercream frostings, and I found plastic spatulas and cake scrapers worked a little better than my metal ones to spread/smooth the frosting!
Place a few smears of frosting on your cake circle (to keep the cake from sliding while you decorate it) and center your first cored cake layer in the center of the circle. Spread the layer with frosting. Fill the cored center with Reese’s Pieces candy and quartered Reese’s cups (I think I used 4 or so per layer).
Repeat the process with your remaining cake layers, and add the un-cored cake layer on top.
Now you're ready to crumb-coat . If you're unfamiliar with crumb-coating, it's just what it sounds like – spreading a thin layer of frosting over the entire outside of the cake to keep crumbs out of your final layer.
Once your crumb coat has set (this takes about 10 minutes in the fridge), add your final layer of frosting and smooth. Again, I used a small plastic knife and plastic bench scraper. Once your cake is covered, place it into the fridge or freezer to set the frosting.
Decorating
Okaaaay...the drip! When your ganache has cooled to a moderate temperature – it should feel slightly warm and still be fairly liquid – transfer it to a squeeze bottle or piping bag. A spoon will work if you don’t have either of those, I’ve just found spoons to be a tiny bit more difficult to work with.
Slowly drizzle ganache around the upper edge of your cake, pausing every inch or so to let ganache fall in a drip down the side of the cake. Return cake to the fridge for about 10 minutes to set the drips.
Pipe peanut butter frosting in swirls around the upper rim of your cake – I used the large star tip from the piping tip set that I linked above – alternating with Reese’s cups. This will help hold the candy on top in place! Pile Reese’s pieces candy and more quartered Reese’s cups on top of the cake – I mounded mine a bit so they would show over the frosting/Reese’s cup rim. I also added some more candy to the base of the cake (this is optional, but I liked the color it added to the cake base).
Annnd you’re done! Step back and admire your kick-butt cake!

Video

Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 795kcal | Carbohydrates: 103g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 41g
Did you make this recipe? Let me know how it went – or make my day and find me on Pinterest or on Instagram and tag @IntensiveCakeUnit in your photo!
You may also love -
Candy-filled M&MS Cake
Reese's Geode Cake
July 25, 2021
Easy Brownie Bites
Why do I sometimes prefer brownie bites to mini cupcakes?
Well...let me tell you! I was setting out desserts on a dessert table tray once, and hit a problem when I got to some light mini cupcakes.
What happened? Part of the problem was the not-100%-level table...but I had a big issue with the mini cupcakes tipping over!
I’ve seen mini cupcakes be a HUGE hit so many times! They'll sometimes disappear completely at get-togethers ranging from family dinners to summer picnics to baby showers to weddings. They're light, cute, and delicious!
But they can often be so light at the base - and top-heavy from the frosting - that they tend to fall over! Inconvenient for one. Irritating since that tends to get frosting everywhere. And even more annoying when they fall over into each other and make an even bigger mess.
Conundrums. Because those minis *are* so fun, so cute, and so popular! They're also simple to make, and super easy to decorate. So what to do?

Easy fix?
Instead of light cupcake batter - make mini brownie bites! They can easily be made from scratch OR doctored-up mixes, and they’re easy to decorate, festive, delicious, and can serve a large crowd! Recipe below!
Like most brownie recipes, you have tons of options here! If you’d rather doctor up brownie mixes, use your favorite boxed mix (I usually go with Ghiradelli), substitute butter for the oil, replace the water with milk, and add an extra egg!
One quick FYI before we get to the recipe -
Okay, so I've made a few rounds of these brownie bites at this point. And a couple times I started to doubt my own advice about using the mini cupcake liners. A few batches *stuck* to the cupcake liners and were real buggers to get out of the liners!
Over time I've realized I have trouble with the liners sticking when I'm not paying attention and over-bake the brownie bites. If the brownies aren't hard/crunchy on the edges, then the cupcake liners usually release fine.
If hard and crunchy brownie edges are you jam, then I'd really recommend baker's floured spray over the mini cupcake liners. That should help keep them from sticking to the pan, but also prevent the aggravation of trying to peel off stuck-on cupcake liners from your dessert.
Okay - I think that covers everything! Scroll on down for the recipe! 🙂 Enjoy!
(Disclosure: As an Amazon associate I may earn from qualifying purchases, and my posts often contain affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you!)

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Easy Brownie Bites

One problem with mini cupcakes? Frosted, they're top-heavy! Brownie bites are a perfect bite-sized dessert - and they won't tip over!

Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Decorating time20 minutes
Total Time1 hour

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Brownie Bites, Brownies with Cream Cheese frosting, Cream Cheese Frosted Brownies, Easy Brownie Bites

Servings: 48 brownie bites

Calories: 218kcal

Equipment
Mini cupcake pans (48 cups total)
48 Mini cupcake liners (optional)
piping bag, disposable (optional, but makes transferring batter to pans much easier)
small piping bag + tip (I used a small resusable bag and a Wilton 1M)

Ingredients
Brownies bites
1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks, melted)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar
4 large eggs
6 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
¾ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
1 ½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting
6 ounces cream cheese (¾ package; softened)
¾ cup butter (1 ½sticks, softened)
4 ½ - 5 cups powdered sugar
½ - 1 Tablespoons milk
2 teaspoons clear vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt (if using unsalted butter)
Decorations
Sprinkle mix of your choice (Optional; I used ‘Thank You Next’ Sprinkle Mix by FancySprinkles – I can’t find it online anymore, but their ‘Cotton Candy Kiss’ mix is very similar!)

Instructions
Brownies bites
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 24-cup mini cupcake pans with mini liners or grease with non-stick or baker’s floured cooking spray. (Though for ease of cleanup and serving I recommend the liners!)
Mix together melted butter and granulated and brown sugars. Whisk in eggs until well combined. Whisk in cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, and gradually stir in all-purpose flour until combined. Stir in vanilla and chocolate chips, and pour into a large piping bag. You can transfer the batter to the cupcake pans with a spoon, but it tends to be a painful process and make a huge mess – I highly recommend the piping bag!
Bake for 18-20 minutes (or until a toothpick comes out clean) – don’t overbake these; the paper liners will become difficult to remove if the edges of the brownies are too caramelized and dry.
Cool completely before frosting. Set in the fridge or freezer to accelerate the cooling process if desired. (The waiting time while the brownies cool is a great time to make your frosting!)
Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting
Beat together softened cream cheese and butter; slowly add in powdered sugar alternating with milk until frosting reaches desired consistency. Add vanilla and salt if needed and beat until well combined.
Decorating
Now you’re ready to decorate! I used the large open star from my large tip set when I piped the frosting onto the brownies – frost to your liking!
Add sprinkles to your liking – I started with larger ones centered where I thought they looked best and then added smaller ones on around them. (You could also skip the ‘placement’ and just sprinkle them over the top – either works! Placing the sprinkles sometimes makes for a more polished look - but the second one’s more fun!)
Annnd you’re done! High-five yourself –and enjoy!

Video

Notes
(Please note nutrition information is an estimate and may not be exactly accurate.)

Nutrition
Serving: 1brownie bite | Calories: 218kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 11g
Mentioned in post - Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting
Did you make these Easy Brownie Bites?
Let me know how it went - or find me on Pinterest or on Instagram and tag @IntensiveCakeUnit in your photo!
You can also add a comment or a recipe rating at the bottom of the page! 🙂
Other recipes you may love…
(Click / tap the photos to be taken to the recipe pages!)
June 16, 2021
Almond Blackberry Cake
"This might be your best cake ever."
- taste tester 🙂
So - the backstory to the creation of this Almond Blackberry cake. There are a huge line of wild blackberry bushes just down the street from my house, and every summer about August they’re covered in blackberries – I’ve been soo spoiled the last few years! I can usually pick enough to have a pretty good stock on hand in the freezer through at least spring if not summer of the next year.
This year (2020 as I write this), I encountered a problem I’d never had before. Stocking up the freezer with meals before our new baby’s arrival, I ran myself out of freezer space and needed to use up some blackberries! I made a blackberry reduction from one quart bag and added it to a batch of cream cheese buttercream frosting – and we were off! The same reduction makes an AMAZING filling, and paired with slivered almonds and almond extract – oh man. So good! This Almond Blackberry cake just *vaporized* the day I took a tester in to my coworkers 😉 Recipe below!
Why make this Almond Blackberry Cake?
Personally, I think almond is one of the most under-used and under-appreciated cake flavors. It's SO good! It pairs so well with the rich buttery tones of these cake layers, and blends really well with the blackberry reduction in this recipe!
Use fresh or frozen blackberries - makes a great cake whether it's summer or winter!
Delicious combination of almond flavoring, sliced almonds, and blackberries in the cake layers, filling, frosting, and top of the cake
Beautifully colored frosting with zero artificial colors!
(Disclosure: As an Amazon associate I may earn from qualifying purchases, and my posts often contain affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you!)

Don't forget to pin this recipe for later!

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Almond Blackberry Cake

Fresh or frozen blackberries and almonds come together in this recipe to make what my coworker called 'your best cake ever!'

Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time37 minutes
Decorating time45 minutes
Total Time1 hour 52 minutes

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Almond Blackberry Cake, Blackberry Cake, Blackberry Summer Cake

Servings: 16 servings

Calories: 747kcal

Equipment
3 8 inch round cake pans
1 10 inch cardboard cake circle
Baker's floured cooking spray
Cake leveler
Cake turntable
large offset spatula
cake scraper or pastry cutter
Squeeze bottle (or small piping bag; to add cake drip)
large piping bag + star tip
textured cake comb (optional; I used a comb from the linked set by Wilton)

Ingredients
Almond Blackberry Cake Layers
3 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
3 cup granulated sugar
2 ½ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks, room temperature)
5 eggs
1 ½ cups buttermilk (room temperature)
2 teaspoons almond extract
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup chopped blackberries (fresh or frozen; I used frozen)
¾ cup sliced almonds
Blackberry reduction
3 ½ cups blackberries (fresh or frozen; I used frozen)
½ cup brown sugar
Blackberry Frosting
8 ounces cream cheese (one package; softened)
1 cup unsalted butter (two sticks, softened)
6 cups powdered sugar
1 cup blackberry reduction (from recipe above)
1-2 teaspoons milk (if needed)
1 teaspoon almond extract
¼ teaspoon salt
Filling, Drip, & Decorations
Remaining blackberry reduction (from recipe above; for filling)
Additional ¾ cup sliced almonds (for filling & decorating)
4 ounces white candy melts I use the Wilton brand Bright White
2 Tablespoons heavy whipping cream (the brand I usually use is incredibly thick; you may need a bit less depending on the thickness of your heavy cream!)
½ teaspoon almond extract (for cake drip)

Instructions
Almond Blackberry Cake Layers
Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare three 8-inch round pans with baker's floured spray (or grease and line with parchment rounds).
Mix together all dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt) in a stand mixer with a paddle (or mixing bowl with a hand mixer or whisk) until fully combined.
Mix chunks of room-temperature butter slowly into the dry mix, on a low speed. Continue to mix until no large chunks of butter remain, and the mixture becomes crumbly.
Pour in eggs and mix on low until just incorporated. Mix in the buttermilk on low speed. Add in almond extract and oil, and mix until fully combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula, then beat on medium speed for about 30 seconds. Fold in blackberries and sliced almonds.
Divide batter evenly between the prepared cake pans (I find a kitchen scale helpful for this part). This guarantees your layers will bake to be the same height.
Bake for 35-37 minutes (or until a toothpick comes out clean). Allow cake layers to cool for 10-15 minutes on a wire cooling rack before removing from pans. Cool completely before frosting. Set in the fridge or freezer to accelerate the cooling process if desired. (This is a great time to start your blackberry reduction and frosting!)
Once the layers have fully cooled, they can be leveled and any caramelized bits can be trimmed from the sides / top of the cake using a serrated knife if desired. Be sure the layers are completely cooled or chilled before trimming. If you try to trim the layers while they’re still warm, they will crumble apart.
Blackberry reduction
Place berries and sugar in a medium saucepan over low heat. Stir for 2-3 minutes, pressing berries with the back of your spoon until they begin to soften and break down into a sauce.
Continue to cook uncovered over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 50-60 minutes until reduction appears darker and thicker. Cool to room temperature before using. (Note: you can strain this reduction to remove the blackberry seeds. I find the process painful and time-consuming, and I don’t mind the texture of seeds in the filling or frosting. Up to you!)
Blackberry Frosting
Beat together softened cream cheese and butter; slowly add in powdered sugar alternating with blackberry reduction and milk if needed until frosting reaches a spreadable consistency. Add extract and salt and beat until well combined.
Assembly
Place a smear of frosting on your cake circle (to keep the cake from sliding while you decorate it) and center your first cake layer in the center of the circle. Spread the layer with frosting, and spread a layer of blackberry reduction over the frosting. Add a sprinkle of almonds if desired, and add the next layer on top.
Repeat the process with your remaining cake layers.
Now you're ready to crumb-coat . If you're unfamiliar with crumb-coating, it's just what it sounds like – spreading a thin layer of frosting over the entire outside of the cake to keep crumbs out of your final layer. I usually do this with my large offset spatula.
Once your crumb coat has set (this takes about 5-10 minutes in the fridge), add your final layer of frosting and smooth. I like to start with an offset spatula and bench scraper for this part, and I textured the cake with this Wilton cake comb. Once your cake is covered, place it into the fridge or freezer to set the frosting.
Cake drip
Place heavy cream and candy melts in a microwave-safe bowl, and microwave on 50% power in 30-second intervals until smooth, stirring in between. Add flavoring and stir until smooth.
When your candy melt mix has cooled to a moderate temperature – it should feel slightly warm and still be fairly liquid – transfer it to a squeeze bottle or piping bag. A spoon will work; you'll just have a little less control over the drips.
Slowly drizzle ganache around the upper edge of your cake, pausing every inch or so to let more fall in a drip down the side of the cake. Cover the cake top with the remaining drip mix and smooth. Return cake to the fridge or freezer to set the drips.
Transfer remaining frosting to a piping bag fitted with the tip of your choice, and add swirls of frosting around the upper edge of the cake. Sprinkle with a few more sliced almonds – and you’re done! Snap a picture, and serve and enjoy!

Video

Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 747kcal | Carbohydrates: 99g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 39g
Did you make this Almond Blackberry Cake?
Let me know how it went - or find me on Pinterest or on Instagram and tag @IntensiveCakeUnit in your photo!
You can also add a comment or a recipe rating at the bottom of the page! 🙂
Other recipes you may love…
(Click / tap the photos to be taken to the recipe pages!)
June 8, 2021
Grasshopper Cake
One of my favorite yearly birthday cakes!
Every year for my dad’s birthday - and sometimes also for Father’s Day - my mom makes a ‘Grasshopper cake.’ It's a classic for our family - no one ever gets tired of it!
"What is a Grasshopper cake?"
Fair question! In short, it’s a cake-take on the Grasshopper cocktail. The Grasshopper is typically made with Creme de Menthe, Creme de Cacao, and heavy cream. (I'll be honest - we made one and tried it once. It was good...but the cake is so much better!)
My mom's cake recipe calls for a white cake mix, with ½ cup of the water replaced with Creme de Menthe. Doesn’t sound like much, but I tried more than this once, and the mint was so strong it was almost bitter. Lesson learned!
I also think using buttermilk instead of water and butter instead of oil gives the cake a richer more bakery-like texture without changing the flavor. I’ve used chocolate ganache instead of the chocolate fudge the recipe calls for. It keeps the same texture and rich chocolate flavor, and is a bit easier to work with.
You can absolutely frost this cake with buttercream / cream cheese frosting if you'd prefer. But I love using stabilized whipped cream to decorate since it’s light, tastes amazing, and captures the classic flavors of the cake I grew up with!
Give it a shot and let me know how it goes!!
"I don't know about the square cake thing...can I make this cake with round pans?"
Absolutely! Round layers may be just a touch thicker and might need a minute or two more baking time, but you can use the same recipe with 8-inch round pans!
I used a square pans with a square acrylic cake disc in the video/photos. I won't lie; although I love the look of square cakes, they can be just a bit more difficult to frost. But since most of the decorating can be done with a piping bag, this is a great option if you'd like to try your first square cake!
"I don't know about using cake mixes. Is there a scratch recipe you can recommend?"
Yep! This Grasshopper Ombre Cake recipe uses scratch layers flavored with Creme de Menthe like this recipe. You can ignore the food coloring directions; just transfer batter to pans and bake!
(Disclosure: As an Amazon associate I may earn from qualifying purchases, and my posts often contain affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you!)

Print Recipe

Grasshopper Cake

A cake-take on the grasshopper (creme de menthe, creme de cacao, and cream) combines mint cake, chocolate, and stabilized whipped cream!

Prep Time45 minutes
Cook Time37 minutes
Decorating time45 minutes
Total Time2 hours 7 minutes

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Grasshopper Cake, Grasshopper layer cake, Mint Chocolate Cake, Mint Chocolate Grasshopper Cake

Servings: 16 servings

Calories: 757kcal

Equipment
3 8-inch square cake pans
1 8-inch cardboard cake square
Cake leveler (or serrated knife - both optional since these layers usually bake fairly flat)
Cake turntable
large offset spatula
cake scraper or pastry cutter
large piping bag + star tip
small piping bag + star tip
Cake topper (optional)

Ingredients
Grasshopper Cake layers
2 boxes white cake mix (I like Duncan Hines)
1 cup unsalted butter (or 2 sticks, melted)
1 1/2 cups buttermilk (room temperature)
1/2 cup Crème de Menthe liqueur
8 egg whites (or 1 cup egg whites from a carton)
Chocolate ganache (for filling + decorating)
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (12 ounces)
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream (12 ounces)
Stabilized Whipped Cream:
2 cups heavy whipping cream
½ cup water (combine with gelatin)
2 teaspoons powdered gelatin
¾ - 1 cup powdered sugar
2-4 Tablespoons Creme de Menthe liqueur to taste
3-4 drops liquid green food coloring
Decorations
10-15 Andes Mints

Instructions
Grasshopper Cake layers
Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare three 8-inch round pans with baker's floured spray (or grease and line with parchment rounds).
Combine melted butter, buttermilk, Crème de Menthe, and egg whites in a bowl, and blend in packaged cake mixes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula, and beat for about 2 minutes, until well blended.
Divide batter evenly between the prepared cake pans (I find a kitchen scale helpful for this part). This guarantees your layers will bake to be the same height. Spread batter evenly to pan edges and bake for time specified on box; mine took about 25 minutes. Allow cake layers to cool for 10-15 minutes on a wire cooling rack before removing from pans. Cool completely before frosting. Set in the fridge or freezer to accelerate the cooling process if desired. (This is a great time to make your ganache and whipped cream!)
Chocolate ganache
Combine chocolate chips and whipping cream in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 20-second intervals on half power; stirring in between until fully melted and smooth.
Chill until thick enough to spread, but it'll be the easiest to work with if you don't let it solidify completely.
Stabilized Whipped Cream
Chill your mixing bowl and beaters/mixer attachment for 15 minutes before whipping cream.
Place water in a microwave-safe bowl and sprinkle powdered gelatin over the top; allow to sit for 5 minutes to soften. Microwave in 30-second intervals until melted and allow to cool; gelatin must be liquid but not hot when added to the whipping cream.
Add whipping cream, powdered sugar, and Crème de Menthe to mixing bowl; beat on medium-high speed just until beater marks begin to show distinctly (about 1 minute in my stand mixer). Add gelatin mixture to cream, pouring in a steady stream while beating constantly. (Try to avoid pouring directly on the beater so it doesn’t splatter). Beat until stiff peaks form. Place in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Assembly
Once your cakes are cool, level them (if needed). Place a smear of chocolate on your square (to keep the cake from sliding while you decorate it) and center your first cake layer in the center of the circle. Pipe a border of whipped cream or frosting around the outer edge of the layer, and fill with chocolate ganache. Add a sprinkle of chopped Andes mints, and place the next layer on top. Repeat the process with your remaining cake layers.
Now you're ready to crumb-coat . If you're unfamiliar with crumb-coating, it's just what it sounds like – spreading a thin layer of whipped cream over the entire outside of the cake to keep crumbs out of your final layer. I usually do this with my large offset spatula.
Once your crumb coat has set (this takes about 5-10 minutes in the fridge), add your final layer of frosting and smooth. I like to use an offset spatula and bench scraper for this part.
Now the fun part – decorating!
Transfer your whipped cream or frosting to a large piping bag, and your remaining chocolate fudge or chocolate ganache to another piping bag (I used a large bag + star tip for my whipped cream and a smaller bag + Wilton 1M tip for my chocolate). Pipe in rosettes, swirls, squiggles, or whatever shapes you’d like until the cake is covered! I covered mine with halved Andes mints for a bit more texture.
(Note: using my favorite Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting – replacing the vanilla with Creme de Menthe – is also an option!)

Video

Notes
(Please note nutrition information is an estimate and may not be exactly accurate.)

Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 757kcal | Carbohydrates: 98g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 38g
Did you make this Grasshopper Cake?
Let me know how it went - or find me on Pinterest or on Instagram and tag @IntensiveCakeUnit in your photo!
You can also add a comment or a recipe rating at the bottom of the page! 🙂
Other recipes you may love…
(Click / tap the photos to be taken to the recipe pages!)
May 26, 2021
Hawaiian Island Smash Cake
Always my favorite cakes to make - I think smash cakes are just the cutest!
Smash cake requests are my absolute favorite things! Smash cakes are so cute, they're so fun to make - and they make for the absolute best birthday party pictures! 🙂
I got a request for a 'Hawaiian Island smash cake' for a little girl’s first birthday not long ago…I was so excited! I've learned over time that the brighter the smash cake frosting - the better the pictures as it gets smashed and frosting gets everywhere!
I went with super bright colors for the frosting, but kept the rest of the decorations pretty simple. No Hawaiian-style flowers really grow where I live, so I opted for artificial flowers. Some candy melt seashells and graham cracker sand at the base, and this Hawaiian Island smash cake was all set! Recipe below!
FAQS:
"Your recipe calls for cake mixes? Seriously?"
Okay, all my scratch recipe purists - hear me out on this one! 😉 Lol I have a reason!
It's true, nothing beats scratch cakes for taste. But there's one catch. My favorite scratch recipes just bake too dense to be easily smash-able by little hands. My first smash cake barely got smashed at all, because the sweet little one-year-old I made it for just couldn't get her fingers through the cake!
After making many smash cakes over several years, I've found cake mixes to work the best. Smash cakes need to be...smashable!
All of that said though - if you'd like a scratch recipe though, a half batch of my favorite Vanilla Cake layer recipe is great for smash cakes! 🙂 A scaled version perfect for 6-inch cake layers is on the Vanilla Cake layer recipe page, below the standard recipe.
“How do I transport or store this cake?”
Before serving - and if I need to transport a cake anywhere - I tend to favor cake boxes. Boxes help keep the cake from drying out without any plastic wrap touching the sides of the cake and potentially messing up the decorations!
I place cakes in the fridge if storing overnight, but allow them to come to room temperature before serving.
(Disclosure: As an Amazon associate I may earn from qualifying purchases, and my posts often contain affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you!)
Don't forget to pin for later!

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Hawaiian Island Smash Cake

Smash cakes are just the CUTEST! Made with bright frosting and candy melt seashells, this Hawaiian Island cake is sure to be a...smash! 😉

Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Decorating time45 minutes
Total Time1 hour 35 minutes

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Hawaiian Island Smash Cake, Hawaiian Smash Cake, Moana Smash Cake, Ocean Smash Cake

Servings: 1 smash cake

Calories: 680kcal

Author: Sarah H

Equipment
3 6 inch round cake pans
1 8 inch cardboard cake circle (a 6-inch circle would work; I've just found moving cakes on larger circles easier)
Baker's floured cooking spray
large offset spatula (to spread frosting)
cake scraper or pastry cutter (to smooth frosting)
Cake turntable (optional, but makes decorating much faster and easier!)

Ingredients
Cake layers
1 box Vanilla cake mix (I prefer Duncan Hines French Vanilla)
½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick, melted and cooled)
1 cup buttermilk (room temperature, or use 1 cup milk mixed with with 2 tsp lemon juice)
3 eggs
1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting
4 ounces cream cheese (softened)
4 ounces butter (softened)
4 cups powdered sugar
2 Tbsp milk
1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
2-4 drops yellow gel food coloring (save & add later)
2-4 drops orange gel food coloring (save & add later)
2-4 drops purple gel food coloring (save & add later)
Decorations
4 ounces White Candy Melts (for the seashells; I used Wilton Bright white)
Seashell mold (I used this mold from Amazon)
Silk tropical flowers (I found mine at Hobby Lobby, but these flowers clips and these small palm leaves are available on Amazon)
¼ cup Graham cracker crumbs (fake ‘sand’ for the cake base)

Instructions
Cake layers
Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare cake pans with baker's floured cooking spray, or grease and line with parchment rounds.
Combine melted butter, buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla in a large bowl and mix until combined. Add in cake mix and stir until moistened (about 30 seconds), then beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes.
Using a kitchen scale, divide batter evenly between the 6” pans – I had about 300gin each pan. (Using the kitchen scale guarantees your layers will bake to be the same height.)
Bake for 25-30 minutes, (or until a toothpick comes out clean). Allow cake layers to cool for 10-15 minutes on a wire cooling rack before removing from pans. Cool completely before frosting. Set in the fridge or freezer to accelerate the cooling process if desired. (This is a great time to make your frosting!)
Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting
Beat together softened cream cheese and butter; slowly add in powdered sugar alternating with milk until frosting reaches desired consistency. Add vanilla and salt if needed and beat until well combined.
Assembly
Once your cakes are cool, level them - this can be done with a cake leveler or a large serrated knife and a ruler. Place a smear of frosting on your cake circle (to keep the cake from sliding while you decorate it) and center your first cake layer in the center of the circle. Spread the layer with frosting. Add your second cake layer on top – I like to flip the top layer upside down to make smoothing the top edge easier.
Now you're ready to crumb-coat . If you're unfamiliar with crumb-coating, it's just what it sounds like – spreading a thin layer of frosting over the entire outside of the cake tiers to keep crumbs out of your final layer. Place in the fridge for 5-10 minutes to set.
Decorating
Divide remaining frosting into 3 parts, and color one yellow, one orange, and one purple.
Once your crumb coat has set (this takes about 5-10 minutes in the fridge), add your final layers of frosting with an offset spatula – each covering about 1/3 of the cake – and smooth with a cake scraper. Once your cake is covered, place it into the fridge or freezer to set the frosting.
Melt candy melts in the microwave, in 30-second intervals on half power. Transfer to silicone mold and smooth tops with a scraper or offset spatula, and place in the fridge to set.
The rest of the decorating process is fairly simple – top with flowers / palm leaves to your liking, transfer candy melt seashells to the cake, and add a rim of graham cracker crumbs around the cake base to resemble sand.
Step back, admire your cake, and find someone to give you a high-five! (Shoot me a DM on Instagram if you can’t find anyone right away!)

Video

Notes
(Please note nutrition information is an estimate and may not be exactly accurate.)

Nutrition
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 680kcal | Carbohydrates: 93g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 33g
Mentioned in post -
Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting
Did you make this Hawaiian Island Smash Cake?
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April 15, 2021
Thin Mint Brownies
Nobody said sheet cakes have to be boring!
It’s Girl Scout cookie season, and I got several boxes of cookies recently from my nieces – including two boxes of Thin Mints! I needed a way to get them out of the house before I ate both of them by myself….so into / onto a pan of brownies they went! HUGE hit with my taste-testers; they were gone soo fast!
Why I love this recipe - and you will too!
Sometimes I need a dessert that’s simple and goes together quickly!
A decorated 9x13 sheet pan of cake or brownies can easily be made from scratch OR doctored-up mixes -
and they’re easy to decorate, festive, delicious, and can serve a large crowd! :)

Recipe(s) below!
2 quick recipe notes -
First – you have lots of options here!
I'm a dense-chocolatey-brownie addict, and the recipe below reflects that! These brownies will be very much on the rich side, especially with the cream cheese frosting added. If you'd rather have a slightly-less-dense dessert I'd use a chocolate sheet cake recipe like this one!
Second - time-saver options!
If you’d rather doctor up brownie mixes, use two mixes (I usually go with Ghiradelli), substitute butter for the oil, replace the water with milk or buttermilk, and add an extra egg!)
"What if I don't have Thin Mints?"
I know...they're not available year-round. I kinda wish that was different! There are similar cookies available online - I've linked them below - or you can use any other chocolate mint cookie or After Eights or Andes mints.
One more option - Oreo brownies!
I've made a similar dessert substituting Oreos for the Thin Mints - leave the mint out of the brownie layer, but add 1 cup of chopped Oreos. You can also substitute dark or black cocoa powder and make a darker brownie layer to resemble the Oreo cookie a bit more!
(Disclosure: As an Amazon associate I may earn from qualifying purchases, and my posts often contain affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you!)
Oreo Brownies

Print Recipe

Thin Mint Brownies

Who said sheet cakes have to be boring? These Thin Mint Brownies are covered with cream cheese buttercream frosting and Thin Mint cookies!

Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Decorating time15 minutes
Total Time1 hour 15 minutes

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Brownies with Cream Cheese frosting, Brownies with Thin Mints, Cream Cheese Frosted Brownies, Thin Mint Brownies

Servings: 24 servings

Calories: 437kcal

Equipment
1 9x13 baking pan
3 small piping bags + tips (for decorating; I used one large and three small bags but you can use whatever you'd prefer!)
large piping bag + star tip

Ingredients
Brownies
1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks, melted)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar
4 large eggs
6 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
¾ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon mint extract (I used McCormick’s Mint extract)
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Mint Cream Cheese Frosting
8 ounces cream cheese (one package; softened)
1 cup butter (two sticks, softened)
6 cups powdered sugar
1-2 Tablespoons milk
1 Tablespoon mint extract (I used McCormick’s Mint extract)
1/4 teaspoon salt (if using unsalted butter)
1-2 drops green gel food color (save and add later - I colored about ½ cup of the frosting a deep green, added a tiny drop to another cup of frosting to make a mint green, and left the rest white.)
Decorations
15-20 Thin Mint cookies
Sprinkle mix of your choice! optional; I used 'Silver Bells' by FancySprinkles

Instructions
Brownies
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13 baking pan with non-stick or baker’s floured cooking spray.
Mix together melted butter and granulated and brown sugars. Whisk in eggs until well combined. Whisk in cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, and gradually stir in all-purpose flour until combined. Stir in vanilla, mint extract, and chocolate chips, and pour into prepared pan.
Bake for 35-40 minutes (or until a toothpick comes out clean). Cool completely before frosting. Set in the fridge or freezer to accelerate the cooling process if desired. (This is a great time to make your frosting!)
Mint Cream Cheese Frosting
Beat together softened cream cheese and butter; slowly add in powdered sugar alternating with milk and mint extract until frosting reaches a pipeable consistency. Add salt if needed and beat until well combined.
Decorating
Color frosting to your liking - I transferred about 1/2 cup to a small bowl and 1 cup to a slightly larger bowl, and colored them dark and light green. The rest I left white!
Transfer frosting(s) to piping bags – I used the large open star from my large tip set and a smaller open star and oblong teardrop-shaped tip from my smaller set when I piping on the frosting. I usually find it easiest to start with the larger tips and fill in around them with smaller designs. Up to you!
Add sprinkles to your liking – I started with larger ones spaced where I thought they looked best and then added smaller ones in between them.
You could also skip the ‘placement’ and just sprinkle them over the top! The first method might give you a more polished look, but the second's usually more fun!
Annnd you’re done! High-five yourself –and enjoy!

Video

Notes
(Please note nutrition information is an estimate, and may not be exactly accurate. Counts will be lower in all fields if full batch of frosting is not used.)

Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 437kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 22g
Mentioned in post -
Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting
Did you make these Thin Mint Brownies?
Let me know how it went - or find me on Pinterest or on Instagram and tag @IntensiveCakeUnit in your photo!
You can also add a comment or a recipe rating at the bottom of the page! 🙂
Other recipes you may love…
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April 15, 2021
Samoas Cake
Girl Scout cookie season strikes again!
Welllll it’s been Girl Scout cookie season around here. So I’ve had cookies coming out my ears and they always make me want to use them to decorate a Samoas cake!
I remember seeing a chocolate/caramel drip cake somewhere on Pinterest a while ago – and it seemed like a perfect fit for a Samoas Cake!
I filled rich chocolate cake layers with chopped Samoas cookies, caramel frosting, and a drizzle of ganache and caramel topping. And OH man. So good. And it vaporized SO fast when I took the rest of the cake into work!
Recipe below!
Why make this Samoas Cake?
Because chocolate + caramel + coconut is one of the best flavor combinations out there! And this cake puts them all together in a delicious and visually stunning cake.
Rich chocolate cake layers feature my favorite cake ingredient - buttermilk! They bake up moist and level, and are easy to stack and decorate.
Caramel cream cheese buttercream frosting - need I say more? 😉
To top it all off...a ring of Samoas and chocolate ganache decorate the top of the cake!
(Disclosure: As an Amazon associate I may earn from qualifying purchases, and my posts often contain affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you!)
Couple quick tips for the cake drip -
First - really important to make sure your heavy cream and chocolate are measured accurately. Small changes in the amounts can really throw off the 'drippiness' of your drip!
Also - I always try a 'test' drip' before pouring all the ganache mixture on. That way I can thin down or thicken up the mixture by adjusting the temperature if I need to!
Couple quick tips for frosting -
So I actually wrote a whole post on frosting cakes! But I'll recap the high points here.
First, supplies. I never frost a cake without a -
Cardboard or acrylic cake circle (or a 100% flat plate)
Cake turntable
Cake scraper or pastry cutter
domed cake layers will tend to throw off your frosting. If you trim down the tops until they're flat, they won't wobble or trap air pockets.
A frosting 'dam' around the outer edges of your layers will be your best friend to keep all the filling inside!
Okay now - when you go to add that final layer of frosting, I highly recommend chilling or flash freezing your cake first (unless you live in a very humid area). This really helps firm up the frosting next to the cake and make it easier to smooth!
And I think that's it! On to the recipe - happy baking!

Don't forget to pin for later!

Print Recipe

Samoas Cake

All the flavors of the Girl Scout cookie packed into a delicious Samoas Cake! Features a caramel chocolate double drip and a ring of cookies!

Prep Time45 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Decorating time45 minutes
Total Time2 hours 5 minutes

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Chocolate and Caramel Cake, Chocolate Caramel Coconut Cake, Girl Scout Cookie Cake, Girl Scout Samoas Cake, Samoas Cake

Servings: 16 servings

Calories: 778kcal

Equipment
3 8 inch round cake pans
1 10 inch cardboard cake circle (an 8-inch circle would work; I've just found transporting cakes easier on larger circles)
Baker's floured cooking spray
Cake leveler
Cake turntable
large offset spatula
cake scraper or pastry cutter
2 Squeeze bottles or piping bags (for cake drips)
large piping bag + star tip (for decorating)

Ingredients
Chocolate Cake layers
2 ¼ cups all purpose flour (350g)
2 ¼ cups granulated sugar (450g)
1 ¼ cup cocoa powder (100g)
1 tsp baking soda
¾ tsp salt
1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks/250g; softened)
4 large eggs (at room temperature)
1 ½ cups buttermilk (350mL)
2 tsp vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting
8 ounces cream cheese (one package; softened)
1 cup butter (two sticks, softened)
6 cups powdered sugar
1-2 Tablespoons milk
2 Tablespoons caramel topping (you can purchase this online – Smuckers Salted Caramel is the thickest I’ve found and one of my favorites – or make your own!)
1 Tablespoon clear vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt (if using unsalted butter)
Chocolate ganache drip
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (12 ounces)
1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream (12 ounces)
Decorations
¼ cup caramel topping
1 box Samoas Girl Scout cookies (I chopped about 16 to fill the cake and used almost as many to decorate the top)

Instructions
Chocolate Cake layers
Preheat an oven to 350℉ (180℃). Grease 3 8-inch cake pans with baker's floured spray and/or line pans with parchment rounds.
Mix together dry ingredients (flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt) in the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle (or hand mixer or whisk) until well combined. Add in bits of softened butter, mixing until no lumps of butter are visible and the mixture looks crumbly.
Whisk together eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla. Add to dry ingredients and mix until no dry ingredients are visible. Scrape down the bowl and beat for another 20 seconds.
Fill the three pans evenly - I find a kitchen scale helpful for this part, and each of mine weighed out to about 550g. Bake for 30-35 min or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow cake layers to cool for 10-15 minutes on a wire cooling rack before removing from pans, and cool completely before frosting. Set in the fridge or freezer to accelerate the cooling process if desired. (While you’re waiting, make your frosting and ganache for the filling and drip!)
Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting
Beat together softened cream cheese and butter; slowly add in powdered sugar alternating with milk, caramel, and vanilla until frosting reaches a spreadable consistency. Add vanilla and salt and beat until well combined.
Chocolate ganache drip
Place chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl. Add whipping cream and microwave on half power in 30-second intervals, stirring in between until fully melted and smooth.
Assembly
Once your cakes are cool, level them (if needed/desired). This can be done with a cake leveler or a large serrated knife and a ruler. Place a smear of frosting or ganache on your cake circle (to keep the cake from sliding while you decorate it) and center your first cake layer in the center of the circle. Spread the layer with frosting.
I piped a rim of frosting around the outer edge and filled the cake with chopped Samoas and a drizzle of chocolate ganache and caramel. Optional but absolutely recommended! Repeat the process with your remaining cake layers – I like to flip the last one upside down to make the top edge of the cake easier to frost.
Now you're ready to crumb-coat . If you're unfamiliar with crumb-coating, it's just what it sounds like - a thin layer of frosting over the entire outside of the cake to keep crumbs out of your final layer.
Once your crumb coat has set (this takes about 5-10 minutes in the fridge), add your final layer of frosting and smooth. I like to use an offset spatula and bench scraper for this part. Once your cake is covered, place it into the freezer to set the frosting and to chill the cake in preparation for adding the ganache drip!
Okay - the fun part! Decorating!
When your ganache has cooled to a moderate temperature – it should feel slightly warm but still be fairly liquid – transfer to a squeeze bottle or piping bag. A spoon will work if you don’t have either of those, I've just found spoons to be a bit more difficult to work with.
Slowly drizzle ganache around the upper edge of your cake, pausing every couple of inches to let more ganache fall in a drip down the side of the cake. Repeat the process with caramel sauce and return cake to the fridge or freezer to set the drips.
Now – options! I chilled the rest of my ganache and used that to decorate the top, but frosting will work as well. Add a swirl of ganache or frosting and tilt a Samoas cookie against the frosting swirl. Repeat this process around the top edge of your cake. Sprinkle on a few more chopped cookies and add another drizzle of caramel/ganache if you like – do whatever you think looks the best! More cookies = more better in my book. :: wink::
And you’re done! Enjoy!

Video

Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 778kcal | Carbohydrates: 100g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 38g
Did you make this Samoas Cake?
Let me know how it went - or find me on Pinterest or on Instagram and tag @IntensiveCakeUnit in your photo!
You can also add a comment or a recipe rating at the bottom of the page! 🙂
Other recipes you may love…
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April 12, 2021
Skittles Cake
I feel a little pathetic admitting to this....
...but I made a Skittles cake in *2019* that I was never really super happy with. I'd been meaning to re-vamp the recipe - and it took me until *March of 2021* to get around to it!
I truly wish I was kidding. I'm not kidding. I didn't have kids at the time, so I really have no excuse, lol.
Round 1 (2019) I just used confetti cake layers. They weren't bad, exactly - but they were a little bit boring, and the blue in the confetti mix didn't really go with the Skittles color theme.
I also just did an orange drip...yeah. To this day I don't know why I thought that was a good idea. It didn't look great.
So...::cue drumroll::....
The updated new + improved version of this Skittles cake!
This time I really went for a thoroughly Skittles-themed cake!
I made cake layers that reflected the colors and flavors of one of my favorite candies. 😉 Americolor gels and orange, lemon, lime, and raspberry extracts made thoroughly Skittles colored and flavored cake layers!
(Yes, before you come at me, I know the raspberry flavoring doesn't really belong. But to be brutally honest I really hate artificial grape and strawberry flavoring. 100% up to you though; please use them if you prefer! 🙂 )
Next I covered those cake layers in citrus-flavored cream cheese buttercream for more richness. The frosting added another layer of flavor and provided a white canvas to make those colored drips pop!
Then a batch of white chocolate melt ganache colored 5 different Skittles colors MADE the skittles look come to life on the cake 😉
The pile of Skittles candy and the emptied Skittles box topped off the look!
If you have a Skittles fan (or Skittle-aholic) in your life - this is the cake for them!
(And no one's judging if that Skittle-aholic is you! 😉 )
Skittles Cake recipe below - happy baking!
FAQs:
"What if I've never added drips to a cake before?"
Don't stress! It's easier than you probably think it is! 🙂
#1 Most important tip I can give you - make sure you measure your chocolate and heavy cream carefully + accurately. Too much/little of either may affect your drip consistency.
#2 next most important tip I can give you - I really recommend trying a test drip first! Save yourself the headache of trying to scrape off a too-thick or too-runny drip. Don't pour the ganache over your whole cake until you're confident in the consistency of your ganache.
I loved this YouTube tutorial by Sugar&Sparrow when I was new to cake drips!

"What if I don't want to use all those artificial colors in the cake layers?"
No worries! Feel free to leave them out! The flavor will still be there - you can still marble different flavors of cake batter together and have an amazingly Skittles-flavored cake.
Maybe my family and taste-testers are oddballs, but I've found over time they don't really eat the colored drips. I often see they've left the outermost layer of frosting and most of the drips on their plates. Feel free to add them or leave them off!
(Disclosure: As an Amazon associate I may earn from qualifying purchases, and my posts often contain affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you!)

Print Recipe

Skittles Cake

Pack all the colors and flavors of Skittles candy into a showstopping multicolor Skittles Cake! Box topper optional but so fun!

Prep Time45 minutes
Cook Time38 minutes
Decorating time45 minutes
Total Time2 hours 8 minutes

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: How to make a Skittles Cake, Skittles Cake, Skittles Cake recipe

Servings: 16 servings

Calories: 710kcal

Author: Sarah H

Equipment
3 8 inch round cake pans
Baker's floured cooking spray
1 Cake leveler
1 Cake turntable
1 large offset spatula
1 cake scraper or pastry cutter
5 piping bags, disposable
1 large piping bag + star tip
1 large bag Skittles candy
1 Skittles candy box
1 long wood skewer (or cake dowel or straw)

Ingredients
Cake
3 1/4 cups all purpose flour
3 cups granulated sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter or 2 sticks, room temperature
1 cup egg whites about 7 eggs, or use carton egg whites to avoid wasting yolks!
1 1/2 cups buttermilk room temperature
1/8 cup 28 grams vegetable oil
1-2 drops Red, orange, yellow, green, and purple gel colors - I used Americolor Super Red, Orange, Lemon Yellow, Leaf Green, and Regal Purple
1 teaspoon raspberry flavoring (for red/purple batter)
1 teaspoon orange extract (for orange batter)
1 teaspoon lemon extract (for yellow batter)
1 teaspoon lime extract (for green batter)
Frosting
8 oz one package cream cheese, softened
16 Tablespoons two sticks butter, softened (two sticks)
6-7 cups powdered sugar
2-4 Tablespoons milk
2 teaspoons Flavor extract(s) - I used lemon extract and lime extract
1/4 t. salt
Drip & Decorations
8 oz White Candy Melts I use the Wilton brand Bright White
5 Tablespoons heavy whipping cream (the brand I usually use comes from Costco and is incredibly thick; do a test drip with 4 T if your cream is on the thin side!)
1-2 drops Red, orange, yellow, green, and purple gel colors I used Americolor Super Red, Orange, Lemon Yellow, Leaf Green, and Regal Purple

Instructions
Skittles Cake layers
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line three 8-inch cake pans with parchment rounds, and /or grease with baker’s floured cooking spray.
Mix together all dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt) in a stand mixer with a paddle until fully combined. Mix bits of room-temperature butter into the dry mix on a low speed. Continue to mix until no large lumps of butter are visible, and the mixture looks crumbly.
Pour in egg whites, and mix on low until just incorporated. Mix in the buttermilk on a low speed. Add in oil, and mix at a low speed until fully incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula, then beat on medium speed for about 30 seconds.
Divide batter evenly between 5 bowls, and add colors and flavors as described above. Transfer into the prepared cake pans (I find a kitchen scale helpful for this part). This guarantees your layers will bake to be the same height. Swirl the colors together a bit with a small knife or offset spatula.
Bake for 34-38 minutes (or until a toothpick comes out clean) .Allow cake layers to cool for 10-15 minutes on a wire cooling rack before removing from pans – it helps to run an offset spatula or knife around the perimeter of the pan first. Cool completely before frosting. Set in the fridge or freezer to accelerate the cooling process if desired.
Once the layers have fully cooled, the browned edges can be trimmed from the sides / top of the cake using a serrated knife if desired. Be sure the layers are completely cooled or chilled before trimming. If you try to trim the layers while they’re still warm, they will crumble and break.
Frosting
Beat together softened cream cheese and butter; slowly add in powdered sugar alternating with milk until frosting reaches desired consistency. Add flavor(s) and salt and beat until well combined.
Assembly
Once your cakes are cool, level them (if needed). This can be done with a cake leveler or a large serrated knife and a ruler. Place a smear of frosting on your cake circle (to keep the cake from sliding while you decorate it) and center your first cake layer in the center of the circle. Spread the layer with frosting. Repeat the process with your remaining cake layers.
Now you're ready to crumb-coat . If you're unfamiliar with crumb-coating, it's just what it sounds like – spreading a thin layer of frosting over the entire outside of the cake to keep crumbs out of your final layer. Once your crumb coat has set (this takes about 5-10 minutes in the fridge), add your final layer of frosting and smooth. I like to use an offset spatula and cake scraper for this part. Once your cake is covered, place it into the fridge or freezer to set the frosting.
Drip & Decorations
Place heavy cream and candy melts in a microwave-safe bowl, and microwave on 50% power in 30-second intervals until smooth, stirring in between. Divide into 5 bowls and add your gel colors.
I usually find a squeeze bottle or piping bag work the best for this ganache, but spoons will work also. When your candy melt mix has cooled to a moderate temperature – it should feel slightly warm and still be fairly liquid – transfer each color to a squeeze bottle or piping or small ziplock bag. A spoon will work if you don’t have either of those; I’ve just found spoons to be a little bit more difficult to work with. Slowly drizzle ganache around the upper edge of your cake - remember you have 5 colors, so space accordingly! Return cake to the fridge or freezer to set the drips.
Pipe frosting around the upper edge of your cake – this forms a rim to hold the pile of candy in place! You can add drizzles of ganache for a little more color.
Open the box of Skittles and empty it, and then place your skewer into the open end of your Skittles box and close it – I cut a little of the edge of the box away to make room for the skewer. Push the skewer down into the cake, leaving the box on top of the cake at an angle. Add Skittles around the box to cover the top of the cake – and you’re done!

Video

Notes
Please note nutrition information is an estimate and may not be exactly accurate.

Nutrition
Calories: 710kcal | Carbohydrates: 103g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 37g
Did you make this Skittles Cake?
Let me know how it went - or find me on Pinterest or on Instagram and tag @IntensiveCakeUnit in your photo!
Related: Favorite Cream Cheese Buttercream Recipe
Other recipes you may love...
(Click / tap the photos to be taken to the recipe pages!)
April 5, 2021