Intensive Cake Unit

Tag: cake

Basketball Cake
How to make a Basketball Cake when you have next to zero time…
Story time. I once got a rather anxious-sounding request from one of my co-workers.
Her son’s birthday was in just a couple of days, and she’d gotten a cancellation notice from the baker she had booked. She needed a basketball cake for her son’s birthday. Usually not too difficult to get – but not in a couple of days! Mind you – this was early summer of 2020 when the whole world was a pandemic-ridden disaster.
I was fortunate enough to have the actual birthday day available to drop off the cake. But with so little notice (no fault of my poor coworker), and two 12-hour shifts to work in the meantime, I had *very* little time to work with!
A few more elaborate ideas had to come off the table because of the short time available. Because I didn’t have time to get a large enough half-sphere pan – this was the design we went with! Just a classic-shaped cake with a basketball design – it worked!
Why make this basketball cake?
Having had to make it under the gun of very limited time, I can tell you it’s easy and quick!
Easy enough to bake, assemble, and decorate even with not much time – even if you’re not an experienced cake-maker!
Chocolate cake layers and cream cheese buttercream frosting are my go-to cake bases for a reason – they’re a great combo! Cake layers and frosting both come together in one bowl each, and the cake layers feature my favorite secret ingredient – buttermilk!
Sometimes simple is the way to go – this cake was a big hit at the party I sent it to, and will be great for yours too!
This would be a great go-to if you need a basketball cake for a kids birthday party, a basketball team season-end party, or even a March Madness game day party!
Recipe + links + video 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!)
FAQs:
Can I make the cake / frosting ahead of time?
Definitely! (Well done you for planning ahead far enough to ask this question! 😉 )
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. (They might be okay in the freezer longer than that; I’ve just not personally tested it.)
Cover any remaining cake well to keep it from drying out – it will keep 2-3 days in the fridge. I’d be lying to say I’ve never stored leftover cake on the counter – but it’s definitely wiser to store it in the fridge because of the cream cheese in the frosting.
QUICK ‘CHEATER’ CAKE LAYER VERSION –
I don’t exactly recommend this, but am still going to put out the option because I’ve tried it and it worked okay.
You can simply 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. 🙂

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Basketball Cake

How to make a super simple Basketball cake – perfect for when you have next to zero time!

Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Decorating time20 minutes
Total Time1 hour 15 minutes

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Basketball Cake

Servings: 16 servings

Calories: 755kcal

Author: Sarah H

Equipment
1 10 inch cardboard cake circle (or an 8-inch cake circle; I prefer Wilton's center-punched circles)
3 8 inch round cake pans
Cake leveler
Cake turntable
large offset spatula
cake scraper or pastry cutter
small piping bag + tip (linked is a set that includes both; if you just need the tip the one I used is very similar to Ateco 44 or 45)
Kitchen scale (optional, if you'd like to measure ingredients in grams)

Ingredients
Chocolate Basketball Cake layers
2 ¼ cups all purpose flour (350 grams)
2 ¼ cups granulated sugar (450 grams)
1 ¼ cup cocoa powder (100 grams)
1 teaspoon baking soda (5 grams)
¾ teaspoon salt (4 grams)
1 cup unsalted butter (227 grams or 2 sticks, softened)
4 large eggs at room temperature
1 ½ cups 350mL buttermilk (350mL; buttermilk powder with water is an option if you can’t find liquid buttermilk at your grocery store!)
2 tsp vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Buttercream frosting
8 oz cream cheese one package, softened
16 Tablespoons butter two sticks, softened
6-7 cups powdered sugar
2-4 Tablespoons milk
1 T clear vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt if using unsalted butter
Orange gel food color (feel free to add later if you’d rather use less food color & fill the cake with white frosting! I used Americolor orange)
Black gel food color (Save and use later! I used Americolor Super Black)

Instructions
Basketball 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 baker's floured spray and/or line pans with parchment paper.
In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, add the cocoa powder, flour, salt, baking soda, and sugar. Turn mixer on low speed and allow it to mix for a couple minutes to help everything combine well (or sift the ingredients together). Add in the softened butter until it’s well incorporated into the dry ingredients and no lumps of butter are visible.
Next, add buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla together and whisk until well combined. With the mixer on low, add wet ingredients to dry ingredients in a slow and steady stream until no dry ingredients are visible. Scrape down the bowl and mix 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.
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. (If you want to use a bit less color, you can fill and crumb-coat your cake layers with white frosting and just use orange for the outermost coat of frosting. Up to you!)
Add gel food color until desired color is reached – if you have time, making your frosting a day or so ahead and letting it sit overnight to let the color deepen lets you get away with less gel color!
Remove about ¼ cup of frosting from the bowl and add Black gel food color (I used Americolor Super black) until a dark consistency is reached. You can also add a bit of cocoa powder to deepen the color without using so much gel color! (You'll use this at the end to decorate!)
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 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 center your next cake layer on top. Repeat the process with your remaining cake layers.
Frosting & Decorating
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 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.
Now you’re ready to decorate! Transfer your black frosting to a piping bag fitted with a flat/oblong nozzle (see links above) and (see video for help with this part) pipe first a ‘+’ over the top of the cake and down the sides. Add two curved lines to the top – )( – and follow the lines down the sides of the cake.

Video

Nutrition
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 755kcal | Carbohydrates: 98g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 35g
And you’re done! Super easy!
Did you make this Basketball cake?
Make this recipe? 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!)
August 12, 2020
Rainbow Birthday Cake
As much as I love striped cakes….
I love striped cakes, but to be honest – sometimes getting super clean stripes with a cake comb is frustrating even for experienced cake decorators. So it follows that it would be hecka intimidating for beginners!
I was working from a picture a client provided that had semi-messy stripes when I made this cake. No one caught me complaining! 😉
Since the cake contains six layers, it’s easy to use the cake layers as a guide for how thick to make each stripe. Pipe on each stripe next to its corresponding cake layer, then smooth it all out with a cake scraper!
Pretty sure this was the easiest striped cake I’ve ever made, and I loved the look when I was done!
Recipes, instructions, and links to supplies available online are below!
Feel free to email me with any questions, and 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

Rainbow Birthday Cake

Rainbow cakes never seem to stop being popular. This Rainbow Birthday Cake recipe contains all my tips for creating a beautiful bright cake!

Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time37 minutes
Decorating time1 hour
Total Time2 hours 2 minutes

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Rainbow Birthday Cake

Servings: 16 servings

Calories: 774kcal

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 (for spreading frosting)
6 small piping bags (or zip-lock bags; to pipe frosting stripes)
cake scraper or pastry cutter (for smoothing frosting)
Happy Birthday cake topper

Ingredients
Vanilla 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)
1 cup egg whites (about 7 eggs, or use egg whites from a carton to avoid wasting the yolks)
1 ½ cups buttermilk (room temperature)
2 teaspoons clear 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
1 Tablespoon clear vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt (if using unsalted butter)
3-4 large drops Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple gel food coloring (all the colors I used are available in this set)

Instructions
Vanilla 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 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 mix becomes crumbly.
Pour in egg whites and mix on low until just incorporated. Mix in the buttermilk in two parts, on a low speed. Add in vanilla, 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 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 34-37 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 make your 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. Cut each layer in half horizontally, making a total of 6 cake layers. (Be sure the layers are completely cooled or chilled before leveling or trimming. If you try while they’re still warm, they will likely crumble or break.)
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.
Divide frosting into 6 parts and color them red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple.
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 red frosting. Center your next cake layer on top.
Repeat the process with your remaining cake layers, with orange, yellow, green, blue, then – you guessed it – purple frosting 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. I usually do this with my large offset spatula. (Don't sweat it if the colors get a little muddled; you'll add another layer of frosting in the next step!)
Decorating
Let your crumb coat set in the fridge (about 10 minutes), and transfer the remaining colored frostings to each of 6 piping or zip-lock bags. Use the piping bags to add your final layers of each colored frosting, and smooth in even swipes with your bench scraper. (I don’t recommend starting the smoothing process with an offset spatula at this step; it’ll probably smear the colors too much.) As you smooth, you may need to fill some holes with more frosting from your piping bags or with a small offset spatula – continue filling and smoothing until you’re happy with the frosting!
Use the bench scraper to pull in the edges and smooth the top of the cake – add the cake topper and you’re done! Congratulations!

Video

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

Nutrition
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 774kcal | Carbohydrates: 99g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 38g
Mentioned in post: Vanilla Cake Recipe, Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting
Did you make this Rainbow Birthday 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 20, 2020
Bourbon Biscoff Cake
Biscoff’s back and better than ever! 😉
Somewhere on a Delta flight I got addicted to Biscoff cookies before I even knew what they were. Ever since – I’ll take any excuse I can find to make a Biscoff cake! And I’ll put any other flavor I can come up with in with the Biscoff. This round – we’re adding brown sugar bourbon! Cheers!
A friend recommended Heritage’s Brown Sugar Bourbon to me a while back (Thanks Kirsten @thiscelebratedlife!) and I thought the flavor would be AMAZING in a Biscoff cookie butter cake! Recipe below!
Why make a Bourbon Biscoff Cake?
Biscoff cookies are always a crowd-pleaser, and the addition of the flavor and bite from the bourbon really adds an awesome depth to the flavor!
Bourbon cream cheese frosting has an amazing flavor to it
Biscoff cake drips are the easiest thing in the world – ONE ingredient!
The bourbon-infused drizzle I put over the top of the cake was probably my favorite part – it had the best flavor, and was an awesome way to top the cake!

FAQs:
“The cake drizzle won’t make the layers soggy?”
Nope! Tons of bakers use simple syrup to make their cake layers more moist, and it really diffuses through the layers well. We’re basically doing the same thing, just with some bourbon instead of simple syrup!
“How should I store any leftover cake?”
Because of the cream cheese frosting, I recommend storing in the refrigerator. Make sure it’s covered well with plastic wrap or in a sealable container.
Bear in mind the longer it sits the more of the bourbon may evaporate out – imo just an excuse to eat more cake! 😉 Allow to return to room temperature before eating though; I think it tastes better that way.
(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

Bourbon Biscoff Cake

A bourbon-infused take on my popular Biscoff Cookie Butter cake – grab your favorite bourbon and try this Bourbon Biscoff Cake!

Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time37 minutes
Decorating time30 minutes
Total Time1 hour 37 minutes

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

Servings: 16 servings

Calories: 752kcal

Author: Sarah H

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
small piping bag (to pipe a small 'dam' to hold in cake filling)
Squeeze bottle (or piping bag or spoon; to add cake drip)
large piping bag + star tip (for decorating)

Ingredients
Biscoff Bourbon Cake layers
3 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
3 cups granulated sugar
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick room, temperature)
½ cup Biscoff cookie butter (slightly melted so it mixes in easier. Most jars are 14.5oz; this should be enough for the cake unless you make the filling really thick!)
7 eggs
1 ¼ cups buttermilk (room temperature)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
Bourbon Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting
8 ounces cream cheese (one package; softened)
1 cup butter (two sticks, softened)
6 cups powdered sugar
2-4 Tablespoons Brown Sugar Bourbon
½ Tablespoon clear vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt (if using unsalted butter)
Cake Filling & Decorations
6 ounces Brown Sugar Bourbon (divided + optional; ½ cup to infuse cake layers & ¼ cup for topping)
1 cup Biscoff cookie butter (divided; half for filling & ½ cup to use for the cake drip and drizzle)
30 Biscoff cookies (10 crumbled and the rest broken in half – I ended up only using 16 halves, but a lot of them broke at weird angles so I recommend having extras!)

Instructions
Biscoff Bourbon 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 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. Add in cookie butter and mix until combined.
Pour in eggs and mix on low until just incorporated. Mix in the buttermilk on a low speed. Add in 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.
Divide batter evenly 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 28-37 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 make your 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 and break.)
Bourbon Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting
Beat together softened cream cheese and butter; slowly add in powdered sugar alternating with bourbon until frosting reaches desired consistency. Add vanilla and salt if needed and beat until well combined.
Cake Drizzle (optional)
(To add a little more bourbon flavor to the cake layers, I poured 2-3 Tablespoons of Brown Sugar Bourbon over each cake layer after they were leveled – optional but recommended!)
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, and fill the center with cookie butter. Place your next cake layer on top, and 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 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 and chill the cake before adding the drip.
Now the fun part – the easiest cake drip ever!
I melted my cookie butter for about 20 seconds on 30% power in my microwave – you may need more or less time depending on your microwave. The cookie butter should look like a thick liquid and be very slightly warm – not hot or it could melt your frosting! Let it cool a bit if needed.
Once the cookie butter is ready, transfer it to a squeeze bottle or piping bag. I recommend a ‘test drip’ so you can adjust your cookie butter temperature accordingly – if it won’t ‘drip’ right you probably need to heat it a bit more, but if it’s too thin/runny or melting your frosting, let it cool before continuing.
When you’ve reached a good temperature/consistency, slowly drizzle cookie butter around the upper edge of your cake, pausing every inch or so to let more cookie butter fall in a drip down the side of the cake. Return cake to the fridge or freezer to set the drips.
Decorating
Now to finish decorating! Pipe a rim of large frosting swirls around the top of the cake, and wedge a halved Biscoff cookie between each one. Sprinkle Biscoff crumbs over the center of the cake.
This drizzle was actually my favorite part of the cake! Combine ¼ cup cookie butter with 2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar Bourbon and stir until smooth. Transfer to a piping bag and drizzle over the top of your cake – I covered the center first in criss-crossing drizzles and then added a small drizzle to the frosting swirls!
Take a step back and congratulate yourself on your awesome cake 😉 and cut in and enjoy!

Video

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

Nutrition
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 752kcal | Carbohydrates: 100g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 38g
Did you make this Bourbon Biscoff 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…
Pictured: Bourbon Black Forest Cake, Moscow Mule Cake, Coffee & Bailey’s Cake
(or click / tap the photos to be taken to the recipe pages!)
May 18, 2020
Favorite Chocolate Cake Recipe
What do all of the above cakes have in common?
My faaavorite Chocolate Cake recipe!!
One secret ingredient I think every delicious chocolate features...buttermilk! I don't know why it makes such a difference, but somehow adding buttermilk to chocolate cake really helps produce cake layers that are rich and moist without being too dense.
I have a kitchen scale and like to just put my mixer bowl on the scale and weigh my ingredients - but I've double checked all the measurements and it'll work just fine whether you weight to measure or just use measuring cups! Happy baking; enjoy!
Why I love this recipe - and you will too!
The taste of this chocolate layer cake is divine. Richly chocolate with hints of vanilla and the richness of the butter - it's my favorite for a reason!
The layers bake up fairly flat - no wasting lots of cake leveling or trimming.
So many chocolate cake layers I've tried come out crumbly and super dry. The addition of buttermilk to this one seems to make a huge difference!
(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!)
Overview of making these chocolate cake layers -
Before you start, you'll want to soften your butter.
(This recipe uses the reverse creaming method (mixing the butter into the dry ingredients instead of creaming it with the butter). This usually results in a closer, denser structure to the cake layer - I use it whenever I can! But to mix in easily the butter needs to be softened / at room temperature.)
Next the dry ingredients -
Combine flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt together in a mixing bowl - or a stand mixer bowl.
Now the 'reverse creaming method' comes in -
add about 1 Tablespoon of softened butter at a time, mixing until no big lumps of butter are visible and the mixture looks crumbly.
Now mix together the wet ingredients -
combine the eggs, buttermilk, and the vanilla and whisk together.
Now - add wet and dry ingredients together!
Mix until moistened, then scrape down the bowl and beat for 20 seconds or so.
Divide into pans and bake!

(scroll past instructions for scaled recipes)

Print Recipe

Favorite Chocolate Cake recipe

A rich, moist, chocolate cake that bakes almost completely flat and stacks well? Look no further than my Favorite Chocolate Cake Recipe!

Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Chocolate cake layer recipe, Chocolate Cake recipe, Chocolate Layer Cake recipe, Favorite Chocolate Cake recipe

Servings: 16 servings

Calories: 315kcal

Equipment
3 8 inch round cake pans
Baker's floured cooking spray
Cake leveler (optional; these layers usually bake fairly flat and don't require much trimming!)

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

Instructions
Chocolate Cake layers
Preheat an oven to 350℉ (180℃). Prepare 3 8-inch cake pans with baker's floured spray, or grease and 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.

Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 315kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 14g
[print-me do_not_print=".noprint"]
Chocolate Cake (0.5x; makes 3 6-inch cake layers)
1 1/8 cup (175g) all purpose flour (175g)
1 1/8 cups (225g) granulated sugar (225g)
1/2 cup (50g) cocoa powder (50g)
½ teaspoon baking soda (2.5g)
½ tsp salt (2.5g)
½ cup unsalted butter, softened (one stick; 125g)
2 large eggs, at room temperature
¾ cup (350mL) buttermilk (175mL)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
(Use 3 6-inch cake pans; otherwise follow instructions as above)
Chocolate Cake (0.66x; makes 2 8-inch cake layers)
1 ½ cups all purpose flour
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
1 cup cocoa powder
¾ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cups unsalted butter (1 ½ sticks, softened)
3 large eggs at room temperature
1 ¼ cups buttermilk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
(Use 2 8-inch pans; otherwise follow instructions as above)
Did you try this Chocolate cake recipe?
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! 🙂
April 30, 2019
Godiva Chocolate Liqueur (Cocktail) Cake
every odd while...
...I’ll have a cake idea from some unusual sources. I had one idea from a drawing that my niece made, one idea that crossed my mind while blowing bubbles with my nephew, and a while back one from a comedy show! This Godiva Chocolate Liqueur Cake idea actually came from a cocktail on Instagram -
I’ve spent some time following @chenaholic's Instagram posts, and Kevin makes some AMAZING drink recipes! He posted a chocolate and coffee cocktail a month or two ago, and ever since then I’d been DYING to put those flavors into a cake - and here's the result!
"Not sure about more than one tier though..."
First - you don't have to stack two tiers if you don't want to! Half the recipe and just make an 8" cake - or make both tiers but don't stack them! That said though -
I can almost promise tiered cakes aren't as hard as you'd think! I sum up the whole process in less than one minute in this video.
For a more in-depth overview I like this video - 'How to make a Tiered Cake' by Chelsweets - to see the whole process! I like using plastic straws instead of wooden dowels personally, but that's up to you. Any questions please send me an email!
Recipe below - have at it, and 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!)

Print Recipe

Godiva Chocolate Liqueur (Coffee Cocktail) Cake

Uniquely flavored and absolutely delicious - make this Godiva Chocolate Liqueur Cake, featuring liqueur-infused layers and chocolate ganache!

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

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Chocolate Liqueur Cake, Coffee Chocolate Liqueur Cake, Coffee Cocktail Cake, Godiva Chocolate Liqueur Cake, Mocha Cocktail Cake

Servings: 24 servings

Calories: 782kcal

Author: Sarah H

Equipment
3 8 inch round cake pans
2 6 inch round cake pans
Baker's floured cooking spray (optional, but I prefer this spray to parchment rounds)
1 10 inch cardboard cake circle (8" would work, but moving the cake is easier with a larger circle)
1 6 inch cardboard cake circle
Cake leveler (or a serrated knife + ruler)
large offset spatula (to spread frosting)
cake scraper or pastry cutter
Cake turntable
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)
2 small piping bags + tips (I used a small star & round tip; linked is a set that contains bags & tips)
Squeeze bottle (or additional piping bag; to add cake drip)
Martini glass
1 textured cake comb (optional; but I loved the look this Wilton comb gave the base tier)

Ingredients
Chocolate Liqueur Cake Layers
4 ⅞ cups all-purpose flour
4 ½ cups granulated sugar
3 ¾ teaspoons baking powder
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 ½ cup unsalted butter (or 3 sticks, room temperature)
8 eggs
1 cup buttermilk (room temperature)
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
½ cup espresso (I used my favorite instant espresso)
½ cup Godiva chocolate liqueur
¼ cup Bourbon (I used Eagle Rare)
Bourbon Cream Cheese Frosting
12 oz cream cheese (1 ½ packages; softened)
1 ½ cups butter (three sticks, softened)
9 cups powdered sugar
2 Tablespoons bourbon
2-3 Tablespoons whipping/heavy cream
¾ cup cocoa powder (for cake filling; save & add later)
1-2 Tablespoons chocolate liqueur (for cake filling; save & add later)
Cake Drizzle (optional)
2 Tablespoons bourbon
¼ cup espresso
½ cup chocolate liqueur
Drip & Decorations
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (12 ounces; for drip)
1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream (12 ounces, for drip - my favorite brand is very thick; you may need a bit less depending on the thickness of your whipping cream)
1 Tablespoon instant espresso powder (for drip)
10-20 chocolate-covered coffee beans (for decorating)
5-10 coffee beans (for decorating)

Instructions
Chocolate Liqueur Cake Layers
Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare three 8-inch cake pans and two two 6-inch cake pans with baker's floured cooking 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 until fully combined. Mix bits 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 looks crumbly.
Pour in eggs and mix on low until just incorporated. Combine the buttermilk, vanilla, espresso, chocolate liqueur, and bourbon, and mix in on 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 the prepared cake pans (I find a kitchen scale helpful for this part – I ended up with about 690g in my large pans and about 450 in my smaller ones). This guarantees your layers will bake to be the same height.
Bake for 34-37 minutes, (or until a toothpick or skewer 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.
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 and break. (This is a great time to make your frosting!)
Bourbon Cream Cheese Frosting
Beat together softened cream cheese and butter; slowly add in powdered sugar alternating with bourbon and whipping cream until frosting reaches a spreadable consistency.
Reserve 1 cup of frosting and beat in cocoa powder and chocolate liqueur to obtain a spreadable consistency – this will be your cake filling!
Assembly
Place a smear of frosting on your large cake circle (to keep the cake from sliding while you decorate it) and center your first large cake layer in the center of the circle.
(I wanted a bit more of a liqueur kick to the cake layers, so I used a jigger to infuse each one with a few tablespoons of a bourbon, espresso, and chocolate liqueur mixture. Optional but recommended!)
Pipe a small border of frosting around the outer edge of the layer, and spread a layer of chocolate filling in the middle. Add your next cake layer on top. Repeat the process with your remaining cake layers.
Next, repeat the same process with your smaller cardboard circle and cake layers. Of note – if your circles aren’t pre-center-punched, be sure to grab a dowel or straw and make your own hole in the exact center of the circle! This will allow you to center the 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 layers!
Once your crumb coat has set (this takes about 5-10 minutes in the fridge), add your final layers of frosting and smooth. I like to use an offset spatula and bench scraper for this part. (For my larger tier, I was able to smooth the frosting fairly well free-handed, but I struggled getting the sides smooth on my smaller one. Setting a second small cake circle on top and using it as a guide for smoothing my icing worked much more easily!)
Once your base tier is covered, place the icing comb on the cake circle against your cake and run the comb around the cake to texture the frosting (if desired). Place both tiers into the freezer for about 20 minutes to set the frosting and get the cake cold enough to set the drip.
Okaaaay. The stacking process!
I watched a few tutorials before I started, but ‘How to Make a Tiered Cake’ by Chelsweets was my favorite. To place cake dowels (to ensure the top tier doesn't crush the lower one, as well as keep it centered), it helps to have a ruler handy!
Push dowels/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 up 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.
Pat yourself on the back; you did it! I found that my cardboard cake circle showed more than I was happy with, so I piped some frosting onto the base of the top tier with a small star tip to hide it.
Drip and Decorations
Place chocolate chips and whipping cream in a microwave-safe bowl, and microwave on 50% power in 30-second intervals until smooth, stirring in between. Add instant espresso powder and stir until smooth.
When your ganache has cooled to a moderate temperature – it should feel slightly warm and still be fairly liquid – transfer it to your piping bag or squeeze bottle.
Slowly drizzle ganache around the edge of the cake, pausing about every ¾ to 1 inch to let ganache flow down the side of the cake to create a drip. Pour a few tablespoons over the top of the cake and spread gently with an offset spatula, and then (if desired) pour a few tablespoons into the martini glass and turn it slowly to coat the inside of the glass. Turn the glass over and center it on top of the cake.
Repeat the drip around the edge of the base tier.
Add a few coffee beans around the base edge of the top tier, and a few chocolate-covered coffee beans around the bottom of the base tier!
Step back and admire your amaaazing cake! Enjoy!

Video

Nutrition
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 782kcal | Carbohydrates: 101g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 38g
Did you make this Godiva Chocolate Liqueur Cake?
Please 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…
Pictured: Tiramisu Cupcakes, Coffee & Bailey's Cake, Mocha Frappuccino Cupcakes
(Or click / tap the photos to be taken to the recipe pages!)
February 10, 2019
Halloween Candy Cake
there's a time for 'understated'...
But then, there's also a time for 'massively-overdone!' And if Halloween's not the time for a ridiculous candy overload cake, I don't know when the right time would be! Literally packed as much chocolate candy as I could into one Halloween Candy cake - inside, outside, and a pile on top!
Annnd that's really about all that was involved in this cake 😉
FAQs -
"What in the world...Why would you make a cake like this??"
Lol fair question. I made this one when I was working a 12-hour shift on Halloween and wanted to bring in a cake to surprise my coworkers - and make sure there was enough for everyone!
Would also be a great recipe to keep kids busy sticking the candy to the sides of the cake 😉
Do I have to make the cake / frosting from scratch?
Not if you don't want to! You can substitute 2 of your favorite chocolate cake mixes plus the ingredients the mix calls for. Keep the baking pans the same!
Store bought frosting is usually a little thinner than my recipe. I'd recommend starting with chocolate frosting. Transfer to a mixing bowl and beat in 1/4 cup of extra cocoa powder alternating with 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.
"How should I store this cake?"
Wrap the cake in plastic wrap if not serving immediately so the candy doesn't get dried out and weird.
Cover or wrap any remaining cake well to keep it from drying out - it will keep at room temperature for 2-3 days or in the fridge for 3-5 days.
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!)

Print Recipe

Halloween Candy Cake

If there's ever a time for a candy overload...it's Halloween! Grab all your favorite candies and make this Halloween candy cake!

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

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Easy Halloween Desserts, Halloween Cake, Halloween cake recipe, Halloween Candy Cake, Halloween Candy Overload Cake

Servings: 16 servings

Calories: 804kcal

Equipment
3 8 inch round cake pans
Baker's floured cooking spray
1 10 inch cardboard cake circle (or 8-inch; I just find moving cakes easier on larger circles)
Cake leveler
Cake turntable
large offset spatula
cake scraper or pastry cutter
large piping bag + tip

Ingredients
Halloween Candy 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 (room temperature)
1 ½ cups buttermilk (350mL)
2 tsp vanilla extract
Chocolate Cream Cheese frosting
8 ounces cream cheese (one package; softened)
1 cup unsalted butter (two sticks, softened)
5-6 cups powdered sugar
1 cup cocoa powder
2-4 Tablespoons milk
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
Decorations
Halloween candy of your choice! I like the chocolate variety packs like this one - for the cake in the pictures I used M&Ms Reese’s cups, and Kit Kat, Snickers, Milky Way, Twix, Almond Joy, and 100 Grand bars (in hindsight, should've left the peppermint patties off).

Instructions
Halloween Candy 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. (Meanwhile, make your frosting!)
Chocolate Cream Cheese frosting
Beat together softened cream cheese and butter; slowly add in powdered sugar and cocoa powder alternating with milk and vanilla until frosting reaches a spreadable consistency. Add salt and beat until well combined.
Assembly
Once your cakes are cool, level them (if needed) 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.
Cover the layer with as many candy varieties as you want to use, and add a little bit of frosting on top to hold your next cake layer in place. Center your next cake layer on top! Repeat the process with your remaining cake layers, adding the final layer on top.
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.
Decorating!
Start adding candy! I mosaic-style-plastered as much Halloween candy as I could all over the outside of the cake, and then added a rim of halved Reese’s cups to keep the pile of candy I stacked on top in place. Cover and pile your cake with Halloween candy however you see fit!
And that's it - you're done!

Video

Notes
(Please note nutrition information is an estimate, and may not be exactly accurate. All counts will vary with type / amount of candy and frosting used to decorate.)

Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 804kcal | Carbohydrates: 101g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 40g
Mentioned in post -
Chocolate Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting
Did you make this Halloween Candy 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! 🙂
Other recipes you may love…
(Click / tap the photos to be taken to the recipe pages!)
October 28, 2018
Woodland Deer Smash Cake
Woodland Deer smash cake
Smash cakes. are. the. best.
I swear…I don’t think there’s ANYTHING cuter than a little kid with a birthday smash cake! One-year-olds are generally no-limits soldiers, and watching them do anything tends to be entertaining. But smash cakes take that to a whole new level!
Watching a little one take apart a smash cake is like watching a tiny snapshot of their personality – you’ll see them land anywhere on the spectrum between ‘careful and dainty’ and "I have cake AND frosting ABSOLUTELY EVERYWHERE." 😉 This Woodland Deer Smash Cake was no exception!
This cake was made for a ‘Woodland deer’ themed 1^st birthday party – recipe below!
FAQS:
"Umm...this recipe calls for cake mixes? For real?"
Okay, all my scratch recipe purists - hear me out on this one! Nothing beats scratch recipes for taste. The one catch - my favorite scratch recipes bake too dense for littles to smash. It took me 2 smash cakes to figure that out. 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! 😉
All that said though - if you'd like a scratch recipe, go for it! A half batch of my favorite Vanilla Cake layer recipe is a perfect size for smash cakes! 🙂 There's a scaled version on the Vanilla Cake recipe page.
(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

Woodland Deer Smash Cake

Need an easy DIY smash cake for a Woodland Deer party? Fondant molds make this cute Woodland Deer 1st Birthday Smash Cake super easy!

Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time32 minutes
Decorating time30 minutes
Total Time1 hour 32 minutes

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Smash Cake, Woodland Deer Smash Cake

Servings: 1 6" smash cake

Calories: 688kcal

Author: Sarah H

Equipment
1 6 inch round cake pans
1 8 inch cardboard cake circle (a 6-inch cake circle will work; I've just found moving cakes easier on a larger circle)
small offset spatula (to spread frosting)
cake scraper or pastry cutter (to smooth frosting)
Cake turntable (optional, but makes decorating much faster and easier!)
Cake leveler (or serrated knife & ruler)
1 large piping bag + star tip (linked is a set that contains both)
1 small piping bag + leaf tip
Tree branch fondant mold

Ingredients
Cake layers
1 box Vanilla cake mix (I like Duncan Hines French Vanilla)
½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick, melted and cooled)
1 cup buttermilk (room temperature)
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
1 small drop soft pink gel food coloring (save & add later)
Decorations
Chocolate or brown fondant (you can purchase this or make your own! (Note – the recipe recommends making fondant several hours or the day before decorating – it molds the best after some resting time.)
Tree branch fondant mold (or a cutting board and small knife)
White jimmies sprinkles (optional)

Instructions
Cake layers
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 450g in each pan. (Using the kitchen scale guarantees your layers will bake to be the same height.)
Bake for 25-32 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.
Remove about ½ c of frosting and color a light green – you’ll use this to pipe leaves a bit later.
Stir pink food coloring into the rest of the frosting until it reaches desired color – add carefully; gel colors are strong.
Assembly
Once your cake layers have cooled, 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. 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
I decorated with frosting and chocolate fondant - I like Amy’s Confectionary Adventures recipe for chocolate marshmallow fondant, or you can buy it here on Amazon!
Whichever type of fondant you decide to use, soften it slightly in the microwave and shape into small tree trunks / branches and deer antlers. I liked using this fondant mold, but you can also mold your own tree trunks and deer antlers. Press them into the top and around the sides of the cake.
Transfer remaining pink frosting to a large piping bag fitted with an open star tip. Pipe frosting swirls around the top rim of the cake. White sprinkles optional but recommended!
Transfer your green frosting to a piping bag fitted with a teardrop or leaf tip. (It doesn’t hurt to do some practice leaves onto a plate or paper towel if this is your first time piping them.) Pipe leaves onto the ‘tree trunks’ on the sides of the cake – and you're done! Enjoy watching the cake smashing!

Video

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

Nutrition
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 688kcal | Carbohydrates: 95g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 33g
Did you make this Woodland Deer Smash 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!)
October 17, 2018
Candy-filled M&M Drip Cake
Where are my fellow klutzes?
(Cause you're in good company!) Seriously. I've fallen down stairs. And fallen going *up* stairs. I've actually tripped on 100% flat linoleum flooring. I've caught toes on countless steps and almost eaten dirt *tons* of times. I drop things, break things, tip things, and spill things. All that said though - that was the source of the idea for this candy-filled M&M Drip cake! I just channeled that tendency to spill things into a cake style where the 'spilled everywhere' look is on purpose! 😉 Recipe and instructions below! 😊
Why you'll love this candy-filled M&M drip cake -
Rich and delicious homemade chocolate cake - featuring my favorite cake secret ingredient - buttermilk!
the *best* homemade chocolate cream cheese frosting
2-ingredient chocolate ganache drip
Fun anti-gravity topper! Plus - can anything beat a huge pile of M&Ms on a cake?
the BEST cakes to cut into are surprise cakes! My little nephew about lost his mind when he saw this cake for the first time!
FAQs:
Can I make the cake / frosting ahead of time?
Short answer - yes, definitely! With one caveat if you check out the next couple bullet points.
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. Thaw in the refrigerator. Allow frosting to come to room temperature before decorating.
On a related note – 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.
Note – I once made this cake a day ahead for my mom’s party, and stored it in the fridge overnight. Once it came to room temperature, the change in temperature caused a bit of condensation that made the M&M colors turn a little bit whitish and less bright. You may want to add the M&Ms to the top of the cake right before serving if you make this one ahead!
What if I've never added a drip to a cake before?
Don't stress! It's easier than you probably think it is! 🙂
My biggest tips - make sure you measure your chocolate and heavy cream accurately. Too much/little of either may affect your drip consistency.
Make sure you try a test drip first! 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!
Do I have to make the cake / frosting from scratch?
Obviously - as the poster of the recipe - I'd recommend it. Nothing beats scratch recipes for taste!
That said though - I've tried baking from cake mixes and it can be done well! So no, absolutely not if you don't want to!
You can substitute 2 of your favorite chocolate cake mixes plus the ingredients the mix calls for; keep the baking pans the same!
Store bought frosting is usually 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.
(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!

Print Recipe

Candy-filled M&M Drip Cake

A surprise M&M-filled cake; this Candy-filled M&M Drip Cake is filled and topped with chocolate frosting, chocolate ganache, and tons of M&Ms!

Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Decorating time40 minutes
Total Time1 hour 35 minutes

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: M&M cake, M&Ms cake, M&Ms candy-filled cake

Servings: 16 servings

Calories: 795kcal

Author: Sarah H

Equipment
3 8 inch round cake pans
Baker's floured cooking spray (optional; I like to use this in place of parchment rounds)
1 10 inch cardboard cake circle (or an 8-inch circle; I find larger circles easier to use)
Cake leveler (optional)
1 medium biscuit cutter (optional; to remove centers from 2 cake layers)
large offset spatula
Cake turntable
cake scraper or pastry cutter
large piping bag + star tip (linked is a set that contains both)
1 long wood skewer (or cake dowel or straw) (to hold M&Ms box up on top of cake)
Squeeze bottle (to add ganache drip; you can also use a piping bag or a spoon)

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 350mL buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Chocolate Cream Cheese Buttercream frosting
8 ounces cream cheese (one package, softened)
1 cup butter (two sticks, softened)
5 ½ -6 cups powdered sugar
1 cup cocoa powder
4-6 Tablespoons milk
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt if using unsalted butter
Chocolate ganache drip
6 oz semisweet chocolate chips (1 cup)
6 oz heavy whipping cream (3/4 cup)
Decorations
1 box of M&Ms candy (available in most grocery stores in the US and on Amazon)
1 large bag M&Ms candy (I bought the ‘shareable’ zip-top size bag)
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (optional)

Instructions
Chocolate Cake layers
Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (180C). Grease 3 8-inch cake pans with baker's floured spray (or line pans with parchment paper).
In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Add in bits of softened butter until it’s no longer visible in the dry ingredients 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 leveling and frosting. Set in the fridge or freezer to accelerate the cooling process if desired.
If you want to fill the center of your cake with M&Ms and chocolate chips, use a glass or medium-sized biscuit cutter to remove center from two of the three cake layers. (It works best to do this once your cake layers have cooled; they’re much more likely to crumble if you cut them when they’re warm.)
Chocolate Cream Cheese Buttercream frosting
Beat together softened cream cheese and butter; slowly add in powdered sugar and cocoa powder alternating with milk until frosting reaches desired consistency. Add vanilla and salt and beat until well combined.
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've cut centers out of two of your cake layers, those will be your bottom two layers. Fill the empty centers of your cakes with M&Ms and chocolate chips. Add a layer of frosting over the second cake layer, and put the final layer on top.
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 fridge or freezer to set the frosting.
Chocolate ganache drip
Meanwhile, make your ganache. Place ingredients in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 30-second intervals on 50% power, stirring in between until smooth.
Slowly drizzle the ganache around the upper edge of the cake, pausing every inch or so to let drips of ganache run down the side of the cake. Return cake to the fridge to set the drips.
Decorating
To add the finishing touches to your cake, put the remainder of your chocolate frosting into a piping bag, and pipe swirls of frosting around the upper rim of the cake – I alternated large with small swirls for a little more texture/variety. Place an M&M on top of each frosting swirl.
Now the fun part – the M&M box! I cut one of the small tabs from the side of the box I wanted angled closest to the cake, so that I could easily slip a wood skewer into the box. Press the skewer down into the cake until your box is at the desired height- I left mine about an inch off the top of the cake. (If you skewer shows at all, you can either cut it a little shorter or cover it with some frosting).
Add M&Ms to the top of the cake – I went a little crazy at this part since I had frosting swirls around the rim to hold everything in place! Add small bits of frosting and more M&Ms and chocolate chips around the base of the cake if you’d like, or you can leave them off for a more simple finish.
And that's it - you're done! Find someone to give you a high-five 😉 and enjoy!

Video

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

Nutrition
Serving: 1slice (1/16th cake) | Calories: 795kcal | Carbohydrates: 103g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 39g
Did you make this candy filled M&M Drip Cake?
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August 30, 2018