Best Piñata Cake Recipes

RAINBOW PINATA CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and lightly flour four 9-inch cake pans.
• Whisk flour, 1 teaspoon salt, baking powder, and baking soda together in a bowl.
• Beat 1 1/2 cup butter in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until creamy, about 1 minute. Beat in white sugar on high speed, scraping the bowl with a spatula as needed, until fully incorporated, about 5 minutes. Reduce speed to medium-high; beat in eggs one at a time. Beat in 1 tablespoon vanilla extract.
• Mix flour mixture into the creamed butter mixture in 3 additions, alternating with buttermilk, until batter is smooth and slightly thick.
• Divide batter evenly among 4 bowls. Tint each portion of batter with green, blue, purple, or pink food coloring; stir until smooth. Pour batter into the prepared baking pans.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Set baking pans on wire racks and let cakes cool completely, about 25 minutes.
• Beat 1 1/2 cup butter and cream cheese in a stand mixer fitted with a clean paddle attachment until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add confectioners' sugar, heavy cream, and 1 tablespoon vanilla extract; beat on low speed for 30 to 60 seconds.
• Increase speed to high and beat frosting until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in 1/8 teaspoon salt.
• Cut a 4-inch circle out of the center of 2 cake layers using a round cookie cutter.
• Place one of the intact cake layers on a cake stand or serving plate. Frost the top using an offset spatula or butter knife. Position one of the cake rings on top. Spread frosting over the top and inside the circle. Repeat with second cake ring. Fill the hole with candies and sprinkles. Place remaining cake layer on top. Frost the top and sides of the entire cake.
• Tint any remaining frosting with pink food coloring and pipe decoratively over the cake. Cut cake into slices; spoon any candies that spill out over the slices.

MEXICAN CHOCOLATE PINATA CAKE

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease four 6-inch round cake pans with cooking spray and line the bottoms with parchment.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, flour, cocoa, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cayenne. In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, oil, vanilla and eggs. Whisk the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and then stir in the coffee.
• Pour the batter into the cake pans and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Begin checking for doneness at 23 minutes. Let cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn the cakes onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
• For the frosting: Beat together the powdered sugar and butter in a large bowl until creamy. Add the heavy cream, vanilla, cinnamon and salt and beat to combine.
• For the assembly: Once the cakes are cooled, use a biscuit cutter to cut out 2- to 3-inch circles from the centers of 2 of the layers. (Use these circles to make a mini cake or just eat them.) Place one of the uncut layers on a plate or cake board and spread on a layer of frosting. Stack up the 2 cut layers on top of that with a layer of frosting in between. Fill the hole to the top with the candy-coated sunflower seeds or your favorite candy. Frost the top of the cake, then top it with the remaining uncut cake layer and frost it all over.

CELEBRATION PIñATA CAKE

Steps:

• To make the bottom-tier cake, heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Grease and line a 23cm cake tin with baking parchment. Put 250g of the butter and 250g sugar in a large bowl and, using an electric hand whisk, cream until light and fluffy. Add 4 eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Fold in 250g of the flour, 1 tsp lemon extract, and the zest of 1 lemon until you have a smooth batter. Spoon into the tin and smooth the surface. Bake for 40 mins or until a skewer poked into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 mins, then turn out onto a wire rack, remove the parchment and cool completely. Repeat with the remaining half of the ingredients, so that you have 2 large cakes.
• Meanwhile, make the icing for the bottom tier. In a large bowl, beat the butter with a quarter of the icing sugar. When fully combined, add the rest in 3 additions, beating between each. When the icing is smooth, add the milk, zest and juice, and curd, then whisk until fluffy. Set aside until needed, or chill, but bring to room temperature before using.
• Now make the top tier. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 (if not already on). Grease and line a 15cm cake tin with baking parchment. Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Fold in the flour and extract until you have a smooth batter. Transfer to the tin, smooth the surface and bake for 20 mins, then reduce the oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3 and cook for a further 25 mins. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin for 10 mins, then turn out onto a wire rack, remove the parchment and cool completely.
• To make the icing for the top tier, cream the butter and 100g icing sugar together until smooth, then gradually incorporate the rest. Add the milk and strawberry powder, then whisk thoroughly until light and fluffy.
• When the larger cakes are completely cool, slice each in half horizontally so that you have 4 sponge layers. Using a 10cm cutter, cut a hole in the centre of each of the lemon sponges for the bottom tier. Sandwich the 4 sponges together on a cake stand, using the lemon buttercream, then cover the whole cake in a thin layer of the remaining lemon icing. Put in the fridge for a minimum of 2 hrs to firm up.
• When completely cool, slice the small top tier cake horizontally so that you have 3 sponge layers. Use the strawberry buttercream to sandwich them together on a chopping board, then use the remaining strawberry icing to cover the outside. Leave in the fridge for a minimum of 2 hrs to firm up while you ice the bottom tier.
• Now start to make the pale blue icing. Dust your work surface with a little icing sugar. Knead a little blue food colouring into 1.5kg fondant icing until it's an even colour. Remove 500g, wrap in cling film and set aside for the top tier. Roll out the remaining 1kg to a circle wide enough to cover the bottom tier - you can check this with a piece of string. Gently roll up your fondant onto your rolling pin and unfold onto your cake. Smooth the icing on the outside with your hands, then trim off the excess at the bottom. Cut a small cross in the centre of the fondant where the hole sits and push the remaining fondant carefully onto the inside of the hole, trimming any excess. Fill the centre with sweets of your choice. Place the 4 dowels into the cake at 3, 6 and 9 and 12 o'clock, just next to the hole in the middle, then trim so they are flush with the cake.
• Cover the top tier cake in the remaining blue fondant in the same way, then mount onto the bottom cake, enclosing the sweets. Transfer the icing glue to a small piping bag and snip off the end. Use to pipe a drizzle of icing around the base of each tier. Place pearlescent or silver balls around the base of each cake to cover any rough edges.
• To make the balloon decorations, divide the remaining 500g of fondant into the number of colours you are using. Use different food colourings to colour each piece of fondant. Roll out on a surface dusted with icing sugar and, using small cookie cutters, cut out circles of fondant. Use the icing glue to stick the balloons onto the cake. Decorate with colourful candles. Will keep for up to 3 days.

SURPRISE PIñATA FOOTBALL CAKE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to180C/160C fan/gas 4. Grease and base line a 20cm round cake tin with baking parchment. To make the chocolate cake, put the butter into a bowl and beat until soft. Add all the remaining ingredients and beat well until light and creamy. Spoon into the tin and spread level. Bake in the oven for about 45 mins or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Cool. When cold, slice the top off the cake to make it level.
• To make the mint cake, grease and base line your 20cm cake tin with baking parchment. Put the butter into a bowl and beat until soft. Add the remaining ingredients and beat well until light and creamy. Spoon into the tin and spread level. Bake in the oven for about 45 mins or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Cool. Do not slice the top level as it needs to be rounded.
• To make the butter icing, put the butter into a bowl and beat until soft. Gradually beat in the icing sugar. Slice the chocolate and mint cakes in half horizontally so you have four layers. Using an 8cm round cutter, stamp a circle from the centre of each layer. Place the bottom layer of chocolate cake on a 25cm cake board. Spread with a little butter icing. Place the bottom green layer on top. Spread with butter icing and place the other chocolate layer on top. Spread with more icing and place the rounded green sponge on top.
• Fill the centre hole with sweets, almost to the top. Take one of the 8cm green sponge pieces and slice in half horizontally. Place one piece on the cake to cover the hole containing the sweets. Spread the top with the remaining butter icing. Roll out about 300g of the white fondant icing to a 20cm circle and place on top of the cake.
• Brush the sides of the cake with apricot jam. Measure the circumference of the cake and the depth. Add 2.5cm to the depth measurement. Using these measurements roll out the green fondant to a long strip. (You may find it easier to do two shorter strips). Attach the strip around the cake. Use scissors snip around the top edge to represent grass.
• Make a cardboard template of a pentagon (5 sides). Roll out the black icing and cut out six pentagons. Place them on the cake as for a football. If you wish to stick them in place use a little icing sugar mixed with water.
• With the remaining white icing trimmings make a scarf and paint with food colouring in your team colours. Drape the scarf over the edge of the cake. Add candles as desired.

MALTED MILK PIñATA CAKE

Steps:

• Bake the cake:
• Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Grease three 18cm (7 inch) cake tins and line with parchment paper.
• Put the butter, sugars, flour, baking powder, malt powder and salt into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low until all the butter is rubbed into the dry mixture and it has a sandy texture. Alternatively, rub the butter into the dry ingredients by hand, as if you were making pastry.
• In a small jug, beat together the milk, eggs and vanilla. Pour the mixture down the side of the bowl into the dry ingredients and beat until everything is mixed together. When all the liquid has been added, beat on a high speed for two minutes until it is well combined and smooth. Alternatively, you could use an electric hand-held whisk.
• Divide the mixture evenly between the prepared tins and bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes until golden brown. The cake will look slightly darker than you might expect with the added malted milk powder, so be more vigilant in checking that it is ready.
• Make the buttercream:
• Heat the milk and malted milk powder in a small saucepan. Whisk until all the lumps of powder have dissolved and the mixture has thickened slightly. Set aside to cool. Beat the butter in a large bowl until smooth, then gradually add the icing sugar and cool malted milk paste. Use an electric hand-held whisk to beat the buttercream for 5-10 minutes until light and fluffy. It should hold its shape but still be fairly soft.
• Assemble the cake:
• To assemble the cake, stack the bottom two layers on top of each other and use a circular 9cm cutter to remove the middle. Press through both layers at once to make sure the holes line up.
• Put the bottom ring on a cake stand and cover the top with a layer of buttercream using a palette knife. Try not to get icing too close to the middle, because moisture on the sweets will cause them to become sticky.
• Put the second ring on top of the first and fill the hole with milk bottle sweets. Make sure it is filled to the same level as the sponge or the top sponge will cave in. Cover the second ring with buttercream then add the final sponge. Thinly cover the whole cake with some of the buttercream to trap any crumbs, then chill for a minimum of 30 minutes.
• Cover the cake with the remaining buttercream, placing a large dollop on the top to create a swirl. Decorate using more milk bottle sweets and coloured paper straws.

GHOST-BUSTED PIñATA CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 2 8 x 3-inch cake pans line the bottom of each pan with parchment.
• Whisk flour, cocoa and salt in a bowl.
• Place oil and sugar in bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat at medium speed until well blended. Beat in eggs one at a time. With machine on low, very slowly add red food coloring and vanilla (Take care: it may splash.) Add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk in two batches. Scrape down bowl and beat just long enough to combine.
• Place baking soda in a small dish, stir in vinegar and add the mixture to batter with the machine running. Beat for 10 seconds.
• Divide batter among cake pans, place in oven and bake until a cake tester comes out clean, about 30 to 40 minutes. Let cool completely.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter until soft. Add the powdered sugar, cream cheese, salt and vanilla. Beat on medium high until light and fluffy about 5 minutes.
• Once the cakes are cooled, cut the tops of the cakes level, reserve the scraps. Divide each cake evenly into two layers. Using a 3 or 3 ½-inch cookie cutter, punch out the center of two of the cake layers. Reserve the scraps.
• Place 1 of the whole cake layers on the cake board or plate and spread a thin layer of cream cheese frosting on top. Place the second whole cake layer on top. Pipe or spread a ring of frosting on the outside of the top layer and add one of the punched layers on top. Pipe or spread a layer of frosting on top of the ring of cake and add the final punched layer. Apply a thin coat of frosting around the sides of the cake.
• Line the bowl with plastic wrap letting it come up over the sides. Add a little bit of cream cheese frosting to the bottom of the bowl and spread it up the sides. Place pieces of the cake scraps into the bowl to approximate layers, adding frosting as needed. Make a 3 to 3 ½ inch hole in the center of the bowl (to match up with the hole in the center of the layer cake). Place the bowl in the freezer for 3 hours. Place the cake in the fridge. Keep the remaining frosting covered at room temperature until ready to finish assembly.
• Remove the cakes from the fridge and freezer. Using the plastic wrap to help, pull the cake dome out of the bowl. Remove the plastic wrap.
• Fill both holes with the candy. Spread a thin layer of frosting on the top ring of the layer cake. Flip the dome of cake on top. To prevent the candy from falling out of the top, I recommend placing a piece of cardboard over the bottom of the cake dome, flipping it upside-down, using the cardboard to prevent spillage then sliding the cardboard out once the dome is almost touching the base cake.
• Use the remaining frosting to smooth out and even the entire cake. Place cake in the fridge or freezer to firm while you get the decorations ready.
• Roll out the black fondant to ¼ inch think, spread the top with sanding sugar then use the rolling pin to press it inches Cut out desired eyes and mouth.
• Roll the white fondant, using cornstarch to prevent sticking, to ¼ inch thick in a roughly 16-inch circle.
• Remove the cake from the fridge. Roll the fondant around the rolling pin and place over the cake. Using corn starch on your hands, work the fondant down from the top, letting it drape and form ghost-like pleats.
• Use water to adhere the eyes and mouth. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

PINATA CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Coat two 9-by-5-inch loaf pans with cooking spray; line with parchment, leaving an overhang. Prepare the cake mixes as directed. Fill the pans about two-thirds of the way with batter (you' ll have a little left over).
• Bake the cakes 45 minutes, then remove 1 cake from the oven and insert the top 1/2 inch of an ice cream cone 1 1/2 inches from an end as shown. Continue baking both cakes 10 to 15 more minutes. Let cool, then lift out of the pans.
• Use a serrated knife to trim the domed top of the cake without the cone; set trimmed-side down on a work surface. Use frosting to attach 4 ice cream cones to the 4 corners for legs. Transfer to the freezer.
• Trim the bottoms of the 2 remaining cones with a serrated knife to make pointed ears.
• Cut the cake with the baked-in cone in half to form the head (you won't need the other half). Set cut-side down. Use frosting to attach the "ears" to the top of the head; transfer to the freezer.
• Divide the coconut among 5 zip-top bags. Add a few drops of food coloring to each bag, then shake and massage to mix. Add more food coloring as needed until the colors are bright.
• Remove the cake with legs from the freezer. Cover the cones with frosting and press purple coconut around them. Frost half of the body as shown and cover with yellow coconut.
• Invert the cake so it stands on the cone legs. Frost the rest of the body and cover with blue coconut on the sides and orange coconut on the top, leaving a square bare as shown. Return to the freezer.
• Frost the head, ears and snout; cover with stripes of purple, blue, pink and yellow coconut. Place on top of the body as shown. Use the remaining white frosting and the black icing to make eyes and nostrils.

PIñATA CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350ºF.
• Prepare batter from 1 pkg. cake mix and bake as directed on package for 2 (9-inch) round cake layers. Cool 15 min. Remove cakes from pans to wire racks; cool completely.
• Meanwhile, use remaining cake mix and same pans to bake 2 additional cakes, washing pans before reusing. Remove cakes from pans; cool completely.
• Mix sour cream, sugar and vanilla in large bowl until blended; gently stir in COOL WHIP.
• Cut 1 (3-inch) round piece from center of each of 2 of the cakes; remove and discard small cake rounds or reserve for snacking.
• Stack 1 whole cake and 2 cut-up cakes on serving plate, spreading each cake with 1/3 cup COOL WHIP mixture before covering with next cake layer. Spread top of cut cake with 1/3 cup of the remaining COOL WHIP mixture. Fill hole in center of stacked cakes with candies. Cover with remaining (whole) cake layer.
• Frost top and side of cake with remaining COOL WHIP mixture. Decorate with sprinkles.
• Refrigerate 2 hours.

PIñATA POUND CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325°F. Grease 2 (1 1/2-quart) ovenproof glass bowls (8 inches across top) with shortening; coat with flour. Place a small circle of cooking parchment paper in bottom of each bowl for easier removal of cake.
• In medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt; set aside. In large bowl, beat sugar, butter, vanilla and eggs with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on high speed 5 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Beat flour mixture into sugar mixture alternately with milk on low speed, beat just until smooth after each addition. Pour into bowls.
• Bake 60 to 70 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in bowls 20 minutes; remove from bowls to cooling racks. Remove parchment paper. Cool completely, about 2 hours.
• Using serrated knife, cut rounded top off cakes to make a level surface. Use 2 1/2 to 3-inch round biscuit cutter to hollow out a small hole in the center of one of the cakes (do not go all the way through the cake). For second cake, use biscuit cutter to cut a hole completely through the cake layer. Place first layer, cut side up, on cake stand. Fill cut out portion of cake with assorted multi-colored candies. Frost cut side of cake with 1/4 cup frosting and top with remaining cake to make a round cake. Fill hole to the top with remaining candies.
• Thinly frost side and top of cake with 1 cup of the frosting. Divide remaining frosting among 4 small bowls, and mix frosting with pink, blue, yellow and green food colors, one color in each bowl. Place frosting in 4 separate pastry bags fitted with couplers. Rotate ruffle tip between bags as you work. Frost cake, working in horizontal circles, alternating colors every row.

STUFFED PINATA CAKE

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans with butter and line the bottom of each with parchment.
• Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk the milk, vanilla, eggs and egg yolk together in another medium bowl. Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium high until light and fluffy. Add about a third of the flour mixture and beat on medium low until incorporated. Now add a third of the egg-milk mixture and continue to beat on medium low until incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Repeat with the remaining flour and egg-milk mixtures, finishing with the flour.
• Divide the cake batter evenly between the prepared cake pans and bake until the cake bounces back when pressed and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool completely in the cake pans on a rack.
• For the frosting: Bring a few inches of water to a boil in a saucepan that can hold a heatproof stand mixer's bowl above the water.
• Add the sugar, lemon juice, salt and egg whites to the mixer bowl and whisk together by hand. Set the bowl above the boiling water and whisk until the mixture is warm to the touch and the sugar completely dissolves. Transfer to the stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat at medium-high speed until cool and the whites hold stiff peaks, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Toss in a couple of chunks of butter at a time, making sure the pieces are incorporated before adding more. After all the butter is added, continue beating on medium-high speed. The mixture will deflate and appear curdled. Continue beating until the frosting comes back together to a smooth and spreadable consistency. (If the frosting is very soft or begins to break, refrigerate until set but still spreadable, then beat until light before using.)
• For the filling and decoration: Dye the coconut: Have ready 5 resealable plastic bags or plastic containers. Put 1 1/2 cups of the coconut in one container with 6 to 8 drops of blue food coloring. Put 1 cup of coconut in the second container with 5 to 6 drops of orange food coloring, 1 cup of coconut in the third with 5 to 6 drops yellow food coloring and 1 cup of coconut in the fourth with 6 to 8 drops purple food coloring. Put the remaining 1/2 cup coconut in the fifth container with 4 to 5 drops pink food coloring. Seal each container and shake vigorously until the coconut is evenly dyed. Add more food coloring 1 drop at a time as needed to get bright, vibrant colors.
• Assemble the cake: Cut a 4-inch circle out of the center of each cake (reserve the small cut-out cake rounds). Put one of the cake rings on a cake stand or serving platter and frost with about 1 cup of frosting. Put the other cake ring on top and push down slightly. Fill the hole with candy. Cut one of the reserved cake rounds in half horizontally to make 2 thinner rounds. Use one to fill the hole on top of the cake. Frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting.
• Cut a strip of parchment about 30 inches long and 3 inches wide. Wrap this parchment around the cake like a collar, leaving 1 inch of frosting exposed around the bottom perimeter of the cake. Pack some of the blue coconut onto the exposed frosting to make your first strip of color. Lift the collar up another 1 inch and do the same with the orange coconut. Remove the collar and fill the remaining inch of frosting with the yellow coconut. For the top, make 1-inch-wide rings, starting on the outside and working your way in, with the purple, pink, blue and orange coconut until the top is completely covered. Let sit at room temperature for at least 1 hour before serving.