How to Make Kids Party Cakes

There are so many recipes for kids party cakes that you can make yourself, even without special form cake pans. I like to share with you as many of these as I can, because it saves you so much money on buying special cake pans. Usually, as when my children were young, you might use the pans only one time; the next year our children want something different. Most of these cakes can be made with simple cake recipes from scratch or they can be made with box mixes.

How to Make Kids Party CakesBirthday Girl with her Princess Cake
Doll Cake
Disney Princess Sophia Cake


The favorite cake flavor for children, as with most of us adults, is chocolate. For this section I am making all the recipes for kids party cakes with various (what I think by raising my children) kid’s chocolate cake recipes. All the designs are what I consider to be “fun cakes” for parties as well as for serving at home.


The first recipe of my kids party cakes is one that most little girls want; Princess Sofia. She is one of the young Disney princesses and if you have children, you probably know all about her. I could not find an actual Disney doll to use so I bought a doll head from the baking supplies at Michael’s. I am making this cake with multiple recipes of filled chocolate cakes; because of my fillings, I am calling it my chocolate peanut butter and jelly cake. This cake is suitable for birthday parties or other little girl’s parties. It will serve at least 30 depending on the serving size. This cake consists of three cake recipes plus fillings; the recipes for chocolate marble cake with peanut butter fudge filling, chocolate devil’s food cake with creamy peanut butter filling and chocolate sponge cake with raspberry filling.

CREATE YOUR OWN KIDS PARTY CAKES

DISNEY’S PRINCESS SOFIA CAKE RECIPE

Doll Cake for Kids Party CakesDoll Cake for Kids Party Cakes

DAY 1 BOTTOM LAYER 12 inch round layer

CHOCOLATE MARBLE CAKE with creamy peanut butter fudge filling

Chocolate Marble CakeChocolate Marble Cake

Generally, you would find a cake with sour cream to have baking soda as a leavening. This one which I have chosen to be part of my kids party cakes uses baking powder and is delicious.

  • 2 ¼ Cups sifted flour
  • 2 Teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ Teaspoon salt
  • 4 Ounces unsweetened dark chocolate
  • 3 Tablespoons butter
  • 1 ¼ Cups softened butter
  • 2 Cups sugar
  • 5 Eggs
  • ½ Cup sour cream
  • ½ Cup miniature semi sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350F degrees; grease, line, grease and lightly flour a 12 inch round cake pan.

NOTE: This will make a 12 inch cake; you may have a little extra batter for cupcakes.

NOTE: If you do not want to make the princess cake, you can also bake this recipe in three 8 or 9 inch size pans.

Combine and sift together sifted flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.

In the top of a double boiler melt chocolate and 3 tablespoons butter; set aside.

Beat together 1 ¼ cups of softened butter and sugar; add eggs beating well after each addition.

Add flour mixture to creamed mixture alternating with the sour cream beating until well blended.

MEASURE 2 cups of the batter into another mixing bowl; add chocolate mixture and blend well.

Fold chocolate chips into the chocolate mixture until well blended.

Spoon white and chocolate batters alternately in the prepared pan; level batter.

Bake about 40 minutes for large cake; 25 minutes for smaller cakes or until pick comes out clean.

Cool 10 minutes and remove from pan to cool.

When completely cooled slice cake horizontally and fill with creamy peanut butter fudge recipe below. 

NOTE: At this point, I wrap tightly and store in freezer.


CREAMY PEANUT BUTTER FUDGE FILLING

This filling is delicious and can be used in any of your kids party cakes.

  • ½ Cup softened butter
  • ½ Cup peanut butter
  • 3 Tablespoon cocoa powder
  • 2 Cups sifted powdered sugar
  • About 3 to 5 tablespoons milk
  • ½ Cup miniature semi sweet chocolate chips

Cream together butter and peanut butter; add cocoa powder and sugar.

Beat together gradually adding enough milk to get a spreading consistency; fold in mini chips.

DAY 2 LAYER 2 

DARK DEVIL’S FOOD CAKE RECIPE with creamy peanut butter filling

Dark Devils Food Cake RecipeDark Devils Food Cake Recipe

This recipe is one of the kids party cakes which can be made for any party or simply for the family. It is so delicious with this creamy peanut butter filling. (Try crunchy peanut butter in it; I love it.)

  • 2 Cups sifted cake flour
  • ½ Cup cocoa powder
  • 2 Teaspoons baking soda
  • ¼ Teaspoon salt
  • 2 Cups brown sugar
  • 2/3 Cup softened butter
  • 3 Eggs
  • 1 Tablespoon coffee liqueur
  • 1 Teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 Cup sour cream
  • ¾ Cup boiling water 

Preheat oven 350F degrees; grease, line with parchment, grease again and flour two 8 or 9 inch round cake pans.

Combine and sift together sifted flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt; set aside.

Cream butter with brown sugar; add eggs beating well after each.

Add sour cream, coffee liqueur and vanilla to the creamy mixture; blend in. 

Add dry ingredients alternating with boiling water to creamed mixture; beat until blended. (Batter is runny)

Divide batter evenly between prepared pans; bake about 30 minutes or until pick comes out clean.

NOTE: To make the Sofia kids party cake, I trimmed off the tops from COLD cakes and put them together with creamy peanut butter filling. For a simple layer cake, you could slice each layer horizontally (making 4 layers) and frost with your favorite recipe of frosting. This makes a delicious cake!

NOTE: After filling the cakes, I wrap tightly and freeze until ready to assemble.


CREAMY PEANUT BUTTER FILLING

This filling is a great added touch when making any kids party cakes.

  • ½ Cup crunchy peanut butter
  • ½ Cup softened butter
  • 2 Cups powdered sugar
  • 4 to 6 Tablespoons milk or cream (Enough for spreading consistency)

Combine and beat until creamy and spread between layers. Delicious!

DAY 3 TOP DOLL CAKE

CHOCOLATE SPONGE CAKE RECIPE with raspberry filling

Chocolate and raspberry is a great team for kids party cakes or for any type of cakes.

  • 1 ½ Cups cake flour
  • 1 ¾ Cups sugar
  • 2/3 Cup cocoa powder
  • 2 Teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ Teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 Teaspoon salt
  • ½ Cup vegetable oil
  • 7 Eggs separated
  • ¾ Cup cold water
  • 2 Teaspoons vanilla
  • ½ Teaspoon cream of tartar
  • ¼ Cup sugar

Preheat oven to 325F degrees; for regular cake bake in ungreased tube pan.

Combine cake flour, 1 ¾ cups sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt; sift together in a large bowl.

Make a well in center of dry ingredients; add in well oil, egg yolks, water and vanilla and beat with wooden spoon until smooth.

Beat egg whites and cream of tartar until frothy; gradually add ¼ cup of sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.

Gradually pour chocolate batter over beaten egg whites; gently fold just until blended.

For tube cake pour into prepared pan; bake about 80 to 90 minutes; hang on a bottle upside down to cool completely.

Frost with desired frosting.

NOTE: FOR DOLL use an 8 to 10 cup ovenproof bowl (bake remaining batter for extra cupcakes or small cake). Line bottom of bowl with parchment paper. Fill bowl ¾ full and bake on bottom shelf of oven about 80 to 90 minutes until done. (Cake will spring back when touched.) For cooling, I turn the bowl upside down propping the sides up with trivets until completely cold. Run a long knife blade around the edges to loosen and remove from bowl. Cool completely and then refrigerate until cold. Slice cake horizontally into 3 or 4 layers; spread with raspberry filling. Reassemble layers for this kids party cake and wrap tightly in plastic wrap and place in freezer.


RASPBERRY FILLING RECIPE

  • 2 Cups fresh raspberries
  • 4 Tablespoons cornstarch
  • 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
  • ¼ Cup sugar
  • 1 ½ Cups water 
  • 3 Tablespoons raspberry gelatin
  • 1 Tablespoon butter

Combine berries, cornstarch, lemon juice, sugar and water in saucepan over medium low heat; stir and cook until thickened.

Stir in butter and gelatin; remove from heat and let stand to cool.


DAY 4: TO ASSEMBLE DISNEY’S PRINCESS CAKE (SOFIA) After removing cakes from freezer, while still frozen, I frost each cake with a white butter cream frosting. I let the cakes stand a little while to thaw; then I insert 4 dowels in the bottom layer to support the weight of the top cakes. Now I am ready to place the cakes on top, place the doll’s head in the top cake and do the decorating.


NOTE: I used 6 recipes of decorator frosting.

PINATA CLOWN CAKE RECIPE a chocolate Bundt cake recipe

Another popular design for kids party cakes is for ones made like piñatas. I have chosen one designed like a clown. It is very easy to make by baking in a Bundt cake pan. All it takes is a little candy to fill the center of the cake, a Styrofoam ball to make the head and frosting. The kid’s love it.               

Pinata Clown Cake RecipePinata Clown Cake Recipe
  • 2 Cups cake flour
  • 1 Teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ Teaspoon salt
  • ¾ Cup shortening
  • 1 ¼ Cups brown sugar
  • 3 Eggs
  • 1 Teaspoon vanilla
  • 4 Squares (1 ounce each) unsweetened chocolate MELT and cool
  • ¾ Cup water
  • One 5 inch Styrofoam ball
  • 1 Recipe white frosting
  • Decorator frosting and sugar candies

Preheat oven to 350F degrees; grease and flour Bundt cake pan.

Sift flour and measure; add baking soda and salt and sift again.

Cream shortening and sugar; beat until light and fluffy.

Add eggs one at a time to shortening mixture beating well after each.

Add chocolate to mixture and beat until smooth.

Add dry ingredients alternating with water to creamed mixture stirring only enough to blend thoroughly.

Pour batter into prepared pan; bake 50 to 60 minutes until pick comes out clean.

Cool 10 minutes; remove from pan and cool completely before frosting.

TO ASSEMBLE Frost top and sides of cake NOT INSIDE (where tube of pan was).

Fill inside of cake (where tube of pan was) with small candies in wrappers.

Top with Styrofoam ball decorated like a clowns head; decorate cake like clown” shirt.

Filling the Pinata Clown Cake with CandyFilling the Pinata Clown Cake with Candy
Piece of Pinata Clown CakePiece of Pinata Clown Cake

BUTTERFLY CAKE RECIPE a white chocolate coconut cake

Another easy of my kids party cakes is for a butterfly cake; or maybe two or more butterflies.  You can mix this recipe up and bake it in whatever size ROUND cake pans you want. Use 1 large round 12 inch pan or try 3 smaller 8 or 9 inch round baking pans. When the cakes are cold cut each in half and turn around and place the rounded sides together on a plate or tray. Decorate in the colors you like so they look like butterflies. This is a great one for little boys!

Butterfly Cake RecipeButterfly Cake Recipe made with a White Chocolate Coconut Cake
  • 1 ½ Cups butter
  • ¾ Cup water
  • 4 Ounces white baking chocolate chopped
  • 1 ½ Cups buttermilk
  • 4 Eggs
  • ¼ Teaspoon rum extract
  • 1 Cup toasted chopped pecans
  • ½ Cup flour
  • 3 Cups flour
  • 2 ¼ Cups sugar
  • ½ Cup shredded coconut
  • 1 Teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 Teaspoon baking powder

Preheat oven to 350F degrees; grease, line with parchment, grease and lightly flour round cake pan. (Use one 12 inch cake pan OR two 8 or 9 inch pans)

In saucepan, bring butter and water to a boil while stirring; remove from heat and stir in chocolate bar until melted.

Stir buttermilk, eggs and rum into chocolate mixture; set aside.

Stir together the ½ cup of flour and the pecans; set aside.

Combine the 3 cups of flour, sugar, coconut, baking soda and baking powder in a large mixing bowl.

Add buttermilk mixture to dry ingredients; stir in pecan mixture.

Spoon batter into prepared pan (or pans); bake until pick comes out clean. (Small cake about 25 minutes or large cakes about 45 to 50 minutes).

Cool in pans for 10 minutes and then remove to rack until completely cold.

NOTE: This cake can be frosted or covered with fondant to make a butterfly OR add your favorite frosting for a simple cake.

Cakes Halves Place to Make a Butterfly CakeCakes Halves Place to Make a Butterfly Cake