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Frosted Circus Animal Cookie Cake Recipe

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★★★★★

4.6 from 72 reviews

This Frosted Circus Animal Cookie Cake is a colorful and fun dessert featuring vibrant pink and ivory cake layers, frosted animal cookie crumbs filling, and a decadent white chocolate buttercream. The cake is beautifully decorated with sprinkles, pink white chocolate ganache drip, and extra animal cookies, making it perfect for celebrations or a whimsical treat.

Ingredients

Scale

Cake Layers

  • 2 1/2 cups (325g) all purpose flour
  • 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 3/4 cup (168g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cups (337g) sugar
  • 3 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 1/4 cups (300ml) milk
  • Pink gel icing color
  • Ivory gel icing color

Filling

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2 1/2 cups (317g) frosted animal cookie crumbs
  • 1 cup (115g) powdered sugar
  • 7–8 tbsp milk or water
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt
  • 15 frosted animal cookies, crumbled

White Chocolate Buttercream

  • 1 1/4 cups (280g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 12 oz white chocolate chips, melted
  • 6 cups (690g) powdered sugar
  • Pinch of salt
  • 5–6 tbsp (60-75ml) heavy whipping cream
  • Sprinkles

Pink Ganache

  • 6 oz white chocolate chips
  • 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
  • Pink gel icing color

Instructions

  1. Prepare Cake Pans and Preheat Oven: Prepare two 8-inch cake pans by placing parchment paper circles in the bottom and greasing the sides. Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C).
  2. Mix Dry Ingredients: Combine the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium-sized bowl and set aside.
  3. Cream Butter, Sugar, and Oil: In a large mixer bowl, beat together the unsalted butter, sugar, and vegetable oil until light in color and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. This creaming step is crucial for a light texture.
  4. Add Eggs: Mix in the eggs until fully combined and smooth, scraping down the sides to ensure even mixing.
  5. Add Half the Dry Ingredients: Incorporate half of the flour mixture into the batter, mixing until mostly combined.
  6. Add Vanilla and Milk: Add the vanilla extract and milk to the batter and mix well. The batter might look slightly curdled—that’s normal.
  7. Add Remaining Dry Ingredients: Add the remaining flour mixture and mix until smooth, scraping the bowl sides as needed. Be careful not to overmix to keep the cake tender.
  8. Divide and Color Batter: Split batter in half. Leave one half plain (ivory), and color the other half with pink gel icing color. Pour each portion into the prepared cake pans and spread evenly.
  9. Bake Cake Layers: Bake the pans for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out with a few crumbs.
  10. Cool Cakes: Let the cakes cool in the pans for 2-3 minutes, then transfer them onto cooling racks to cool completely.
  11. Make the Filling: Beat 1/2 cup butter until smooth. Add frosted animal cookie crumbs and beat until combined. Gradually add powdered sugar and 4 tablespoons milk or water, beating well. Add vanilla, salt, and more liquid as needed for consistency. Fold in crumbled animal cookies.
  12. Torte Cake Layers: Slice each cake horizontally to create four thin layers total.
  13. Assemble Cake: Place the first pink layer on a serving plate or cake board; spread about 3/4 cup of filling evenly on top. Repeat layering with white cake, filling, pink cake, filling, and finish with the last white cake layer.
  14. Smooth Frosting Edges: Smooth out any frosting sticking along the edges and set the cake aside.
  15. Prepare White Chocolate Buttercream: Beat 1 1/4 cups butter until smooth. Add melted white chocolate chips in three batches, mixing thoroughly to avoid lumps. Add half the powdered sugar and mix until smooth. Add salt and 3-4 tablespoons cream, mix well. Add remaining powdered sugar and mix, adding more cream until desired consistency.
  16. Frost Cake: Frost the entire cake smoothly with the white chocolate buttercream. Press sprinkles around the sides.
  17. Make Pink Ganache: Place 6 oz white chocolate chips in a medium bowl. Heat cream until boiling, pour over chocolate, and whisk until smooth. If needed, microwave in 10-second bursts, stirring between, until completely melted. Add pink gel icing color until the desired shade is reached.
  18. Decorate Cake with Ganache: Drizzle pink ganache around the edges of the cake and spread it in the center.
  19. Finish Decoration: Pipe swirls of remaining buttercream along the top edge and garnish with additional crumbled animal cookies.

Notes

  • Ensure not to overmix the cake batter to keep layers tender and fluffy.
  • Cream butter and sugar thoroughly for a light cake texture.
  • Use gel colors for vibrant pink and ivory shades without affecting batter consistency.
  • Torting the cake creates more layers and elevates the texture and look of the cake.
  • Melting white chocolate slowly and adding it in batches prevents lumps in the buttercream.
  • For best results, cool cakes completely before assembling and frosting.
  • Microwaving chocolate ganache in short intervals helps avoid burning or seizing the chocolate.
  • This cake is best served within 2-3 days stored in the refrigerator.

Keywords: circus animal cookie cake, frosted animal cookie cake, white chocolate buttercream, pink ganache cake, layered cake recipe, funfetti style cake

Find it online: https://nayabaker.com/frosted-circus-animal-cookie-cake-recipe/