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This tequila lime margarita cake is made with three layers of moist lime cake, filled with zesty lime curd and topped with silky smooth buttercream and a boozy margarita gelatin on top! This is the PERFECT cake for Cinco de Mayo!

This recipe takes some time to make but it's TOTALLY worth it! I like to make the lime curd, gelatin, and cakes one day before so they are all ready to go when I need them.

Margarita cake ingredients

I love turning drinks into cakes! I wanted to stay true to that delicious margarita flavor and incorporate as much tequila and lemon-lime flavor as possible so I used Blanco Espolon tequila because I absolutely love the flavor but you can use whatever tequila you like best.

This might look like a ton of ingredients but I have grouped the different ingredients into the lime cake, the lime curd, and the margarita gelatin layer. I highly recommend making the curd and gelatin ahead of time so they have time to cool down.

How to make the lime cake

1. Preheat your oven to 335ºF and prepare three 6"x2" cake pans with cake goop or another preferred pan release.
2. Combine the lime juice, zest, tequila, lemon extract, and milk and set it aside.
3. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt and set it aside.
4. Add your softened butter and sugar to the bowl of your stand mixer with the paddle attachment attached and cream it on medium-high speed until it's light, white, and fluffy (about 4-5 minutes). This is where you develop the structure of the cake, so don't be afraid to really let it mix.
5. Next, add in your egg whites (make sure they are room-temp or even slightly warm) ⅓ at a time while mixing on low, letting them mix in before adding the next part.
6. Add in ⅓ of your dry ingredients to the egg/butter mixture and mix on low until just combined. Then add in ½ of your liquids, then dry, then liquids, and the rest of your dry. Mix until just combined.
7. Divide your batter evenly between your prepared cake pans and bake them for or 25-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out from the center clean or the top bounces back when you lightly touch it. I'm using three, 6" x 2" cake pans, but you can also use two, 8" x 2" pans.
8. Let the cake layers cool 15 minutes then turn out cakes onto a cooling rack. Wrap them in plastic wrap while still warm and place into the freezer to flash chill. This locks in the moisture. Once cool but not frozen, you can then trim off the brown edges of your cakes and frost as desired.

Making the margarita gelatin layer

Yes, there is an actual margarita Jell-o shot on top of this cake. It might sound weird but it's totally fun and tastes delicious!

1. Sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water and let it soak for 5 minutes.
2. Add the margarita mix, lime juice, and sugar to the gelatin mixture and stir to combine.
3. Microwave (or heat on a stovetop over low heat) until dissolved. About 15-30 seconds. The granules of gelatin will look clear when it's melted. Scoop any white foam off the surface with a spoon to keep your gelatin clear.
4. Stir in the tequila and Grand Marnier. Pour half the mixture into a lightly greased ice cube tray and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight. Save the leftover in a measuring cup and refrigerate for later. You will be re-melting this portion.

How to make lime curd

1. Zest the limes, then slice them in half and juice them into a measuring cup. Use a small colander or a lemon juicer to keep out any seeds.
2. Place the egg yolks, cornstarch, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk well to combine and set aside. (You will be adding more to this later, so make sure it's a large enough bowl.)
3. Add your lime juice, granulated sugar, and lime zest to a saucepan and bring it to a simmer over medium heat, whisking to prevent burning.
4. When it has reached a simmer, scoop about 1 cup of the lime juice mixture and slowly add it into the egg yolk mixture while whisking continuously.
5. Add the tempered egg mixture back into the lime mixture while whisking constantly. Keep an eye on it and keep whisking until it thickens, if you walk away for even a minute, the eggs can curdle.
6. Continue cooking and whisking your lemon curd until it thickens (about 170º F) and just begins to bubble then remove it from the heat. You can strain it if needed to remove any egg bits or the pieces of lime zest.
7. Add your butter in chunks to the lime curd and whisk it until the butter is melted and combined. Remove the lime curd from the heat. It will continue to thicken as it cools.
8. Add in your tequila and Grand Marnier (both optional) and stir until smooth.
9. Cover the curd with plastic wrap (make sure the wrap touches the surface so your curd doesn't form a skin) and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours or overnight.

Cake assembly

If you need more help on decorating your first cake, check out my video tutorial.

1. Trim the domes off your chilled cake layers so they are nice and flat. I also like to trim the brown off the sides and the bottom but you don't have to. Place the first cake layer onto a 6" cake board or onto your cake platter.
2. Spread a thin layer of your easy buttercream onto the cake layer so the curd doesn't soak into the cake. Pipe a dam of buttercream around the outside edge so the curd doesn't spill out.
3. Fill the inside with about ¼" of your lime curd. You don't want it too thick.
4. Place the second layer of cake on top and repeat the process again with buttercream and curd. Then put the final layer of cake on top.
5. Cover the entire cake in a thin layer of buttercream. This is the crumbcoat and locks in the crumbs so they don't get into the final layer of buttercream.
6. Refrigerate your cake for 15 minutes so that the buttercream firms up.
7. While your cake is chilling, microwave the leftover gelatin that we made earlier until it's liquid but let it cool down so it's not hot. It shouldn't be warmer than 90ºF. It should only take about 15-30 seconds to melt.
8. Apply the final layer of buttercream and use a bench scraper to make sure the sides of the cake are very straight and smooth. Smooth out the top of the cake as well with an offset spatula.
9. Refrigerate your cake again for 15 minutes.
10. Wrap your acetate around the outside of the cake, making sure you're getting it as close to the buttercream as possible. Tape the edges so it doesn't unravel.
11. Pipe some buttercream into any gaps from the top so the gelatin doesn't leak out.
12. Refrigerate the cake again for 15 minutes so the buttercream firms up.
13. Remove the gelatin gummies from the ice cube tray and place them on top of your cake in a little pile.
14. Pour a thin layer of your cooled gelatin on top of the cake, about ¼" thick.
15. Place the cake back into the fridge to chill until you're ready to serve it.
16. Carefully pull off the acetate once the gelatin layer is set, it should set within 10-15 minutes.
17. I added some crystal sprinkles around the outer edge right before serving and also some thinly sliced limes around the outside and one on top that I attached with a toothpick. Don't add these too soon or they will drip and weep in the fridge. If your limes are not sticking to the side of your cake, pipe a little buttercream onto the back to help them stick on

Margarita Cake FAQ

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Recipe

Super soft and velvety lemon cake with homemade lemon curd, lemon ganache drip, and a truly delicious lemon cream cheese frosting! This lemon cake literally melts in your mouth it is so soft and tender. You won't ever need another lemon cake recipe after trying this one!

This lemon cake is a reader favorite and always gets rave reviews! If you're not familiar with making a layer cake, then you should check out my video on how to make your first cake to get the basics and terminology down.

When I make this cake, I make my curd one day in advance so that it has time to cool down in the fridge. You can also bake your cakes in advance if you want, and then wrap them in plastic wrap and freeze them until you are ready to decorate.

Lemon cake ingredients

This lemon cake has tons of natural lemon flavor thanks to lemon juice, lemon zest, and some pure lemon extract. If you plan on making the lemon curd (which you TOTALLY should,) make sure you have at least 8 large lemons for the cake and curd combined or you can buy lemon juice to use in the curd if you don't want to juice a bunch of lemons.

We will also be making a lemon ganache drip but instead of cream, we are using lemon juice! Did you know you can make ganache with lemon juice? Mind blown!

You will also need cream cheese and unsalted butter for the frosting. See the full list of ingredients in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

What makes this lemon cake so moist?

This lemon cake recipe, much like my vanilla cake and white velvet buttermilk cake recipes, has some key ingredients for maximum moistness and melt-in-your-mouth velvet texture. 

• Buttermilk - breaks down the gluten in cake flour and reacts with acidic ingredients to create a very light and fluffy cake that is extremely tender! No buttermilk? No problem, you can make your own buttermilk substitute.
• Cake flour - cake flour has less gluten in it than AP flour, resulting in a very tender cake crumb. **Note, you can't do that trick where you replace AP flour with cornstarch or you'll end up with cornbread. If you live in the UK, try searching for Shipton Mills soft cake and pastry flour, or any flour that has a protein content of 9% or less.
• Reverse mixing method - The reverse creaming method is the process of coating your dry ingredients with butter before you add the liquids. This butter "shortens" the gluten strands and gives the cake its velvet crumb.
• Oil - Very important in butter cakes to keep your cakes from drying out. When a cake is cold, the butter in the cake get's hard and can make the cake taste dry. Cakes should always be consumed at room temperature for the best results. 

Lemon curd step by step

Once you make your own lemon curd, it's hard to ever go back to buying it. Nothing compares to that pure, bright, fresh lemon flavor. I prefer to make my lemon curd one day in advance and then have it ready to go the next day.

1. Zest your lemons then slice then juice them. Make sure you strain out any seeds or lemon bits.
2. Place the egg yolks, cornstarch, and salt in a medium-sized heatproof bowl and whisk together until smooth.
3. Add your lemon juice, sugar, and lemon zest to a saucepan and bring to a simmer while whisking occasionally.
4. When your lemon mixture reaches a simmer, scoop out one cup of the hot liquid (carefully) and pour it into the egg mixture while whisking at the same time so you don't curdle your eggs.
5. Now add the tempered egg mixture back into the lemon mixture in a slow stream while whisking constantly to prevent over-heating the eggs.
6. Continue cooking over medium heat while mixing constantly until it thickens or reaches 170 - 180ºF on a thermometer.
7. Remove the lemon curd from the heat and add your butter. Whisk until smooth.
8. Pour the finished lemon curd into a heatproof container and cover it with plastic wrap (make sure the wrap is touching the surface of the curd) and refrigerate. Let it cool down completely before you use it.

Lemon cake step by step

1. Bring all your ingredients to room temperature or even a little warm (eggs, buttermilk, butter, etc) to ensure your batter does not break or curdle. 
2. Use a scale to weigh your ingredients (including liquids) unless otherwise instructed (Tablespoons, teaspoons, pinch etc). Metric measurements are available in the recipe card. Scaled ingredients are much more accurate than using cups and help ensure the success of your recipe. 
3. Preheat your oven to 335º F/168º C Prepare your cake pans with cake goop or another pan release. For square pans or cakes over 12", I also use parchment paper.
4. Combine the 4oz of buttermilk with the oil and set aside.
5. To the remaining 6oz of buttermilk, add your eggs, lemon zest, lemon extract, and lemon juice. Whisk lightly to break up the eggs and set it aside.
6. Place the cake flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda into the bowl of your stand mixer with the paddle attachment attached.
7. Turn the mixer onto the lowest speed. Add in your softened butter in small chunks and mix on medium until the flour mixture resembles coarse sand. About 1 minute.
8. Add your oil/milk mixture all at once to the dry ingredients and mix on medium (speed 2 on a bosch, speed 4 on your KitchenAid) for two full minutes to develop the cake's structure.
9. Slowly add in the milk/egg mixture in 3 parts, letting the batter mix for 10 seconds between additions. Stop to scrape the bowl once more halfway through. Your batter should be thick and not separated. If it is separated, some of your ingredients could have been too cold or you added your liquids too quickly.
10. Fill your cake pans ¾ full with cake batter. You can also weigh your cake pans to ensure that each pan has the same amount of cake batter.
11. Bake your cakes for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out from the center cleanly.
12. After removing your cakes from the oven, I give them a quick tap on the countertop to release air and prevent shrinking.
13. After cakes have cooled for 10 minutes or the pans are cool enough to touch, flip the cakes over onto a cooling rack and let cool until barely warm. Wrap your cakes in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator before frosting so they are easier to handle. You can also put them in the freezer if you are in a hurry for them to cool down.
14. Once the cakes are chilled you can now trim, fill and decorate your cake as you wish.

Cream cheese frosting

1. Make sure your butter and your cream cheese are both softened but not melted. Cold butter or cold cream cheese will not cream together properly and you'll get lumps in your frosting. You can soften by cutting into chunks and leaving at room temperature or you can microwave for 15 seconds until softened.
2. Place your butter into your stand mixer with the whisk attachment and cream until smooth (you can also do this by hand or with a hand mixer).
3. Add your cream cheese and cream on low until smooth and combined.
4. While mixing on low, start adding in your powdered sugar one cup at a time until its all in and everything is smooth.
5. Then add in your extract and salt. Cream until just combined and you're done!

Lemon cake assembly

Now that we've got our curd, cream cheese frosting and lemon cake baked, it's time to assemble! If you need more basic instructions on how to make your first cake, you can watch my beginners cake tutorial.

1. Trim the domes off the tops of your cakes to level them and trim off the brown edges if you wish.
2. Place your first layer of cake onto a cake board or cake platter. Add a dam of buttercream around the outside edge of the cake and fill the center with about ¼" of lemon curd.
3. Place your second layer on top and repeat the process and add the third layer on top.
4. Apply a thin coat of buttercream to the whole cake (crumbcoat) and place into the fridge for 15 minutes.
5. Apply the final layer of buttercream and smooth it out with a bench scraper and offset spatula.
6. Place the cake in the fridge to continue chilling while you make the lemon water ganache.
7. Microwave your chocolate and lemon juice in 30 second increments (or place on a double boiler) until melted. Add a drop of yellow food coloring and white food coloring and whisk until smooth. Let the ganache cool to 90ºF before you use it or it might run down the sides of the cake too much.
8. Pipe the lemon ganache on top of the cake using a piping bag. Smooth out the top with an offset spatula.
9. After the ganache sets (about 10 minutes) add some more swirls of buttercream on top of the cake using an open start tip and some lemon slices.

This lemon cake is literally bursting at the seams with so much lemon flavor! I love this cake so much! The cake is so so soft and fluffy but combined with the lemon curd and the lemon ganache, this cake is far and above the best lemon cake ever.

Lemon Cake FAQ

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Lemon blueberry cake

Recipe

This lemon blueberry layer cake is like no other cake you have tasted. The lemon cake has a soft and fluffy texture with a fresh lemon flavor thanks to freshly zested lemons. The sweet blueberries and smooth and tangy classic cream cheese frosting make this one of my favorite summer cake flavors.

My husband has always loved my lemon cake and for years it was our most popular wedding cake flavor after vanilla cake. Even people who do not like lemon flavors love this lemon cake! The secret to a truly delicious lemon cake is using a good low-protein cake flour, good quality unsalted butter and lots of fresh lemon zest, and high-quality lemon oil. That way your lemon cake has lots of real lemon flavor and doesn't taste like lemon cough syrup (yuk).

Lemon Blueberry Cake Recipe Ingredients And Substitutions

Cake Flour - Cake flour is a low-protein flour that makes cakes extra tender and moist. Using cake flour will ensure this cake is super soft and fluffy. If you cannot get cake flour you can make your own cake flour substitute but keep in mind the texture will be slightly different.

Pro-tip – If you’re in the UK, search for Shipton mills soft cake and pastry flour or flour that has a protein level of 9% or less.

Buttermilk - The acidity in buttermilk not only breaks down the gluten structure, making baked goods more tender, but it also adds a delicious flavor. If you do not have buttermilk you can make your own buttermilk substitute using milk and white vinegar or substituting sour cream.

Blueberries - Fresh blueberries are heavy so to prevent them from sinking I dust them with flour and add them halfway through baking. You can also use frozen blueberries (not thawed) the same way.

Fresh Lemons - The zest of a lemon is where all the flavor is. If you want more lemon flavor you can add more zest. Lemon juice does not have a lot of lemon flavor.

Tips For Baking Layer Cakes From Scratch (AKA The Science Part)

*This post may contain affiliate links which means if you click on them, I might get a few pennies.

I suggest purchasing a kitchen scale if you don't already have one to make the best cake recipes. One cup of cake flour can vary from scoop to scoop depending on how packed the flour is, humidity, and the type of flour, which can ruin your cake recipe. All my cake recipes (except doctored box mixes) use a scale.

Practice Mise en Place (everything in its place) which means you measure everything before you start mixing so you don't accidentally forget something or add any ingredients out of order. I use a set of medium and small pyrex glass bowls I got from goodwill for this and it makes things SO much easier.

Room temperature ingredients are a must. If your milk and eggs are cold (even a little) then they will actually repel the fats in your recipe (butter) and your cake batter will split causing your cake texture to be off or even collapse. Don't worry, warming up your ingredients is really easy, this is how I make my ingredients room temperature in 5 minutes (which is actually a little warmer than room temperature).

If you have never decorated a cake before, you can watch my free step-by-step tutorial on how to decorate your first cake.

How To Make The Lemon Blueberry Cake

1. Preheat your oven to 335ºF and prepare three 6-inch pans (6"x2") with cake goop (homemade pan release) or another preferred pan release. You don't need parchment paper but you can use it if you want.
2. Make sure all your wet ingredients are measured out and slightly warm (see my room temperature ingredients hacks)
3. Divide your buttermilk in half so it's in two separate medium bowls or containers. In the first container, add your oil and set it aside.
4. To the remaining measurement of buttermilk, add the eggs, lemon extract, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Whisk lightly to break up the eggs. Pro-tip – If you want your lemon cake to be more yellow, you can add a couple of drops of yellow food coloring to this mixture.
5. In the bowl of your stand mixer, add your cake flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt with the paddle attachment attached.
6. Add in your softened butter in chunks while mixing on low speed. Continue to mix the butter and dry ingredients on medium until it looks like coarse sand.
7. To the flour-butter mixture, add the milk/oil mixture all at once and mix on medium speed for two full minutes to develop the cake's structure.
8. The batter will be light, white, and not curdled looking or broken. Make sure to scrape your bowl if needed.
9. Reduce the speed to low and slowly add in about ⅓ of the milk/egg mixture.
10. Let it fully incorporate, then add in another ⅓ of the milk/egg mixture letting it fully incorporate before adding the last ⅓ of the milk/egg mixture. Don't worry, you will not over-mix the batter.
11. Wash your blueberries off and then dust them with a tablespoon of flour. The flour coating helps adhere them to the cake batter and keeps them from sinking to the bottom of the pan. If you are using frozen blueberries, skip this step.
12. Sprinkle your blueberries on the top of the cake and don’t mix them in, they will sink naturally. 
13. Bake at 335ºF for 35 - 40 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean and the center of the cake springs back when you touch it. 
14. Remove the cakes from the oven and place them onto a wire rack to cool. Let them cool down until the pans are warm to the touch but no longer hot.
15. After the cake layers have cooled, flip them out onto the wire rack to cool until barely warm.
16. Carefully wrap them in plastic wrap and put them in the freezer for 60 minutes to get the cake to firm up so it’s easier to handle and frost. Pro-tip – If you're not planning on frosting your cake right away you can wrap your layers in two layers of plastic wrap and freeze them for up to 6 weeks. Freezing your cakes while warm locks in moisture and keeps them fresh tasting for longer.

How To Make Smooth Classic Cream Cheese Frosting

This lemon blueberry cake is a great recipe that pairs so well with many different types of frostings. I tried this recipe with a few different frostings like my easy buttercream and stabilized whipped cream. I discovered that the perfect compliment to this cake is my classic cream cheese frosting. The tart and tangy flavor tastes so amazing with the sweet and sour lemon blueberry combo. It’s a match made in heaven.

Making this cream cheese frosting is easy. It’s a little more stable than some cream cheese frostings but not as stable as my crusting cream cheese frosting recipe. It’s a balance of the two. 

Pro-tip – It is VERY important that the butter and the cream cheese are both soft so you do not get cream cheese lumps. Do not add in the powdered sugar until the butter and cream cheese are completely blended.

1. Place the softened butter in the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment (I know I am using a paddled attachment in these pics but I've noticed the cream cheese frosting is creamier when using a whisk). Cream the butter until smooth and lump-free.
2. Add the softened cream cheese in small pieces and combine with the butter until smooth and completely lump-free.
3. With the mixer on low speed, start adding in your sifted powdered sugar one cup at a time until it’s all added and everything is smooth.
4. Then add in the vanilla extract and salt and mix until just incorporated.
5. Make sure you don’t over-mix the cream cheese frosting though, it can separate and liquefy if mixed for too long.

How To Decorate The Lemon Blueberry Cake

1. Begin by trimming the dome off of your cake layers with a serrated knife. I also like to trim the brown edges off the sides and bottom of the cake layers.
2. Place your first layer onto a cardboard round or onto a cake platter.
3. Spread an even layer of your cream cheese frosting with your offset spatula.
4. Place the second layer of cake on top and repeat the process with the second and third layers.
5. Cover the entire cake in a thin layer of frosting (the crumb coat).
6. Place the cake into the fridge to chill for 20 minutes.
7. While the cake is chilling, you can cut some thin slices of lemon to decorate (the thinner the better). Don't forget to remove the seeds so the slices look nicer. Dry them off with a paper towel and set them aside.
8. Frost your cake with a final layer of cream cheese frosting.
9. Add your thin lemon slices, blueberries, and I also added some fresh pansy (which are edible flowers) and dusted some powdered sugar on top.

FAQ

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Recipe

You can easily make your own ice cream cake at home with your favorite ice cream, homemade chocolate cake, and stabilized whipped cream. This recipe is just like the Dairy Queen Oreo Blizzard cakes you loved when you were a kid!

What Makes This Tutorial Great

ANYONE can do this, I promise. No fancy mixing method for the cake, store-bought ice cream, and easy homemade whipped cream icing, but you could easily use something like cool-whip if you wanted to.

Making an ice cream cake at home is pretty easy but keep in mind that freezing takes time. It's easiest if you make your cake and ice cream layer ahead of time (the day before) and keep them frozen until you need them. It only takes about 20 minutes to actually assemble the cake once everything is frozen.

Ice cream cake ingredients

I decided to go with cookies and cream ice cream from Tillamook which is a local brand here in Oregon. I love Tillamook ice cream because it's made with just pure and natural ingredients and tastes absolutely incredible! This post isn't sponsored, I just love their products and if you're ever in Oregon, you should definitely check out the Tillamook Creamery and take a tour!

For Avalon's birthday back in 2019, we spent the weekend on the Oregon coast and then took a tour on our way back home with all the cousins. They had so much fun eating learning about how cheese is made and of course, eating tons of ice cream.

Baking the cake layers

1. Make your cake batter (recipe below). I'm using easy chocolate cake but you can use any cake flavor you want, even boxed mix.
2. Two 8"x2" cake pans are the perfect size for this cake. I prepare my cake pans with cake goop (homemade pan release) to prevent sticking. Pro-tip – You can make an ice cream cake with any size of cake pan, but keep in mind that they don't like to be tall and skinny, so I wouldn't recommend going any smaller than an 8".
3. After the cakes have cooled for about 15 minutes, flip them out onto a cooling rack and let them cool fully. Slice the dome off the top to level the cake and then wrap the cakes in plastic wrap and freeze them overnight or a minimum of 6 hours.

How to prepare the ice cream layer

1. Wash your cake pan then line it with some aluminum foil or plastic wrap. Foil is a little easier to work with because it doesn't lift up when you add the ice cream. I like just one layer, but you could do multiple ice cream layers with different flavors if you'd like!
2. Now we are going to empty the ENTIRE container into this cake pan and smooth it out. 1.5 quarts is exactly the right amount of ice cream to completely fill an 8" cake pan.
3. Smooth out the top and freeze the ice cream overnight or a minimum of 6 hours.

How to assemble the ice cream cake

1. First things first, make sure you have enough room in your freezer for your assembled cake! There's nothing worse than beautifully frosting your whole cake and scrambling to make room in your freezer as it's melting.
2. When you're ready to start assembling the cake, now is the time to make your stabilized whipped cream (recipe below). The added gelatin keeps this whipped cream from melting too quickly. Check out the stabilized whipped cream blog post for more stabilizing options besides gelatin.
3. Place your first cake layer on top of your cake platter.
4. Add a thin layer of whipped cream to the top of your cake layer. This is just to fill any gaps or air pockets.
5. Remove the frozen ice cream from the foil and place it on top of the cake.
6. Add another thin layer of whipped cream and then your final cake layer.
7. Cover the whole cake with a thin layer of whipped cream to fill any gaps or holes.
8. Then apply your final coat of whipped cream.
9. Smooth the sides with a bench scraper or offset spatula and then smooth the top.
10. Place the whole cake back into the freezer while you make your chocolate drip. This drip is so easy to make, but you could also use store-bought hot fudge sauce.
11. Microwave the chocolate for 1 minute, then add the cream. Microwave for one more minute then let it sit for 5 minutes.
12. Whisk until smooth then cool to 90ºF before you use it on the cake.
13. Pipe the chocolate drip onto the sides of your frozen cake.
14. Add the leftover to the top and smooth it all out with a spatula.
15. Add some dollops of whipped cream on top, garnish with Oreos and Oreo crumbs around the base of the cake.

More Flavor Ideas

Honestly, I can't even believe how easy this cake was to make. I can't wait to try out even more flavors this summer! Let me know in the comments what your favorite ice cream flavor is or what combo you'd like to see!

• Red velvet cake with cheesecake ice cream
• Funfetti cake with birthday cake ice cream
• Brown butter cake with chocolate chip cookie ice cream
• Triple chocolate cake with peanut butter cup ice cream
• Vanilla cake with strawberry puree and strawberry icecream
• White cake with chocolate ice cream and strawberry ice cream for a Neapolitan flavor combo.

FAQ

Recipe

How to make donut cake that tastes just like a freshly made donut! Frosted with maple buttercream and pink donut icing drip. I was shocked how much this cake literally tastes just like a real donut.

I made this donut cake flavor for my gravity-defying squirrel tutorial but ended up LOVING the flavor of the cake so much, I had to make it into its own recipe!

What makes this donut cake taste like a donut?

The cake layers taste exactly like a real donut. The secret is using a little nutmeg, cinnamon, buttermilk, and what I like to call "donut fat".  After frying my classic cake donut, I save the leftover shortening to replace some of the butter in my recipe. See those little brown bits? They are leftover browned bits of donut and when you add them to the cake batter it really adds a ton of flavor!

Now if you don't have any leftover shortening from a recent batch of fried donuts, no worries, you can just use regular shortening or even all butter. I keep my donut fat frozen in the freezer until I need it.

I'm also using nutmeg as well as a little cinnamon in this donut cake which are classic spices you normally use in cake donuts.

Buttermilk gives the cake layers a delicious flavor and also adds lots of moisture and a velvety texture to the cake layers just like my white velvet buttermilk cake.

Donut cake ingredients

What is the reverse creaming method?

Before we get to the mixing, we should talk about why we are mixing in a way that might seem unfamiliar. We are mixing this cake using a process called the reverse mixing method. We will coat the dry ingredients in butter similar to when you make a shortbread cookie. The butter stops gluten from developing and gives our cake layers a velvety texture.

Then we add in the liquids and the eggs which aerate the cake batter and add structure.

With the reverse mixing method, we can add much more sugar and liquid to our cake batter than with traditional mixing methods resulting in a finer, moister and more delicately textured cake.

When you use the reverse creaming method it's important to use cake flour which has less protein (gluten) than all purpose flour. If you use all purpose flour, your cake can end up with too much gluten development and a cornbread texture.

Donut cake recipe step-by-step

1. Bring your ingredients to room temperature and I like to pre-measure all my ingredients so that I can just mix without pausing.
2. Preheat your oven to 335º F and prepare three 6"x2" cake pans with cake goop or any other preferred cake release.
3. Combine ½ cup of the buttermilk and the oil together and set aside.
4. To the rest of the buttermilk, add the vanilla and the eggs. Whisk gently to combine and then set it aside.
5. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment attached.  
6. While mixing on low, begin adding in your softened butter and donut fat in small chunks. Let it continue to mix until it resembles coarse sand.
7. While mixing on low, add in your oil/buttermilk mixture and mix on medium speed for two full minutes to develop the cake's structure.
8. Reduce the mixer to low and then slowly add in the milk/egg mixture. Continue mixing until everything is combined and your batter looks cohesive. Don't worry about over-mixing, usually, people undermix.
9. Divide the cake batter between your prepared cake pans and bake them for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out cleanly.
10. Immediately after removing the cakes from the oven, gently press the dome down and brush the surface with melted butter. This adds even more flavor to the cake layers.
11. Let the layers cool in the pan until the pan is barely warm, then transfer them to a cooling rack. You can flash cool in the freezer for 60 minutes if you want to decorate right away or wrap in plastic wrap and freeze to use later

Maple frosting recipe step-by-step

1. In the bowl of your stand mixer with the whisk attachments attached, cream your butter until smooth.
2. While mixing on low, begin adding in your powdered sugar one cup at a time until it's all added.
3. Add in the maple syrup, maple extract, vanilla extract, salt and white food coloring. Mix until it's smooth.

Pink donut drip

1. Add the chocolate wafers to a bowl and microwave for 1 minute to soften.
2. Pour the hot water over the top of the chocolate and let it sit for about 3-5 minutes.
3. Whisk until smooth then add in your pink and white food coloring.
4. Let the drip cool to 90ºF before using it so it doesn't run down the side of the cake.

Cake assembly and decoration

If you need to learn more about how decorate your first cake, check out this tutorial.

1. I colored about 1 ½ cups of my buttercream with some electric pink food coloring and a few drops of white food coloring.
2. Frost and fill your layers with the pink layer and apply a crumb coat.
3. Place the cake in the fridge to chill for about 15 minutes.
4. Apply the final layer of buttercream and smooth it with an offset spatula and bench scraper.
5. Chill your cake again for 15 minutes. This is usually where I make my drip and let it cool down.
6. I dipped a cake donut in the pink frosting (you can use one that you made or use a store-bought donut) and add some sprinkles.
7. Drip the pink chocolate on top of the cake and add some more sprinkles.
8. Then attach the donut with a cake pop stick or skewer to keep it standing up.

Recipe

The best Oreo cake recipe! Three layers of moist vanilla cake filled with chopped Oreos and then thick and creamy vanilla frosting that tastes JUST like the filling from actual Oreos. Topped with more Oreo frosting and Oreo cookies! 

Oreo cake has been one of those recipes that you guys have messaged me about over and over and I've been listening! I swear! I had a hard time deciding if I wanted the cake itself to be a dark chocolate cake made with black cocoa powder like Oreos are made or using actual Oreos in the cake batter. 

After testing both versions, the clear winner was chopped Oreos in a fluffy white cake. The real winner is the Oreo frosting that tastes like real Oreo filling! The secret? A little clear vanilla. Oreo filling is basically American buttercream but that clear vanilla gives it that distinct flavor. Who knew?

OREO CAKE INGREDIENTS

OREO CAKE STEP-BY-STEP

Step 1 – Preheat your oven to 335ºF (168ºC) and prepare three 6″x2″ cake pans with cake goop or your preferred type of pan release.

Step 2 – Bring all your ingredients to room temperature and measure them out using a scale. This is the BEST Oreo cake because the ingredients are carefully measured and combined to make the cake very moist and soft. 🙂 If you convert to cups I cannot guarantee good results. 

• Microwave your butter in 15-second increments until you can press your finger into the butter but it still holds it's shape. 
• Microwave your milk until it feels slightly warm to the touch.
• Place your egg whites in a measuring cup that is sitting inside a bowl of warm water for about 5 minutes to warm them up.

Step 3 – In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

Step 4 – Combine milk, oil, and vanilla extract in a separate cup. Set aside.

Step 5 – Place the softened butter in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment and cream until smooth. Sprinkle in your sugar and then let whip on medium-high until light, white, and fluffy (about 5 minutes).

I'm using my Bosch Universal Plus stand mixer, a KitchenAid will work as well. I wouldn't recommend using a hand mixer but if that's all you have, make sure to go by look and consistency instead of time. 

Step 6 – While mixing on low, slowly add the egg whites to the mixture one at a time, letting each fully combine before adding the next. (Cold egg whites will curdle the batter and the cake won't rise properly, so make sure they're at room temperature.)

Step 7 – Add in ⅓ of your dry ingredients to the mixture and mix on low until just combined. Then add in ½ of your liquids, then ⅓ dry, then ½ liquids, and the rest of your dry. Let it mix until just combined. Do not overmix!

Step 8 – Prepare your Oreo cookies. Scrape the cream filling from the Oreos and discard or save it to mix into your frosting. Then roughly chop the Oreos into ¼-inch chunks.

Pro-Tip: I tried leaving the Oreo filling in the cookies but it would melt out during baking and leave these big holes in the cake.

Divide the batter evenly into the prepared cake pans and sprinkle the chopped Oreos on top of each pan. Gently fold the Oreos into the batter with a knife until just combined.

Pro-Tip: I tried adding the Oreos to the cake batter and then dividing the batter into the cake pans but the Oreo pieces would stick to the pan after baking. 

Step 9 – Bake cakes at 335º F for 35-45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when poked in the center. If you're using two, 8"x2" pans, bake for longer.

Step 10 – Let the cakes cool in the pan for 10 minutes then turn out cakes onto a cooling rack. Place the cakes into the freezer to flash chill for about an hour, or wrap in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 1 week. This locks in the moisture. Do not refrigerate cakes without frosting or they will dry out. 

Step 11 – Once cool, you can then trim off the brown edges and domes of your cakes (optional).

CAN I USE ANOTHER VANILLA CAKE BASE?

I chose to base this Oreo cake off of my white cake recipe because it uses all-purpose flour, bakes up evenly, and is strong enough to hold all of the Oreo pieces. When I tested them with my white velvet buttermilk cake recipe, all of the Oreos sunk to the bottom and fell in towards the center. White velvet uses cake flour and the reverse creaming method, so it results in a much softer crumb. The texture was just too soft to support the Oreos. 

You could use the WASC cake recipe in place of this white cake recipe and that would taste really great too. 

HOW DO I STORE MY OREO CAKE?

This cake can last for about 48 hours at room temperature because the frosting has so much butter in it and no fruit filling that might go bad. Room temperature cake always tastes best!

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Recipe

This is how I doctor a red velvet box mix to make it taste more like it's made from scratch. The added ingredients give the cake a better texture, more flavor, and more stability for stacking. Doctoring a box mix is a great way to make your cake taste better if you're not a confident baker yet or you just need a shortcut.  

Doctored Red Velvet Cake Ingredients

This recipe is based on my WASC cake recipe and my chocolate WASC. The reason why we add more ingredients to a box mix is that on its own, a box mix is pretty fluffy and soft. Nothing wrong with that really but most of my readers are professional cake decorators or passionate hobby bakers and like a firmer cake for stacking. 

The funny thing is, red velvet from scratch is really really easy to make too. Probably one of the easiest cakes to bake from scratch so if you're interested in taking that leap, check out my authentic red velvet cake recipe.

If you don't have buttermilk, you can make a buttermilk substitute or use milk instead. 

Doctored Red Velvet Cake Step-By-Step

Step 1 - Preheat your oven to 335ºF and prepare three 8"x2" cake pans with cake goop or your preferred type of pan release. 

Step 2 - Bring your eggs, sour cream, and buttermilk to room temperature. 

Step 3 - Combine the cake mix and all your ingredients in the bowl of your stand mixer with the whisk attachment attached. 

Step 4 - Mix on low for 30 seconds to combine the ingredients then scrape the bowl. 

Step 5 - Increase the speed to medium and mix for two minutes. 

Step 6 - Divide the batter between the three pans and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out of the center cleanly. 

Step 7 - Let your cakes cool in the pan until the pan is barely warm (about 10 minutes) then flip them out onto a wire rack to cool fully.  

If you want to decorate your cake right away, I suggest placing the cakes into the freezer for 60 minutes to flash cool them and then you can frost them. Or you can wrap them in plastic wrap and freeze them overnight if you want to decorate the next day.

Pro-tip: Freezing your cakes warm locks in moisture and prevents them from drying out. 

Step 8 - After your cakes are cool you can decorate your cake however you want or check out the video to see how I decorated mine with this cute ombre look!

How To Decorate The Cake

I colored ⅓ of my buttercream dark pink with super red food coloring from Americolor and then ⅓ a light pink with the same food coloring and left the last bit white. 

If you need to learn more about how to decorate cakes you can check out my how to make your first cake tutorial.

To smooth the outside of my cake, I'm using the crown jewel cake comb from Ester Cakes. 

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Recipe