Mardi Gras Birthday Cake Recipe

Course: Cake, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 24

Total Time: 44

Servings: slices

Calories: 947kcal

Author: Becky Hardin

This Mardi Gras birthday cake features vibrant gold, purple, and green layers made with cake mix and finished with a light lemon buttercream. Festive, easy, and perfect for parties or carnival season celebrations.

Print Recipe

US Customary - Metric

Equipment

Kitchen Scale (optional)
3 9-inch Round Cake Pan(s)
Hand Mixer or Stand Mixer
Piping Tip Set (optional)

Ingredients

For the Cake

30.5 ounces white cake mix (2 (15.25-ounce) boxes)
6 large egg whites room temperature
2 cups water
1 cup unsalted butter melted (2 sticks)
⅓ cup sour cream room temperature
3.4 ounces vanilla pudding mix (1 box)
2 teaspoons lemon extract
Food coloring purple, green, and yellow*

For the Frosting

5 cups powdered sugar
2 cups unsalted butter room temperature (4 sticks)
1 teaspoon lemon extract
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

For the Cakes

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of three 9-inch round cake pans with parchment paper and spray with nonstick spray. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together all of the cake ingredients except for the food coloring.
30.5 ounces white cake mix, 6 large egg whites, 2 cups water, 1 cup unsalted butter , ⅓ cup sour cream, 3.4 ounces vanilla pudding mix, 2 teaspoons lemon extract
Divide the cake batter into 3 separate bowls (about 636 grams per bowl). Add purple food coloring to one bowl, green to another, and yellow to the last bowl. Mix until the batter is evenly colored.
Food coloring
Pour the batter into the prepared cake pans, keeping the batter colors separate.
Place the pans into the oven to bake for 24 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean or with moist crumbs.
Place the cakes onto a cooling rack to cool completely.

For the Frosting

While the cakes are cooling, make the frosting: Place all of the ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle or whisk attachment. Beat together on high speed for 2-3 minutes, or until a smooth and fluffy frosting has formed.
5 cups powdered sugar, 2 cups unsalted butter, 1 teaspoon lemon extract, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

For Assembly

Once the cakes have cooled, place the green cake layer onto a cake stand or serving platter.
Use an offset or rubber spatula to spread about ⅔-cup of frosting over the surface of the cake.
Place the yellow cake layer on top of the green layer, ensuring that the edges meet and that one side does not hang off.
Frost the top with ⅔-cup frosting before placing the purple cake layer on top. Spread the remaining frosting on top and around the sides of the cake.
To frost the top and sides with colorful frosting, make an additional ¼ recipe of frosting. Once it is made, divide it into 3 separate bowls. Color each bowl with food coloring.
Spoon the frosting into separate piping bags fitted with piping tips of your choice, then pipe the frosting on top and around the bottom edges of the cake in the pattern of your choice.

Notes

*Use gel food coloring, not liquid, for the most vibrant purple, green, and yellow without thinning the batter.

Tips:

Room-temperature ingredients blend more smoothly, especially for the frosting.
It’s important to spoon and level your ingredients if you’re not using a scale, and it’s important to have a light hand when mixing the batter.
Don’t overmix after adding the food coloring, or the cake layers can turn dense.
A baby figure is traditionally baked into king cake as a surprise. Whoever gets the piece with the baby is said to be blessed with luck and prosperity, and they get to be king or queen for the day. If adding, insert it after baking and wrap it in plastic to keep it food-safe, and always warn your guests!
Rotate the pans halfway through baking if your oven has hot spots to ensure even layers.
Top this cake with colorful frosting rosettes and Mardi Gras-themed sprinkles (pictured). Or split all of the remaining frosting (not used in the crumb coat) between 3 bowls; color purple, yellow, and green; and place dollops of frosting around the cake. Use a knife or decorating spatula to swirl the colors together around the cake for a tie-dye look.
Chill the cakes thoroughly for the most even frosting application.
If the frosting feels too soft, chill it for 10-15 minutes before decorating. If it feels too thick, add 1-2 teaspoons of milk or cream at a time until spreadable.
To create a solid base for decorating, place a bit of frosting onto the cake board/stand to secure the bottom layer of cake.
Be sure to level the cakes by cutting off any domed parts to ensure that the cakes will stack evenly.
Crumb-coat the cake before frosting to catch any crumbs for a smoother appearance.
Use an offset spatula dipped in warm water for smoother sides.
Pipe decorations after chilling the crumb coat for cleaner lines.
Insert a few wooden dowels or straws if transporting the cake to prevent shifting.

Make-Ahead: The cake layers can be baked up to 2 days ahead and wrapped tightly at room temperature. The frosting can be made 1 day ahead and re-whipped before using. The fully assembled cake chills well overnight, making decorating easier the next day.

Storage: Store Mardi Gras birthday cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 1 month.

Nutrition