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Frosted Circus Animal Cookie Cake

This Frosted Circus Animal Cookie Cake is made with pink and white vanilla cake, a frosted animal cookie filling and covered in white chocolate buttercream!
Print Recipe
Prep Time 2 hours
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 35 minutes
Servings: 12
Cuisine: Chinese
Calories: 120
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Cake Layers
  • 2.5 cups all purpose flour
  • 2.5 teaspoons baking powder
  • 0.5 teaspoon salt
  • 0.75 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1.5 cups sugar
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1.25 cups milk
  • 1 pink gel icing color
  • 1 ivory gel icing color
For the Animal Cookie Filling
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2.5 cups frosted animal cookie crumbs
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 7.5 tablespoons milk or water
  • 0.25 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 1 frosted animal cookies, crumbled for mixing in
For the White Chocolate Buttercream
  • 1.25 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 12 oz white chocolate chips, melted
  • 6 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 5.5 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
  • 1 sprinkles for decorating
For the Pink Ganache Drizzle
  • 6 oz white chocolate chips
  • 0.25 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1 pink gel icing color

Method
 

Preparation Steps
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C). Prepare two 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper circles in the bottom and grease the sides.
  2. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.
  3. In a large mixer bowl, beat together the butter, sugar, and vegetable oil until light in color and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
  4. Add the eggs and mix until completely combined and smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
  5. Add half of the dry ingredients to the batter and mix until mostly combined.
  6. Add the vanilla extract and milk and mix until well combined. The batter may look a little curdled.
  7. Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix until well combined and smooth. Do not overmix the batter.
  8. Divide the batter in half. Put one half into one of the cake pans and spread evenly. Color the other half with pink and ivory gel color, then spread evenly into the other prepared cake pan.
  9. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few crumbs.
  10. Remove the cakes from the oven and let them cool in the pans for about 2-3 minutes, then transfer them to cooling racks to cool completely.
  11. To make the filling, beat the butter until smooth.
  12. Add the animal cookie crumbs and beat until well combined.
  13. Add the powdered sugar and 4 tablespoons of milk or water and beat until well combined.
  14. Add the vanilla extract, salt, and additional milk or water as needed to achieve the desired consistency.
  15. Stir in the crumbled animal cookies.
  16. To assemble the cake, torte the two cake layers so you have four layers total.
  17. Place the first pink layer of cake on a serving plate or cake circle. Spread about 3/4 cup of the filling evenly over the top.
  18. Repeat with a layer of white cake and another layer of filling.
  19. Add the second pink cake layer and another layer of filling.
  20. Top the cake with the second white cake layer.
  21. To make the white chocolate buttercream, beat the butter in a large mixer bowl until smooth.
  22. Add the melted white chocolate chips in three batches, mixing until well incorporated and smooth.
  23. Add about half of the powdered sugar and mix until smooth.
  24. Add the salt and 3-4 tablespoons of cream, then mix until smooth.
  25. Add the remaining powdered sugar and mix until smooth.
  26. Add additional cream, as needed, until you reach the desired frosting consistency.
  27. Frost the outside of the cake with the buttercream. Press sprinkles into the sides of the cake.
  28. To make the pink ganache, add the white chocolate chips to a medium bowl.
  29. Heat the cream in a microwave-safe measuring cup just until it begins to boil. Pour the hot cream over the white chocolate chips and whisk until smooth. If needed, microwave in 10-second increments, stirring between each, until melted and smooth.
  30. Add the pink icing color until you reach your desired shade.
  31. Drizzle the ganache around the edge of the cake, then fill in the center.
  32. Pipe some swirls of the remaining buttercream around the top edge of the cake and finish with additional animal cookies.

Notes

Optional notes: This cake is rich and sweet, perfect for celebrations!