Magical Harry Potter Birthday Cake
Create enchanting Harry Potter-themed cakes perfect for wizarding celebrations! Whether you're recreating Hagrid's iconic 'HAPPEE BIRTHDAE HARRY' cake or crafting a delicious butterbeer-flavored masterpiece, these comprehensive recipes will transport any Harry Potter fan straight to Hogwarts. Includes vanilla, chocolate, and dietary-friendly variations for all wizards and witches!
Equipment
- 2 8-inch round cake pans For standard cake layers
- 1 Stand mixer or hand mixer For beating butter and mixing batter
- 1 Offset Spatula For frosting the cake
- 1 Piping bag with small round tip For writing on the cake
- 1 Cake decorating turntable Optional but helpful
- 1 Cooling Rack For cooling baked cake layers
- 1 roll Parchment Paper For lining cake pans
Ingredients
For Vanilla Cake Base
- 3 cups all-purpose flour 375g
- 2 cups granulated sugar 400g
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened, 227g
- 1 cup buttermilk room temperature, 240ml
- 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil 60ml
For Chocolate Cake Variation
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour 344g
- 2 cups granulated sugar 400g
- 3/4 cup cocoa powder 75g
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened, 227g
- 1 cup buttermilk room temperature, 240ml
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup hot coffee or hot water 120ml
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil 60ml
For Hagrid's Pink Buttercream
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened, 227g
- 4 cups powdered sugar 480g
- 2-3 tablespoons heavy cream or milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
- 3-4 drops pink gel food coloring
For Green Writing
- 1/2 cup reserved buttercream
- 3-4 drops green gel food coloring
For Butterbeer Cake Variation (Optional)
- 1 tablespoon butterscotch flavoring or extract
- 1/2 cup cream soda flat, 120ml
- 1/3 cup butterscotch sauce store-bought or homemade
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon optional
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg optional
Instructions
Make the Cake Base
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 8-inch round cake pans with butter or cooking spray, then line the bottoms with parchment paper circles for easy removal.
- For vanilla cake: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. For chocolate cake: Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.3 cups all-purpose flour, 2 cups granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, 2 cups granulated sugar, 3/4 cup cocoa powder, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda, 1 teaspoon salt
- In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.2 cups granulated sugar, 1 cup unsalted butter, 2 cups granulated sugar, 1 cup unsalted butter
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Then, add the vanilla extract and oil, mixing until well incorporated.4 large eggs, 2 tablespoons vanilla extract, 1/4 cup vegetable oil, 4 large eggs, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the butter mixture in three parts, alternating with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix only until just combined after each addition to avoid overmixing.1 cup buttermilk, 1 cup buttermilk
- For the chocolate version only: Slowly pour in the hot coffee or water and mix until smooth. The batter will be somewhat thin, which is normal for a moist chocolate cake.1/2 cup hot coffee or hot water
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans, smoothing the tops with a spatula.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edges and turn them out onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
Make Hagrid's Pink Buttercream
- In a large bowl, beat the butter until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes.1 cup unsalted butter
- Gradually add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla, salt, and 2 tablespoons of cream, then beat for 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy. Add more cream if needed to achieve a spreadable consistency.4 cups powdered sugar, 2-3 tablespoons heavy cream or milk, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1 pinch salt
- Add pink food coloring to the buttercream, starting with just 2-3 drops and mixing thoroughly. Add more coloring gradually until you achieve the bright pink shade seen in the movie. Remember, the color will deepen slightly as it sits.3-4 drops pink gel food coloring
- Before coloring all the frosting, reserve about 1/2 cup of frosting in a separate bowl for the green writing.1/2 cup reserved buttercream
Decorate Hagrid's Birthday Cake
- Place your cooled chocolate cake layer on a cake board or serving plate.
- Using an offset spatula, apply the pink buttercream all around and on top of the cake. For an authentic look, don't worry about making it perfectly smooth – Hagrid made this cake by hand, so a slightly rustic finish is more accurate! Leave some texture on the sides and top of the cake.
- Add green food coloring to the reserved frosting, mixing until you achieve a bright green color. Transfer the green frosting to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip.3-4 drops green gel food coloring
- Carefully pipe 'HAPPEE BIRTHDAE HARRY' (or your chosen message) onto the cake in green letters. Don't aim for perfection – slightly wobbly letters are more authentic to Hagrid's somewhat limited cake decorating skills!
- If desired, you can pipe a border around the bottom edge of the cake with the remaining pink frosting for additional decoration.
Notes
- For the most authentic Hagrid cake, remember that it's supposed to be imperfect, so don't worry about getting perfectly smooth frosting or perfectly even lettering.
- For a butterbeer variation, add butterscotch flavoring to the cake batter and replace some of the milk with cream soda. For the buttercream, add 1/3 cup butterscotch sauce to the recipe.
- To make this cake vegan: Use plant-based milk with a tablespoon of vinegar instead of buttermilk, replace butter with vegan butter or margarine, and use flax eggs (1 tbsp ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tbsp water equals one egg).
- To make this cake gluten-free: Use a high-quality gluten-free all-purpose flour blend with xanthan gum. Verify all other ingredients are certified gluten-free, particularly the cocoa powder, baking powder, and vanilla extract.
- Store the finished cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerated for up to 5 days. Bring to room temperature before serving for best flavor and texture.