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Baby Shark Birthday Cake

Funfetti Baby Shark Birthday Cake Recipe

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Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 590
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
  • 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated sugar
  • 3 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup (80 g) rainbow sprinkles
  • 1/2 cup (85 g) white candy melts or white chocolate chips
  • 1 1/2 cups (340 g) unsalted butter, softened (for buttercream)
  • 5 cups (625 g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • 2 to 3 tbsp heavy cream or milk
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract (for buttercream)
  • Blue gel food coloring
  • Teal or royal blue gel coloring, optional

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease two 8-inch pans. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat butter and sugar until pale, 3 minutes.
  2. Add eggs one at a time, then vanilla. Alternate dry ingredients and buttermilk. Fold in sprinkles. Divide into pans and bake 23 to 26 minutes. Cool 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack.
  3. Level cooled layers. Place one layer on a plate, spread about 3/4 cup buttercream on top, add second layer.
  4. Beat butter for frosting. Sift in powdered sugar, add vanilla and cream, whip 2 minutes. Tint blue. Crumb coat, chill 15 minutes, then frost fully.
  5. Melt candy melts. Spread a shark fin shape on parchment, let set. Pipe waves with remaining buttercream, press fin into top, scatter sprinkles.

Notes

The cake layers can be baked a day ahead, cooled, wrapped, and stored at room temperature before frosting. If the finished cake sits in the fridge overnight, let it come to room temperature for the best texture.