Go Back
Stranger Things Birthday Cake

Stranger Things Birthday Cake Recipe

Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 520
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1½ tsp baking powder
  • 1½ tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp fine sea salt
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup hot brewed coffee
  • 2 cups unsalted butter, softened
  • 6 cups powdered sugar, sifted
  • ¼ cup heavy cream or whole milk
  • Red gel food coloring
  • Yellow candy melts, for piping lights
  • Black writing icing, for letters

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 9-inch round pans and line bottoms with parchment. Whisk flour, cocoa, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add eggs, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla; beat 2 minutes. Mix in hot coffee on low until just combined.
  2. Divide batter into pans, tap to release bubbles. Bake 28-32 minutes until a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs. Cool in pans 10 minutes, then turn out and cool completely.
  3. Beat butter 4 minutes until fluffy. Gradually add powdered sugar, then cream, vanilla, and salt. Beat 2 minutes, then tint with red gel coloring until bright red.
  4. Place one cake layer on a plate, spread 1 cup frosting, top with second layer. Apply a thin crumb coat, chill 20 minutes, then frost the entire cake red.
  5. Melt yellow candy melts, pipe curved strings and small dots for lights. Use black icing to pipe letters along the sides. Serve at room temperature.

Notes

The cake layers can be baked a day ahead and wrapped well. Cool them fully before frosting, and give the finished cake at least 30 minutes to come to room temperature after chilling if you store it in the fridge.