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Frosted Circus Animal Cookie Cake

A colorful and playful cake that combines the nostalgia of frosted animal cookies with moist layers of cake and rich buttercream, perfect for any celebration.
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Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Cake, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 400
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cake Ingredients
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 3 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 1/4 cups milk
  • Pink gel icing color
  • Ivory gel icing color
Filling Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2 1/2 cups frosted animal cookie crumbs
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 7-8 tbsp milk or water (as needed)
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla extract for filling
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 15 pieces frosted animal cookies, crumbled
Frosting Ingredients
  • 1 1/4 cups unsalted butter, room temperature for frosting
  • 12 oz white chocolate chips, melted
  • 6 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 pinch salt for frosting
  • 5-6 tbsp heavy whipping cream for frosting
Ganache Ingredients
  • 6 oz white chocolate chips
  • 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream for ganache
  • Pink gel icing color for ganache
Toppings
  • Sprinkles to adorn

Method
 

Cake Preparation
  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (176°C) and prepare two 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper circles. Grease the sides well.
  2. In a medium bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  3. In a large mixer bowl, beat the butter, sugar, and vegetable oil until fluffy and light, about 3-4 minutes.
  4. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing until smooth and scraping the sides as necessary.
  5. Gently fold in half of the dry ingredients, then mix in the milk and vanilla extract.
  6. Fold in the remaining flour mixture until smooth. Divide the batter into two bowls, coloring one pink and leaving the other ivory.
  7. Pour each batter into its respective pan and bake for 30-35 minutes. Use a toothpick to test; ideally, it should come out with a few crumbs.
  8. Allow the cakes to cool on racks completely.
Filling Preparation
  1. Beat the butter for the filling until smooth.
  2. Mix in the frosted animal cookie crumbs.
  3. Gradually add powdered sugar and enough milk or water for a velvety consistency.
  4. Add a splash of vanilla and a pinch of salt, then fold in the crumbled cookies.
Layering and Frosting
  1. Assemble the cake in four layers, alternating between pink and ivory, smothering each layer with filling.
  2. For the frosting, beat the butter until smooth. Add melted white chocolate gradually.
  3. Mix in half the powdered sugar, followed by salt and cream until smooth.
  4. Add the remaining powdered sugar and a splash of cream, mixing until smooth.
  5. Frost the entire cake and decorate with sprinkles.
Ganache Preparation
  1. Pour the heavy cream into the white chocolate chips and whisk until silky smooth.
  2. Color the ganache with pink icing and drip it around the cake, filling the center, and pipe some buttercream swirls on top, adding the cookies as a crown.

Notes

Store leftovers wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or in an airtight container; it will last in the fridge for 3-4 days.